Bryce Love propels Stanford to 34-24 win over Arizona State with 301 yards rushing.
Cardinal running back sets school record for rushing yards
STANFORD, CALIF.» On a record-setting day for Bryce Love, Stanford coach David Shaw had a difficult time deciding which of the junior running back’s runs was his favorite.
There was the 61-yard touchdown in the first quarter on Love’s second carry of the afternoon, followed not long after by a 43-yard score in the second. And there was the 59yard burst through the middle in the third.
“Take your pick,” Shaw said. “I’ve never seen anything like that, ever.”
Shaw isn’t alone.
No player in Stanford history has ever had the type of day that Love did Saturday when he set a single-game school record for 301 yards rushing and three touchdowns to help the Cardinal beat Arizona State 34-24.
Love entered the day leading the nation in rushing and padded his total with another big day on the ground.
He has 1,088 yards overall this season, the third player since 2004 to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in his team’s first five games.
“I’m not saying he’s the best one that’s been through here — I’m not starting that argument,” Shaw said. “But at the same time, I’ve never seen anything like what happened today. That was unbelievable.”
Love repeatedly gouged the Sun Devils for big gains but did some of his best running late after Arizona State pulled within 31-24 following Demario Richard’s second touchdown, a 2-yard run, with 8:02 remaining.
Love, who broke Christian Mccaffrey’s year-old record of 284 yards, helped Stanford secure the win with a series of clockdraining runs that set up Jet Toner’s 22-yard field goal.
“I’m definitely not the biggest guy out there, and it’s easy to overlook it, I feel like,” Love said. “But I take pride in being able to go out there and make those type of plays and being able to pick up the yards after contact.”
Arizona State coach Todd Graham lamented his team’s inability to stop Love.
“On every play he broke, we had someone there unblocked,” Graham said. “Give him credit. He’s a real special guy.”
K.J. Costello, who came off the bench to lead Stanford past UCLA a week ago after starter Keller Chryst was injured, completed 15 of 24 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown as the Cardinal (3-2, 2-1 Pac-12) won consecutive games for the first time this season. The Sun Devils dropped to 2-3, 1-1.
Stanford also got a lift from its defense which forced two turnovers and held Arizona State to seven points in the second half, one week after the Sun Devils rallied to upset then-no. 24 Oregon.