The sophomore do-it-all back broke Barry Sanders’ single-season all-purpose yardage record by gaining 461 yards in an electrifying performance in the Pac-12 championship game. Unless it somehow jumps ahead of one-loss conference champions Michigan State or Oklahoma, Stanford will head to the Rose Bowl, where it will likely face either Ohio State or Iowa. A 67-yard completion to McCaffrey on a 3rd-and-6 at the Stanford 26-yard line set the Cardinal up inside the USC 10-yard line, where Hogan promplty lowered his shoulder and bullied his way inside the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown rush, putting Stanford up 20-16 with 3:11 remaining in the third quarter.
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The Trojans took their first lead at 16-13 when running back Ronald Jones scored on a 27-yard run with 5:28 left in the third quarter. Helton had been USC’s coordinator before Sarkisian’s firing, and called plays for the final eight games of the season. Stanford almost shut the USC offense down in the first half, but the Trojans stormed back in the third quarter to get within three points and make the game interesting.
The Heisman Trophy contender ran for 207 yards, tallied 105 receiving yards, compiled 149 return yards and even threw for a touchdown (he had three total scores).
Head coach Clay Helton of the USC Trojans watches his team during warmups before the Pac-12 Championship game against the Stanford Cardinal at Levi’s Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Santa Clara, California.
On same night Helton and USC announced the decision to part ways with most of the Trojans’ defensive staff, the new head coach confirmed that there will also be changes on the offensive side of things.
Helton also said that he would relinquish play-calling duties next season. McCaffrey and the Cardinal got off to a hot start early as they went up 10-0 on their second offensive possession, pulling off an incredible trick play that saw McCaffrey doing the passing, as he found quarterback Kevin Hogan for a touchdown.
“If they invite us, great”, Cardinal coach David Shaw said.
That left us with Alabama’s Derrick Henry, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, and Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey with one last chance to make a big impression on the Heisman voters.
McCaffrey may end up, though, as the third Stanford player to finish second since Jim Plunkett won the school’s only Heisman in 1970.
Christian McCaffrey, running back for playoff misser-outer Stanford, had himself one hell of a game last night.
We don’t know who’s going to win the College Football Playoff, but we already know for sure who won’t.
USC had scored 16 straight points to turn a 13-0 deficit into a 16-13 lead when Stanford faced a third-and-6 from its own 26-yard line.
“The center came up on me and tried to wall me off and I just went right around him”, Martinez said. However, USC’s goal-line stand followed by a late scoring drive kept the Trojans in the game. Stanford held a 210-9 advantage in yards gained but was unable to break the game open.
The next big play came from Stanford’s defense. Hogan pitched to Barry Sanders Jr., who then flipped it to McCaffrey, who had lined up as a receiver. USC Adoree Jackson made a great block on a deep pass from Hogan to McCaffrey on opening drive which forced the field goal.
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To say McCaffrey did it all is an understatement.
