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Stanford caused one of the biggest upsets of the 2021 regular season as the Cardinal outscored Oregon No.3 31-24 in overtime to hand the Ducks their first loss and knock out the last unbeaten Pac- 12.
Oregon had a 24-17 lead before regulation ended, but Cardinal quarterback Tanner McKee completed an assist to Elijah Higgins as time expired in regulation to send the game unexpectedly into overtime. He then completed a huge pass to John Humphries in overtime to score the winning touchdown. Stanford forced a turnover on the downs to end the game.
The loss is a blow to Oregon’s college football playoff chances, not to mention those of the Pac-12 as a whole. The Ducks have taken center stage in the discussion after traveling the road and beating Ohio State in The Horseshoe, but a loss makes their way to the CFP more difficult. Oregon can’t afford to lose another game.
Oregon fans contested a number of key calls down the stretch, including a targeting call on potential No. 1 draft pick Kayvon Thibodeaux that knocked him out for the fourth quarter.
McKee completed 20 of 36 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Nathaniel Peat rushed for 78 yards. Oregon RB CJ Verdell ran for 63 yards and a touchdown before sustaining a game-ending injury. Here are three takeaways from Stanford’s victory over Oregon.
1. The Pac-12 playoff case slips
When Oregon hit the road and beat Ohio State, the hope was that it could be a big moment for the Pac-12. The league has only entered two teams in the college football playoffs, by far the worst of any Power Five conference. Oregon’s victory seemed to give the Pac-12 an edge over the Big Ten. But with the loss of the Ducks, that advantage suddenly becomes much more tenuous. In five weeks, each Pac-12 team has a loss. Only one other team in the conference is ranked – No. 20 in UCLA, which faces Arizona State this week. The path has become more difficult.
2. Stanford is different with Tanner McKee
The Cardinal started Jack West senior in Game 1 against Kansas State and was played off the field. Since McKee took the reins full-time as quarterback, Stanford is a different team. After beating USC and Vanderbilt, McKee faced the No.20 UCLA and claimed victory over Oregon. Stanford has struggled with quarterback play for the past few years. He played a major role in the program, growing from a constant Pac-12 competitor to a great bowl team. If McKee is the real deal, that drastically increases the cap on the long-term program.
3. Oregon must prevent this from escalating
Oregon may have lost more than Saturday’s game. Thibodeaux will be out for the first half of the next game against Cal. Worse yet, Verdell could be sidelined after injuring his lower body in the second half, a key moment in the game. As we mentioned, Oregon’s path to college football playoffs is extremely perilous. The Ducks have no margin for error after the loss, and coming out sloppy against Cal or UCLA in the next two games could spell the end.
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