Stanford had trouble running the ball and holding onto it was also problematic. The result was another Pac-12 Conference football loss, this time to host Arizona State, 26-10, on Saturday night.
The Cardinal (4-3, 2-2 Pac-12 hosts Oregon State next Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and there’s still a chance of going to the Rose Bowl. That’s the beauty of divisional play.
Stanford may have two losses but with so does every other team in the North Division with the exception of Oregon, which has one loss. The Ducks and Stanford play Nov.1, though the game won’t mean much unless the Cardinal can figure out how to run the ball effectively, hang onto the ball and win the next five straight.
Stanford coach David Shaw has been preaching running the ball effectively, avoiding turnovers and making field goals all season. It’s just not happening consistently.
Coming off perhaps its best game of the season against Washington State, the Cardinal may have played its worst against the Sun Devils, who took a measure of revenge from losing last year’s Pac-12 championship game at the same venue.
The Stanford defense put together another solid performance in holding Arizona State to more than 200 yards under its season average, but the Cardinal offense mustered just one touchdown.
Stanford’s offense had trouble moving the football until late in the game, gaining a mere 69 yards in the first half as the Cardinal fell behind 14-0, the first time the team has been shutout in the first half in seven years.
Kevin Hogan threw for 212 yards on 19 of 39 passing, with Ty Montgomery catching six passes for 82 yards. Redmound Wright gained 40 of Stanford’s 76 rushing yards.
Patrick Skov scored Stanford’s lone touchdown and Jordan Williamson added a field goal.
Fumbles on a punt return and kickoff return, one late in the first half and the other late in the game, proved costly.
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports
Go Sun Devils!
Hogans sloppy passes hurt more than the fumbles
Dear Stanford football team
Hand in there!
It was probably too hot in Tempe for football last night.
We love you!
Let’s beat Oregon State and Utah soundly.
I will be killed if I say anything about CAL as my daughter #1 graduated from CAL.
See you next week at the stadium/game!
Go into the sunset Cardinals
Stanford’s offensive line was weak, the play-calling once again ineffective (time for Shaw to hand that job to someone else). As Shaw said at halftime on TV, “We are getting out-played and out-coached”. ASU had better plays, players (especially at QB) and a coach with an imagination. Stanford needs to find a way to get the ball into Barry Sanders hands, without running him into the line line any other running back. Stanford could have thrown the the tight ends all night long, but, it was hit and miss……mostly miss. So, kiss that Pac-12 title goodbye. No more top 25 ranking. This is becoming just a very so-so season for the Cardinal. Bowl game? Who cares? Even Cal looks better.
USC, Notre Dame, and ASU were all winnable games. Stanford should fire Shaw.