No. 6 Oregon has no trouble with Stanford this time
EUGENE, Ore. — Breaking down No. 6 Oregon's 45-16 win Saturday against Stanford:
THE BIG PICTURE: Led by Heisman candidate Marcus Mariota — after 343 total yards, including two touchdown passes and two TD runs, he's probably the frontrunner — No. 6 Oregon got off to a fast start and exorcised its biggest Pac-12 tormentor.
The Ducks (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) grabbed a commanding lead in the Pac-12 North race. More important, they remain in prime position to reach the playoff. The Ducks did it by scoring touchdowns on three consecutive 75-yard drives to open the game, then finishing with a fourth-quarter flurry.
The quick start served notice the game would be different than the last two years, when Stanford won by shutting down the Ducks — who had scored only seven points, total, in the first halves of those losses.
WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT: Oregon solved its Stanford problem. Stanford is only a reasonable facsimile of the teams that won the last two Pac-12 championships, dumping the Ducks along the way. The Cardinal somehow doesn't have a power running game. An example: Midway through the second quarter, going for it on fourth-and-2 at the Oregon 24, Stanford lined up in shotgun rather than a power set (Kevin Hogan's pass was tipped and incomplete).
But this Oregon team is better than the last two versions. And it starts, at least as compared with 2013, with Mariota's good health. He was hobbled by a knee injury last season, but was very good for most of the game Saturday. Oregon also has an array of skilled weapons — see freshman running back Royce Freeman, and then keep watching — and Mariota did a nice job of finding them.
THE DECIDING PLAY: Early in the fourth quarter, Stanford was driving, clinging to hopes of the upset. Quarterback Kevin Hogan broke loose on a scramble near midfield. But as he fought for extra yardage, Oregon free safety Erick Dargan stripped the ball loose. It was his second takeaway — early in the third quarter, his interception of Hogan at the 1 ended a promising drive. This time, linebacker Tony Washington recovered the fumble and returned it 21 yards to the 30. Two plays later, Mariota scored from 7 yards out. At 38-16, it was over.
KEY STAT: Oregon had 312 yards at halftime (180 yards rushing) matching its total output in the 2013 loss to Stanford. Marcus Mariota accounted for 210 yards (132 passing, 78 rushing, throwing for a touchdown and running for another). The Ducks rolled up 225 yards on their first three possessions, ending each with a touchdown for a 21-6 lead.