STANFORD – Stanford broke its 10-game Pac-12 shedding streak by one foot Saturday afternoon at Stanford Stadium.
Arizona State receiver Elijah Badger’s one-handed catch on fourth-and-20 with three seconds left was initially dominated a completion on the Stanford 1-yard line, however replay overturned the choice as a result of the tip of his foot was on the sideline.
Because of this, Arizona State didn’t have a shot at a chip-shot discipline objective because the Cardinal (3-4, 1-4) escaped with a 15-14 win.
Stanford has gained two in a row heading into subsequent Saturday’s recreation at UCLA, regardless of 23 straight possessions with out a landing.
“Execution-wise was down for us, particularly on the offensive aspect,” Stanford coach David Shaw stated. “However the effort was there, vitality was there, fireplace and fervour was there.”
The takeaways from Stanford’s first Pac-12 win since beating Oregon 55 weeks in the past:
KARTY’S KICKS
Tanner McKee’s 57 cross makes an attempt, the fifth-most in program historical past, wasn’t sufficient to get ultimately zone nevertheless it was sufficient to get a win because of a program-tying 5 made discipline targets by Joshua Karty.
Karty transformed makes an attempt from 47, 44, 44, 36, and 36 yards to match the college report for many discipline targets in a recreation.
He's now 12-for-12 on the season, with 9 of these makes an attempt from no less than 43 yards. His 47-yarder with 6:28 left offered the profitable factors.
Shaw stated he remembers watching movie of Karty in highschool blasting kickoffs halfway up the goalposts for touchbacks.
“We saved watching it and saying at one level this child’s going to be one of the best kicker in America,” Shaw stated. “We could also be there.”
Then again, ASU’s 42-yard discipline objective try within the second quarter was quick.
PASS-HEAVY
One week after Casey Filkins had 32 carries in a 16-14 win over Notre Dame, he solely had eight carries for 48 yards in opposition to ASU (2-5, 1-3) earlier than lacking the fourth quarter with an harm. Stanford had 65 cross performs, together with McKee scrambles, and simply 16 runs. Nevertheless it was sufficient to get in discipline objective vary, even when cross drops, unhealthy throws and unhealthy routes within the purple zone saved it from scoring.
“Backside line for us we discovered a technique to win,” Shaw stated. “Doesn’t must be excellent. Nobody asks the way you gained, simply that you just gained, and we did two video games in a row.”
McKee accomplished 33 of 57 passes for 320 yards and one interception. Steve Smith holds the Stanford report with 68 makes an attempt in opposition to Notre Dame in 1989.
DEFENSE HOLDS
Stanford’s final house recreation resulted in devastating vogue for the Cardinal when Oregon State scored a 56-yard TD with 13 seconds left.
The protection obtained some redemption final week in opposition to the Combating Irish, protecting Notre Dame from mounting a profitable drive within the last minutes. This time ASU began at its 32 with 1:28 left and no timeouts. The Solar Devils accomplished a 30-yard cross on fourth-and-7 to the Stanford 34, however Stephon Herron adopted with a nine-yard sack to power the ultimate fourth-and-long.
One of many largest contributors was freshman edge Ernest Cooper, who took benefit of normal starter David Bailey’s absence and recorded 2.5 tackles for loss in his first motion.
“We knew he was going to be a celebrity,” Shaw stated. “We simply didn’t understand how quickly.”
POSTSEASON POSSIBLE
With the win, Stanford could make its first bowl recreation since 2018 with no need to drag a giant upset in opposition to Utah or UCLA. As an alternative, it simply has to beat Washington State, Cal, and BYU, who've a mixed report of 11-10. The Cougars have been ranked as excessive as No. 12 however have misplaced three in a row.
Nonetheless, the Cardinal realizes to try this it must play higher, particularly on offense. Stanford’s final TD got here on the opening drive at Notre Dame.
“That was a messy one, however we nonetheless must win the messy ones,” McKee stated. “It was sufficient to get the Dub however clearly not ok shifting ahead.”
