Nov 29, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback Walker Eget (5) throws against the Stanford Cardinal in the second quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

San Jose State uses aerial attack to get by Stanford

Walker Eget threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winning 18-yard strike to TreyShun Hurry with 1:55 left in the game, as San Jose State ended the regular season Friday with a 34-31 nonconference win over visiting Stanford.

Hurry adjusted to an underthrown back-shoulder ball in the front-left corner of the end zone, capping a three-play drive. It started at the Cardinal 37 after Isiah Revis made a diving interception of Ashton Daniels’ third-down pass over the middle.

Eget completed 33 of 49 passes with an interception for the Spartans (7-5), who await their bowl destination. His favorite target, as usual, was Nick Nash, who had eight catches for 91 yards and two scores. Nash, a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award given to the nation’s best receiver, ended the regular season with 104 receptions and 16 touchdowns.

Daniels hit 26 of 40 passes for 252 yards with a score and three interceptions for Stanford (3-9) while rushing for 91 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. His 1-yard run with 7:39 remaining gave the Cardinal a 31-27 edge.

But Stanford mistakes were the deciding factor. It not only lost the turnover battle 3-2 but committed 10 penalties for 115 yards.

Stanford initiated scoring at the 5:49 mark of the first quarter when Emmet Kenney connected on a 24-yard field goal to cap a drive of just over seven minutes. The Cardinal reached the 10 earlier in the drive but false start and holding penalties kept them out of the end zone.

San Jose State got its passing game going for 17 points in the second quarter. Eget connected with Nash for touchdown passes of 20 and 2 yards in less than four minutes, giving the Spartans a 14-3 lead with 5:25 left.

Stanford got into the end zone for the first time with 42 seconds remaining on Daniels’ 12-yard strike to Emmett Mosley V, but San Jose State took the momentum and three more points to the half. Kyler Halvorsen connected from 45 yards as time expired, making it 17-10 at the break.

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears running back Jaydn Ott (1) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Oregon State Beavers during the third quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Ott was ruled down before scoring after a video review. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Big Game, new league: Stanford and Cal renew rivalry

California has more at stake than just rivalry pride when it hosts Stanford in their first Big Game as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley, Calif.

Coming off a 33-25 home loss to Syracuse, Cal (5-5, 1-5 ACC) remains one win shy of bowl eligibility. The Golden Bears complete the regular season next Saturday at No. 13 SMU.

Stanford (3-7, 2-5) already is assured of its sixth straight campaign without postseason play despite a surprising 38-35 home win over then-No. 19 Louisville last week. The Cardinal finish with a non-conference matchup at San Jose State next Friday.

Cal hopes to unleash star running back Jaydn Ott on the Cardinal like it did in last year’s 27-15 road win, when the then-sophomore dominated the game with 166 yards rushing.

But the All-American candidate hasn’t come close to duplicating those kinds of numbers this year after suffering a sprained ankle in Cal’s season-opening win over UC Davis. He hasn’t rushed for more than 78 yards in any game this year, with his season high coming last week against Syracuse.

Ott isn’t the only Big Game performer who is coming off his best effort of the season. Stanford’s Ashton Daniels earned ACC Quarterback of the Week for his 298-yard, three-touchdown showing against Louisville.

Cal safety Craig Woodson said he and his teammates saw Daniels’ performance on tape and weren’t impressed.

“We still feel the same way about them. We’re coming out Saturday to dominate them,” Woodson boasted. “With them beating Louisville, it doesn’t change anything. It just makes us even more (determined) to show them y’all’s the little dogs and we’re the Bears.”

The best Stanford can do this year is finish with five wins. Cardinal coach Troy Taylor noted any season, regardless of the total number of wins, contains a lifetime memory if it includes a win over the Northern California rival.

“The games are usually decided by a touchdown, so teams do typically rise to the occasion regardless of the records and no matter what’s going on,” he observed. “It’s really what is great about college sports. Hopefully it’ll be another great one for Stanford folk.”

Cal has won the last three Big Games.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal place kicker Emmet Kenney (13) kicks a field goal during the first quarter against the Louisville Cardinals at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Stanford beats No. 19 Louisville on final-play field goal

Emmet Kenney kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired to lift host Stanford to a 38-35 upset of No. 19 Louisville on Saturday.

The senior’s heroics led to the crowd rushing to the field and snapped a six-game losing skid for the Cardinal (3-7, 2-5 Atlantic Coast Conference). It also capped a sensational comeback for Stanford, which trailed by 14 with less than 10 minutes remaining.

The game-winning kick was set up after Louisville (6-4, 4-3) turned it over on downs at the Stanford 45 with 5 seconds left. Louisville then committed unsportsmanlike conduct and offsides penalties to get Kenney closer.

Stanford got a season-high 298 yards passing and three touchdowns from Ashton Daniels, while freshman receiver Emmett Mosley V had 13 catches for 168 yards and three TDs.

Mosley caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Justin Lamson on a fourth-and-1 with 45 seconds left to tie the game.

Louisville appeared to have the game in hand after a 5-yard touchdown run from Duke Watson to make it 35-21 with 9:44 left. It was part of a career day for the true freshman, who stepped up after leading rusher Isaac Brown left with a shoulder injury in the first quarter.

Watson ran for 117 yards and three scores on 11 carries for the Cardinals, who rallied and appeared to take control of the game in the second half.

Stanford jumped out early. Gaethan Bernadel intercepted a Tyler Shough pass at the Louisville 25 thanks to a Zach Rowell deflection, and that led to a 41-yard field goal by Emmet Kenney.

After forcing a three and out, Daniels connected with Mosley for a 62-yard touchdown to give the hosts a 10-0 lead with 6:12 left in the opening quarter.

Watson’s 5-yard touchdown with 4:06 left in the first half gave the Cardinals their first lead at 14-13. He added a 68-yard touchdown with 4:48 left in the third quarter to extend the lead to 28-13.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, Brown suffered a shoulder contusion while being tackled on his second carry in the first quarter. The true freshman entered Saturday with the third-best rushing average in FBS at 7.6 yards per carry.

Shough finished 26-of-39 passing for 270 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Chris Bell caught nine of those passes for 112 yards and one score, while JaCorey Brooks made nine receptions for 104 yards.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA;  North Carolina State Wolfpack quarter back CJ Bailey (16) drops the ball back for a pass during the second quarter against Stanford Cardinals at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

NC State racks up 527 yards, demolishes Stanford 59-28

Jordan Waters and Hollywood Smothers each rushed for two touchdowns and 100 yards apiece as North Carolina State rolled to a 59-28 home victory over Stanford on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.

NC State (5-4, 2-3 ACC) has won consecutive games for the first time this season, while Stanford (2-7, 1-5) lost its sixth in a row.

Smothers reached a career-high 100 yards rushing on 16 carries, while Waters totaled 115 yards on just five touches. One of Waters’ two touchdown runs came on a 94-yard breakaway in the third quarter, which followed Smothers’ 52-yard sprint to the end zone. It was a banner day for NC State’s running game, which piled up a season-high 281 yards.

Complementing the ground attack was the steady play of true freshman CJ Bailey, as he completed 18-of-20 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns. KC Concepcion caught and ran for touchdowns, totaling 46 yards on total offense on seven touches, as the Wolfpack totaled 527 offensive yards.

Stanford was paced by Ashton Daniels, who threw for 70 yards while completing 6-of-8 attempts and rushed for a game-high 129 yards and two touchdowns.

NC State scored touchdowns on four of its five first-half possessions — settling for a field goal on the other — helping it jump out to a 31-14 lead at the break. The Wolfpack kept clicking on offense in the second half, with touchdowns on each of their first four possessions after intermission.

Stanford was a combined 4-of-12 on third and fourth downs, while NC State was 7-of-11.

It was the Wolfpack’s highest scoring total of the season.

Defensively, NC State came up with three sacks, 13 tackles for losses and two turnovers.

–Field Level Media

Sep 27, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) takes a handoff from quarterback Kyron Drones (1) against the Miami Hurricanes during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech seeks bounce-back effort in clash vs. Stanford

Virginia Tech will make its first-ever trip to California for an Atlantic Coast Conference football game when the Hokies visit Stanford on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams will seek to rebound from a loss to an ACC powerhouse. The emotional bounce-back figures to be tougher for one team than the other.

Virginia Tech (2-3, 0-1) appeared to have upset then-No. 7 Miami on the road last week before a last-second touchdown pass was overturned. It allowed the Hurricanes to hold on for a 38-34 win and prompted Hokies coach Brent Pry to call ACC headquarters.

While dissatisfied with what he heard, Pry insisted Tuesday that this week is all about Stanford.

“We aggressively turned the page Sunday evening,” Pry said. “We addressed the matter with our players, with our staff, with our media, with our player parents, with our own wives … everybody. To play with the intensity we played with Friday night (Sept. 27), we have to pour everything into Stanford.”

The Cardinal (2-2, 1-1) will make their ACC home debut, having recorded a 26-24 win over Syracuse on Sept. 20 and a 40-14 loss to then-No. 17 Clemson last Saturday in consecutive conference road outings.

Stanford saw its starting quarterback, Ashton Daniels, leave the Clemson game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Cardinal coach Troy Taylor announced Tuesday that Daniels was no sure thing to face the Hokies. Taylor also said that Daniels, if healthy, will have to take better care of the football.

Daniels threw three interceptions as part of an uneven performance against the Tigers. He did well on the ground, rushing 11 times for 87 yards.

“The thing about playing quarterback is you can play great 95 percent of the time,” Taylor said, “but because you handle the ball every play, if 5 percent of those reps are not good, then you probably walk away feeling you didn’t play very well.”

Per Taylor, Justin Lamson would step in for Daniels if the starter is unable to play against Virginia Tech.

The game will feature two of the top backs statistically in the ACC.

Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 141 yards in last week’s conference opener against Miami, while Stanford’s Micah Ford has the ACC’s highest total among players who have competed in two conference games with 169 yards.

–Field Level Media

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik during a post game interview after the game with NC State at Memorial Stadium Saturday, Sep 21, 2024 in Clemson, South Carolina, USA.

Stanford willing to go the extra mile in clash vs. No. 17 Clemson

The new reality of life as an Atlantic Coast Conference school will set in Saturday when Stanford attempts to shake off the jet lag of its second cross-country trip in a little over a week when visiting 17th-ranked Clemson.

Both teams are coming off impressive wins in their ACC openers last week.

Stanford (2-1, 1-0) traveled to New York and benefited from a 39-yard field goal from Emmet Kenney as time expired in a 26-24 victory at Syracuse on Friday.

The next day, Clemson (2-1, 1-0) rode a monster game from quarterback Cade Klubnik to a 59-35 home romp over North Carolina State.

Stanford and Clemson, located almost 2,600 miles apart, have gone head-to-head in football just once. That occurred 38 years ago when Stanford, then coached by Jack Elway and ranked 20th in the nation, was upset 27-21 by Clemson in the postseason Gator Bowl.

This time, the Tigers are the ranked team despite having been blown out 34-3 by Georgia in the season opener.

Clemson rebounded to put up a total of 125 points over its next two games, with Klubnik having vaulted among the ACC leaders in passing yards (729) and touchdown passes (eight).

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney credits Klubnik’s ability to bounce back from a poor opener (142 yards, no touchdowns) as the key to his team’s offensive explosion the last two weeks.

“It all starts with Cade … just his growth,” Swinney said. “When you have that, as a play-caller, with those weapons, you can load him up with more than you would be able to with a younger player. He’s done a good job with the protections, some of the checks he’s made, using his legs and things. Hopefully he’ll continue to stay the course there.”

Clemson fans unfamiliar with Stanford will see a Cardinal team whose season has mirrored that of the Tigers. Stanford dropped its season opener 34-27 to TCU, rebounded by drubbing an outmanned regional opponent in Cal Poly, and opened conference play with a performance vs. the Orange that was far more polished than its first game.

Improved effort or not, the Cardinal were three seconds from an ACC-opening defeat. Kenney, a senior who had scored a total of just two points in his first three seasons on the team, drilled his game-winning kick against Syracuse.

The North Dakota native had never attempted a field goal for the Cardinal while watching Joshua Karty, now of the Los Angeles Rams, go 51-for-60 on field-goal attempts the last three years.

Kenney has yet to miss a kick this season, going 8-for-8 on field goals and 10-for-10 on extra-point attempts.

“A lot of confidence,” Stanford coach Troy Taylor said of Kenney. “He replaced a guy that was arguably the best kicker in the country last year, so those are big shoes to fill. Frankly, I didn’t know if anybody could fill those shoes, and he has. He has been amazing.

“You really don’t know what you’ve got with kickers until you get in a game. You can kick really well in fall camp and practice, but it really comes down to being able to do it under the bright lights with pressure, and he’s been phenomenal.”

–Field Level Media

Jul 9, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

TCU chasing sunnier outlook in Dykes’ reconnection with Stanford

TCU coach Sonny Dykes takes another swing at Stanford in the season opener for both teams on Friday night in Palo Alto, Calif., a team he failed to knock out in four seasons at Cal.

The Cardinal are also going for a first in this edition of Friday night lights: a home win. Stanford was 0-7 at home in 2023, coach Troy Taylor’s first season.

“They’re really well-coached, I’ve known Sonny Dykes for a long time,” Taylor said. “They’re going to have great, challenging schemes. They know how to do it. There’s also the element of what they’re going to do a little bit different. We’ll be ready to roll.”

Stanford went 4-0 against Dykes from 2013-16, including a 50-point win in his first season guiding the Bears. Dykes was never within 14 points of Cal in the Big Game.

TCU finished runner-up for the national championship in Dykes’ first season in Fort Worth, but went 5-7 last season, failing to qualify for a bowl game.

Hopes for a rebound start with one of the top wide receivers in the Big 12 Conference.

Savion Williams led the Horned Frogs with 573 receiving yards last season.

“He showed me consistency, which hasn’t always been there in the past,” Dykes said. “I think everybody understands you have a uniquely talented guy, just from size and ability to make plays, and strength and speed. He did at times, but the great ones do it every day.”

Williams, who’s listed at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, thought about entering the NFL draft after last season, but knew he needed more experience.

“I just know I needed another year,” he said. “I felt like last year at the beginning of the season, I wasn’t getting as many targets as I needed, so I felt like me coming back would’ve been better.”

Josh Hoover will be throwing the ball to Williams and he’s shown he can produce big games. Hoover threw for more than 300 yards in his final four starts last season, including 412 yards in a 42-17 win against Baylor on Nov. 18.

Stanford begins its first season as a member of the ACC after finishing 3-9 in each of its last three seasons competing in the conference formerly known as the Pac-12.

The Cardinal still had not decided on a starting quarterback when they broke fall camp.

Ashton Daniels, Justin Lamson and freshman Elijah Brown are all vying for playing time behind center, and Taylor could end up using all three against TCU.

“Ashton’s a really good runner, had a really good camp,” said Taylor, who is also the quarterbacks coach. “Justin’s had a great fall camp, and Elijah’s had a fantastic camp, too. Competition in our program is going to be at every single position.

“We have three quarterbacks we feel really good about.”

Daniels passed for 2,247 yards and 11 touchdowns with eight interceptions as a first-year starter last season, completing 58.8 percent of his throws. He also rushed for 292 yards, second-most by a Pac-12 quarterback behind Lamson (334).

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2022; Berkeley, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal defensive lineman Jaxson Moi (51) tackles California Golden Bears running back Jaydn Ott (6) during the fourth quarter at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Former Stanford DT Jaxson Moi transferring to Tennessee

Former Stanford defensive lineman Jaxson Moi said Sunday that he is transferring to Tennessee.

A 6-foot-2, 303-pound sophomore, Moi entered the transfer portal on Dec. 31. He made official visits to Washington and Arizona, which each have had replaced head coaches since the season ended, before visiting Knoxville, Tenn., this weekend.

Last season, Moi played in all 12 games (seven starts) and made 15 tackles, including one tackle for loss and one-half sack, as well as one pass deflection.

As a freshman in 2022, Moi played in all 12 games and started one at defensive tackle. He recorded 22 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss, one-half sack, one quarterback hurry and two pass deflections.

Moi, whose father Junior Moi played football at Southern California, is from Oceanside, Calif., and was a three-star recruit by the 247Sports Composite out of Cathedral Catholic in San Diego in the Class of 2022.

–Field Level Media

Nov 11, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears running back Jaydn Ott (1) gestures towards the Washington State Cougars fan section after scoring a touchdown while being congratulated by tight end Jeffrey Johnson (right) and tight end Jack Endries (87) during the fourth quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Big Game has extra meaning for Cal, host Stanford

Cal has more than just “The Stanford Axe” in mind when it attempts to win the rivalry game against host Stanford on Saturday afternoon in the annual Big Game.

It will be the school’s final meeting as members of the Pacific-12 Conference.

The Golden Bears (4-6, 2-5 Pac-12) must win at Stanford (3-7, 2-6) and again on Nov. 25 at UCLA in order to get to .500 for the season and become bowl eligible. They haven’t reached the postseason since playing in the 2019 Redbox Bowl.

Becoming bowl-eligible would require a third straight victory over the Cardinal, having blitzed the hosts 41-11 two years ago before retaining San Francisco Bay Area superiority with a 27-20 home win last November.

Cal and Stanford will continue their 131-year-old rivalry moving forward, but they will do so next season as new members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Golden Bears kept their bowl hopes alive with a wild, 42-39 home win over Washington State last Saturday. Cal scored three touchdowns on fumble recoveries, including one by center Brian Driscoll.

The senior is well aware of the rivalry with Stanford, but he admits there’s more to this matchup than just another year in possession of a coveted plaque.

“We’re going to recognize the history and appreciate that,” Driscoll said, “but we’re trying to win out and get to a bowl game and our mindset is just win every week.”

Driscoll’s recovery came on a fumble by standout Cal running Jaydn Ott, who went over 1,000 rushing yards for the season with 167 last week. It was the sophomore’s fourth game with 150 or more yards this season.

As a freshman last season, Ott contributed 97 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Golden Bears’ narrow win over Stanford. His 1-yard TD run gave Cal a 10-point lead in the game’s final minute.

Stanford has yet to win at home this season, falling to Sacramento State in a nonconference game before coming up short against Arizona, Oregon, UCLA and Washington in Pac-12 contests.

The Cardinal were competitive in a 42-33 defeat against the No. 5 Huskies in their most recent home game, after which they won 10-7 at Washington State before falling 62-17 last week at then-No. 12 Oregon State.

Stanford will complete its season Nov. 25 with a home contest against Notre Dame, meaning the Cal game takes on extra significance in that it will be the Cardinal’s final Pac-12 football contest.

It’s also a big game for first-year coach Troy Taylor, a former star quarterback for the Golden Bears.

“Cal’s forged the person I am,” said Taylor, whose Golden Bears career ran from 1986-89. “I’ll be forever grateful to Cal. It was an unbelievable experience …

“Excited to be (now at Stanford). Excited to continue a great rivalry. It’s one of the oldest rivalries, and I’m excited to compete against Cal.”

Taylor competed against the Golden Bears in 2021, when his previous team, Sacramento State, gave Cal a scare before settling for a 42-30 defeat.

Stanford would love for that kind of offensive success. The Cardinal have been held to a total of 27 points in their past two games and have scored 10 or fewer four times this year.

The Cardinal are led on offense by sophomore wideout Elic Ayomanor, who needs 88 receiving yards Saturday to reach 1,000 for the season.

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Cameron Ward (1) signals a play during the fourth quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports

Offenses could dominate when Stanford visits Washington State

Two of the worst defenses in the nation will be on the field on Saturday when Washington State hosts Stanford in Pullman, Wash.

Washington State (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12) ranks 120th nationally in total defense, allowing 446.0 yards per game, while Stanford (2-6, 1-5) is 126th (465.1 yards allowed up per game) of the 130 schools listed.

Both teams struggle most against the pass, with Washington State at No. 122 (275.2 yards passing allowed per game) and Stanford last among FBS teams at No. 130 (322.5).

Washington State has allowed an average of 36.3 points during its four-game losing streak, its longest skid since 2014.

Opponents have rushed for at least 158 yards against the Cougars in six straight games, including a 235-yard performance on the ground by Arizona State last weekend in a 38-27 loss.

Washington State coach Jake Dickert said he will be more involved in the defensive game planning against Stanford.

“That isn’t a panic thing, that’s just something where I feel like I can be an asset at this moment,” Dickert said. “Trying to find ways to be better, and more solutions, and more attacking, and I think we’ve just gotten stuck on a few things, so to find ways to get over that hump, I think it’s necessary at this time.”

Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward will try to take advantage of Stanford’s porous pass defense.

He ranks fifth in the nation with 316.5 passing yards per game. He has completed 216 of 309 pass attempts for 2,532 yards and 16 touchdowns with three interceptions.

Stanford has lost six of its last seven games. In the Cardinal’s past four games, opponents have averaged 42.3 points.

Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. completed 21 of 37 passes for 369 yards and four touchdowns in Stanford’s 42-33 loss last weekend.

The Cardinal’s Ashton Daniels nearly matched Penix with 367 yards on 31-of-48 passing for one touchdown and no interceptions.

Stanford coach Troy Taylor said the Cardinal’s running game is a point of emphasis.

Daniels ran for 81 yards on 18 carries against the Huskies, but the other rushers combined for 47 yards on 17 touches.

“We need to get more going in the run game,” Taylor said. “We just don’t want to drop back against these teams, time in and time out. Puts a lot of pressure on your offensive line and quarterback.”

–Field Level Media