Oregon suffers first loss of season at hands of Stanford

Stanford, CA— For the second straight year Mariota, and the Duck offense were overmatched by their kryptonite, the Stanford Cardinals.

Last year Stanford erased any national championship thoughts the Ducks might have, and their streak of 3 conference championships, with a 17-14 overtime victory in Eugene.

This year Stanford wouldn’t need any extra time, as they handled one of the best offensive attacks in the nation 26-20.

Stanford took control of the game early holding the Oregon offense scoreless in the first quarter. It would be the second time in 2 years the Ducks were held scoreless in the first, the other time, last year against Stanford.

After stopping the Ducks on 4^th and goal on the 4, Kevin Hogan orchestrated a 12 play 96 yard drive, capped off by a Tyler Gaffney 2 yard plunge into the end zone. The score put the Cardinals in the lead 7-0 with 2:36 to go in the 1^st quarter.

Cardinals padded their lead with 11 yard scamper in the end zone by Hogan to go up 14 with less than 5 minutes to go in the half.

Still as fast as they can score, Cardinals knew, the Ducks were still in it, and found the Ducks threatening inside the 20.

Cardinals were then aided by another red zone miscue by the Ducks, when De’Anthony Thomas coughed it up on the 11 giving the Cardinals the ball back with less than 9:00 to go in the half.

Hogan then orchestrated another time consuming drive, aided by a couple penalties, and set up Jordan Williamson with a 19 yard chip-shot to put the Cardinals up 17-0 at the half.

In the second half Stanford continued to control the clock, drawing out long drives and keeping the Oregon offense on the sideline watching.

Stanford only put together 3 field goals by Williamson from 34, 26, and 30 yards in the second half. But it was enough to aid a 17 point cushion they set their selves up with.

Oregon made a push in the second half after, as Mariota would not be denied, punching a 24 yard laser to Daryle Hawkins to put them on the board, avoiding their first shutout since 2007 against UCLA.

A blocked field goal 65 yard return for a Ducks score with 5:08 to go put the Ducks at 13 after the failed 2 point conversion. After recovering the onside kick, Mariota pulled the Ducks within 6 with 2:12 to go, with a 12 yard touchdown pass to Pharaoh Brown.

It was just too little too late as Stanford recovered the onside kick, and were able to run the clock out, to secure a 26-20 victory, thanks to win in the time of possession category. Stanford controlled the ball  for 45:30 compared to Oregon’s 14:30.

Mariota may have seen his Heisman chances erased as the Cardinals held him to just 250 yards and 2 scores. Oregon’s playmaker De’Anthony Thomas was contained through the night accumulating only 75 combined yards.

Hogan finished the night with 103 yards passing and 57 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown. He made the plays when the Cardinals needed though. Tyler Gaffney proved most important as he put together 157 yards and a score off of 45 carries.

With the loss Oregon moves to 8-1 and moves out of national championship consideration. Stanford improves to 8-1 has eyes set on a conference championship. Both team control their own destiny and can still make BCS bowl game.

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Photo Credit: (Steve Dykes/Getty Images North America)

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