This one hurts for Stanford -- the players, coaches, fans and former players -- and it may be difficult to shake off the pain for next week. Cal fans and players rushed the field after Chase Garbers took a knee, and the Cal axe committee was so unfamiliar with the process of what to do that they didn't take The Axe to the players to celebrate with it on the field. (They actually tripped over it when running after the handoff from the Stanford committee.)
The joy among the Cal players and fans -- a celebration I can still hear outside the stadium as I type in the press box -- drives home the pain of losing a rivalry game Stanford controlled for almost a decade.
No bowl game and Stanford lost The Axe, it doesn't get much worse for Stanford. While Stanford hasn't been this low as a program since 2008, what happened on the field Saturday was awfully familiar for most of this season.
Stanford played better on offense for most of the game than a final tally of only 20 points would lead you to expect. But unforced errors -- penalties and turnovers -- combined again with two punts inside the opponent's territory to keep points off the board.
Head coach David Shaw decided that from the jump the offense needed to go through Davis Mills. Cameron Scarlett and the run game was a distant second in a supporting role and for the most part that was a good decision that resulted in a fast start.
Connor Wedington injured his left arm on the opening kickoff, which put Osiris St. Brown on the field in his place, and Donald Stewart scored on a well-executed play action that was a great moment for Stewart. (He was mobbed on the sideline.)
Mills had an inconsistent game. The delay of game penalties were largely on him, in my opinion, because he has to snap the ball rather than show almost no urgency with the clock winding down and everyone standing in position. He should have had three interceptions, although the first one he actually threw was strongly protested by Shaw, who was furious that Cal wasn't called for holding Colby Parkinson. I've never seen Shaw throw his play-calling card and headphones before that.
Mills' interception in the second half ended up not mattering too much but was still a bad case of locking in on a receiver. After the game he suggested that he thought the safety was going to come down to cover another receiver, presumably Michael Wilson running free on the post route.
However, Mills also showed his great ability to deliver beautiful passes. Ten different Cardinal caught passes and Mills was often completely at ease slicing passes through a good defense. He also showed a level of mobility that is a necessity at the position.
There will be a lot to break down on that side of the ball, but let's focus on the last two drives by the offense.
Mills and Stanford got to second and four on the Cal 27 when Shaw called for Mills to look to Parkinson for a big play. He just overthrew the 6-7 tight end covered closely by Evan Weaver. Shaw then called a run play to set up a field goal -- which is exactly how he described the sequence postgame. The pass was their shot in the end zone and then they knew they could at least run to set up a field goal.
Ryan Sanborn came up clutch and the defense was put in the position it had struggled in all season with 2:23 remaining -- make a critical stop.
After Cal's game-winning drive powered by Chase Garbers, Stanford had one timeout and 1:19 to score a touchdown. Stanford only had one timeout because Shaw needed to use two earlier in the half to correct confusion, including one with too many players on the field. When St. Brown made the error that many receivers do of not going upfield immediately on second down it effectively sunk the drive.
Far too many times this season the needed play hasn't been made this season.
Speaking of which, the defense managed to hold Cal to a respectable 24 points, but the first half in particular was a nightmare on critical downs. Third down felt much too like an automatic first down.
Shaw's decision to lean on a traditional field-position strategy again resulted in a touchdown drive of more than 90 yards after Stanford punted from the Cal 40. It was the first of two punts from the Cal side of the field. The second time Cal again drove into scoring range but a great effort by Jovan Swann blocked the field goal attempt.
All season Stanford has not been able to contain mobile quarterbacks and Garbers made it a routine to escape situations that should have been wins for Stanford. The Cardinal missed at least three sacks by Shaw's count and Gabe Reid whiffed terribly on one. Dalyn Wade-Perry and Casey Toohill couldn't get Garbers down on second down inside the Cal 10 yard line on the 90-yard touchdown drive.
The defense's performance in the third quarter was inspiring, but Cal rallied in the final quarter.
Jonathan McGill will need to learn from two tough plays covering Nikko Remigio. He was beaten badly twice and Curtis Robinson immediately consoled him after the touchdown play. Cal had done nothing meaningful on offense in the second before Garbers hit Remigio for 40 yards.
About Garbers: His escapability and his throw to Trevon Clark for 37 yards on their final drive were the difference makers. Cal does not win without Garbers picking up yards on the ground and his throw to Clark, and Clark's catch, was a backbreaker. Kyu Kelly was right there but to no avail.
What's next for Stanford?
Stanford has nothing to play for other than pride and the satisfaction of beating another top rival next week. Winning that game seems very unlikely given the weaknesses of this team and that after 11 games many of the same problems persist.
So, the question of what's next isn't really about the Notre Dame game. What happens afterward? How does Stanford respond to a lost season that began with at least some hope of putting together a solid bridge to better days next season. Instead there are many decisions to wait on as individual players make choices about their future.
The joy among the Cal players and fans -- a celebration I can still hear outside the stadium as I type in the press box -- drives home the pain of losing a rivalry game Stanford controlled for almost a decade.
No bowl game and Stanford lost The Axe, it doesn't get much worse for Stanford. While Stanford hasn't been this low as a program since 2008, what happened on the field Saturday was awfully familiar for most of this season.
Stanford played better on offense for most of the game than a final tally of only 20 points would lead you to expect. But unforced errors -- penalties and turnovers -- combined again with two punts inside the opponent's territory to keep points off the board.
Head coach David Shaw decided that from the jump the offense needed to go through Davis Mills. Cameron Scarlett and the run game was a distant second in a supporting role and for the most part that was a good decision that resulted in a fast start.
Connor Wedington injured his left arm on the opening kickoff, which put Osiris St. Brown on the field in his place, and Donald Stewart scored on a well-executed play action that was a great moment for Stewart. (He was mobbed on the sideline.)
Mills had an inconsistent game. The delay of game penalties were largely on him, in my opinion, because he has to snap the ball rather than show almost no urgency with the clock winding down and everyone standing in position. He should have had three interceptions, although the first one he actually threw was strongly protested by Shaw, who was furious that Cal wasn't called for holding Colby Parkinson. I've never seen Shaw throw his play-calling card and headphones before that.
Mills' interception in the second half ended up not mattering too much but was still a bad case of locking in on a receiver. After the game he suggested that he thought the safety was going to come down to cover another receiver, presumably Michael Wilson running free on the post route.
However, Mills also showed his great ability to deliver beautiful passes. Ten different Cardinal caught passes and Mills was often completely at ease slicing passes through a good defense. He also showed a level of mobility that is a necessity at the position.
There will be a lot to break down on that side of the ball, but let's focus on the last two drives by the offense.
Mills and Stanford got to second and four on the Cal 27 when Shaw called for Mills to look to Parkinson for a big play. He just overthrew the 6-7 tight end covered closely by Evan Weaver. Shaw then called a run play to set up a field goal -- which is exactly how he described the sequence postgame. The pass was their shot in the end zone and then they knew they could at least run to set up a field goal.
Ryan Sanborn came up clutch and the defense was put in the position it had struggled in all season with 2:23 remaining -- make a critical stop.
After Cal's game-winning drive powered by Chase Garbers, Stanford had one timeout and 1:19 to score a touchdown. Stanford only had one timeout because Shaw needed to use two earlier in the half to correct confusion, including one with too many players on the field. When St. Brown made the error that many receivers do of not going upfield immediately on second down it effectively sunk the drive.
Far too many times this season the needed play hasn't been made this season.
Speaking of which, the defense managed to hold Cal to a respectable 24 points, but the first half in particular was a nightmare on critical downs. Third down felt much too like an automatic first down.
Shaw's decision to lean on a traditional field-position strategy again resulted in a touchdown drive of more than 90 yards after Stanford punted from the Cal 40. It was the first of two punts from the Cal side of the field. The second time Cal again drove into scoring range but a great effort by Jovan Swann blocked the field goal attempt.
All season Stanford has not been able to contain mobile quarterbacks and Garbers made it a routine to escape situations that should have been wins for Stanford. The Cardinal missed at least three sacks by Shaw's count and Gabe Reid whiffed terribly on one. Dalyn Wade-Perry and Casey Toohill couldn't get Garbers down on second down inside the Cal 10 yard line on the 90-yard touchdown drive.
The defense's performance in the third quarter was inspiring, but Cal rallied in the final quarter.
Jonathan McGill will need to learn from two tough plays covering Nikko Remigio. He was beaten badly twice and Curtis Robinson immediately consoled him after the touchdown play. Cal had done nothing meaningful on offense in the second before Garbers hit Remigio for 40 yards.
About Garbers: His escapability and his throw to Trevon Clark for 37 yards on their final drive were the difference makers. Cal does not win without Garbers picking up yards on the ground and his throw to Clark, and Clark's catch, was a backbreaker. Kyu Kelly was right there but to no avail.
What's next for Stanford?
Stanford has nothing to play for other than pride and the satisfaction of beating another top rival next week. Winning that game seems very unlikely given the weaknesses of this team and that after 11 games many of the same problems persist.
So, the question of what's next isn't really about the Notre Dame game. What happens afterward? How does Stanford respond to a lost season that began with at least some hope of putting together a solid bridge to better days next season. Instead there are many decisions to wait on as individual players make choices about their future.
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