STANFORD – Three defensive starters out for the sport with accidents after simply two performs from scrimmage. 4 misplaced fumbles on offense in 13 minutes.
Stanford struggled towards Washington State but once more on Saturday, all however guaranteeing that the Cardinal received’t play in a bowl sport for the fourth straight season.
The Cougars had three touchdowns earlier than Stanford had a primary down and rolled to a 52-14 win at Stanford Stadium for its sixth straight win within the sequence.
The dominating effort by the Cougars (5-4, 2-4) was harking back to precisely one yr in the past, when Utah received 52-7 at Stanford Stadium.
Now the Cardinal (3-6, 1-6) might want to win at No. 12 Utah subsequent Saturday to maintain its slim bowl hopes alive.
“It’s not about scheme proper now, it’s about pleasure,” Stanford coach David Shaw stated. “I’m in the end accountable, however now we have to play higher. … We simply want extra out of our greatest gamers. They usually have extra to provide. Gotta make it occur.”
Listed here are the largest takeaways from Saturday afternoon’s blowout, and what must occur to keep away from a repeat efficiency subsequent week:
DECIMATED DEFENSE: Two Stanford captains – linebackers Ricky Miezan and Levani Damuni – appeared to undergo leg accidents inside the first two performs, which included a 65-yard run by Cougars working again Nakia Watson, and security Patrick Fields additionally left with an obvious arm damage on the primary play. Later within the quarter, security Kendall Williamson was injured, which means 4 of Stanford’s 11 defensive starters had been out for the sport early on.
It wasn’t instantly clear if any of the gamers could be prepared towards Utah. Linebacker Jacob Mangum-Farrar had already been dominated out earlier than the sport with an damage, which means Stanford didn’t have any of its three common beginning linebackers or both beginning security.
Washington State took full benefit with runs up the center, and completed with 316 yards on 35 carries, excluding kneel-downs. Its 306 complete speeding yards was essentially the most since speeding for 344 towards Idaho in 2006.
Washington State had scored simply 41 factors throughout its earlier three video games however had 42 at halftime.
NO HELP FROM OFFENSE: With its protection depleted, Stanford’s solely hope to remain within the sport was to compensate with a robust offensive effort.
However after scoring simply two touchdowns in its earlier three video games, the Cardinal’s offensive struggles continued. With no wholesome scholarship working again, the Cardinal’s main rusher was freshman transformed security Mitch Leigber, who had 23 yards on 9 carries. Stanford additionally used freshman possibility QB Ashton Daniels, who had each of Stanford’s touchdowns on quick runs.
However Leigber and Daniels each fumbled as Stanford turned the ball over 4 occasions in 5 possessions. It wasn’t simply the freshmen with ball management points – senior receiver Elijah Higgins and junior tight finish Benjamin Yurosek additionally fumbled whereas combating for additional yards.
“Guys try too onerous to make one thing occur due to the scenario we’re in,” Shaw stated. “That’s one of many huge issues now we have to protect towards.”
QB Tanner McKee, who completed 23 of 40 passing for 236 yards, has thrown only one TD go within the final 4 video games.
WHAT’S NEXT: Stanford subsequent travels to Utah, who heading into Saturday hadn’t misplaced a house sport with followers within the stands since Sept. 15, 2018.
“We now have to show the web page and consider in everyone in our locker room and in our services,” McKee stated. “Utah is a superb staff. Very hostile atmosphere. We all know it’s going to be chilly and it’s going to be loud and we simply need to consider within the guys on our left and proper.”
The Cardinal hasn’t achieved nicely towards highly-ranked groups this yr, shedding 45-27 at No. 8 Oregon, 41-28 to No. 9 USC and 38-13 at No. 10 UCLA – and that was earlier than its most up-to-date spate of accidents.
“We’re most likely not going to have lots of people betting that Stanford goes to tug a giant upset, however we all know in our locker room we positively can,” McKee stated. “We now have the potential. We now have the expertise. We simply need to exit and execute.”