QUICKIE RECAP
Just when you thought Oregon was going to escape Palo Alto with a hard-fought win, the ghosts of overtime past came back to haunt the Ducks with a devasting and mind-boggling 31-24 loss in overtime.
With 1:59 remaining in regulation, and seemingly with the game in hand leading 24-17, the Ducks allowed the anemic Stanford offense to drive 87 yards for the game-tying score on the final play of regulation. Then in overtime, and on Stanford’s first offensive possession, the Ducks gave up the game-winning score, a wide-open 14-yard touchdown pass across the middle to TE John Humphreys which the Ducks weren’t able to match with their first possession of the extra period.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tanner McKee threw a TD pass on an untimed down at the end of regulation to tie the game and another on the opening possession of overtime to lead Stanford to a 31-24 victory over No. 3 Oregon on Saturday.
McKee came back after leaving for a play on the final drive of regulation with an injury to tie it on a 2-yard pass to Elijah Higgins after a holding penalty by Oregon (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) in the end zone extended the game one play.
McKee then gave the Cardinal (3-2, 2-1) the lead with a 14-yarder to John Humphreys in overtime.
Stanford then forced Anthony Brown to throw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-8 to seal its fourth win against an Oregon team ranked in the top 10 since 2009.
The Ducks were appeared poised for their first 5-0 start in eight years when they rallied from 10 points down at halftime to take a 24-17 lead early in the fourth quarter on Brown’s second TD run of the game.
But then McKee delivered the big plays late and the Cardinal capitalized on three Oregon penalties on the game-tying 87-yard drive in the final 1:59 of regulation.
McKee left the game for one play on the drive after being hit by Kayvon Thibodeaux on a play ruled targeting. Thibodeaux was ejected leaving the Ducks without their best pass rusher for the remainder of the contest.
Oregon was then called for another roughing the passer penalty and the holding penalty in the end zone on what appeared to be the final play of regulation.
The Cardinal got the untimed down and McKee delivered with the pass to Higgins. The Cardinal tied the score at 24 which sent the game into overtime.
On their first possession of the extra period, Stanford QB Tanner McKee found his big tight end John Humphreys wide open coming across the middle who bulled his way into the endzone after the catch.
The Ducks offense failed to match the score with their possession handing them the 31-24 loss.
“Obviously a tough one,” said Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal.
“We had some bright moments, but certainly not enough to overcome some of our own mistakes. … We didn’t play with enough discipline today and didn’t coach with enough discipline, and it cost us the game.”
KEY PLAYS / KEP PLAYERS
The Ducks played without offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead, who was being evaluated for a non-COVID-related illness. Oregon struggled to move the ball early with only one first down on the opening three drives and one score in the first half. Brown threw the first INT of the season for the Ducks on the second drive before finding a bit of momentum in the second half.
“A team as good as ours can’t make mistakes like this, can’t shoot ourselves in the foot,” said Oregon QB Anthony Brown, who was 14-of-26 passing for 186 yards and an interception, and ran for two scores.
“And we did it. A lot. It’s gonna sting – it’s gonna sting bad. We’ll learn from it and move on.”
Both teams were stopped on fourth down in the first half. Stanford went for it on fourth-and-1 just across midfield late in the first quarter but McKee was stopped for no gain on a sneak.
The Ducks took advantage of the short field and drove for a TD to cut the deficit to 10-7.
Then late in the half, Oregon went for it on fourth down from the 1 but Brown was hit for a 1-yard loss.
WHAT’S NEXT
Oregon heads back home to the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium for a Friday night match-up with the California Bears on October 15th. The badly bruised Ducks will get a much-needed bye week next weekend before meeting the Bears. The game against California will be nationally televised on ESPN with a kickoff time of 7:30 PM PST.