Cardinal rout of Oregon fueled by power of Love
NEXT GAME
Twelve hours after ESPN featured Bryce Love on its morning “Game Day” program, the Stanford running back provided a real-time reminder of his spectacular talent.
Love scored two touchdowns in the opening 4 minutes, 23 seconds, including a 67-yard dash, and the 23rd-ranked Cardinal routed Oregon 49-7 in front of an announced crowd of 48,559 on Saturday night.
The Cardinal (5-2, 4-1) won its fourth straight game and moved into first place in the Pac-12 North after losses this weekend by No. 5 Washington and No. 8 Washington State.
The game kicked after 11 p.m. EST when fans — and Heisman Trophy voters — in that part of the country likely either were tucked into bed or gradually nodding off.
So on the day the Stanford athletic department initiated its #HeismanLove campaign, the junior did his heavy lifting early.
The nation’s leading rusher had his ninth consecutive 100-yard rushing game after just five carries and 136 yards by the end of the first quarter. He carried the ball just once in the second half and finished with 147 yards against the nation’s 10th-ranked run defense.
“Bryce was great in the first half,” Stanford coach David Shaw said. “He got a little banged up. There was no reason for us to put him back in.”
Shaw declined to specify the nature or severity of Love’s situation, but the Cardinal has a bye next week before playing at Oregon State the following Thursday.
Love dashed 34 yards on his first carry and scored on a 5-yard run just 2 minutes, 26 seconds into the game for a 7-0 lead.
Stanford forced a threeand-out before Love delivered what seems to be his weekly highlight-reel play. He took a pitch directly behind center, made one quick move and sprinted 67 yards, untouched, for his second TD and a 14-0 lead.
It was the ninth straight game dating back to last season that Love peeled off at least one run of 50 yards.
“Never gets old,” guard
Oct. 26: Stanford (5-2, 4-1 Pac-12) at Oregon State (16, 0-4), 6 p.m. ESPN
Jesse Burkett said of watching Love’s long TD run. “It’s so much fun playing with that guy.”
Love began the day No. 2 in the Heisman race, according to Las Vegas oddsmakers, behind only Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, whose team had a bye Saturday. Barkley has 649 rushing yards for the unbeaten Nittany Lions. Love now has 1,387 yards — 11 yards shy of double Barkley’s total.
Love had plenty of help against the Ducks (4-3, 1-3), who suffered their lowestscoring game since being shut out by UCLA in 2007.
Quarterback Keller Chryst was accurate and efficient, completing 15 of 21 passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns, matching his career best. His only interception went off the hands of JJ Arcega-Whiteside in the end zone.
“To me, the story of the game was Keller Chryst,” Shaw said. “We played a complete game on offense.”
The line, despite going without starting left tackle Walker Little, enjoyed its fourth straight game without allowing a sack.
Arcega-Whiteside acquitted himself well with six receptions for 112 yards, both career highs. Tight end Colby Parkinson, listed on the depth chart as the fourth-string tight end, also caught a pair of TD passes, one of them from K.J. Costello.
Oregon senior Royce Freeman ran for 143 yards and moved past former USC star Marcus Allen to No. 4 on the Pac-12 career rushing list.
The Ducks rushed for 227 yards in the first half when the Cardinal played without two key defensive starters. Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, the team’s leading tackler, and linebacker Peter Kalambayi both sat out the first half after being flagged for targeting penalties last week at Utah.
“They really made a difference in the second half,” Shaw said, alluding to Oregon’s total of 49 rushing yards after halftime.
Penalties and the inexperience of freshman quarterback Braxton Burmeister, making his first start, sabotaged the Ducks when the game still was up for grabs.
Oregon was flagged six times for 65 yards in the first half, and Burmeister completed just one of four passes and was intercepted twice. He did score Oregon’s only touchdown on a 3-yard run.
Even special teams let down the Ducks. Stanford’s Curtis Robinson came through the middle to block a punt by Adam Stack and Brandon Simmons recovered at the 2 before walking it into the end zone for a 28-7 lead with 8:05 left in the second quarter.