McCaffrey had no breakaways, rushing or on returns, but increased his season rushing total to 1,640 as he closes in on Tyler Gaffney’s 1,709 at No. 2 on Stanford’s all-time list, and put in another 200-plus all-purpose effort.
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No. 1 Clemson struggled to put away a bad SC team 37-32, but the selection committee has been fond of the Tigers all along and, let’s face it, 12-0 is 12-0. He ran 16 times for 128 yards and a score. However, it should have been clear 30 seconds was too much time. Cook went 19 of 26 for 248 yards.
But after a late-season trip home to visit his father before he died last December, Hogan finished the season with three strong performances and has carried it over to his final season with the Cardinal. But Notre Dame marched 88 yards for the touchdown with 30 seconds that looked like the game-winner. Adoree Jackson returned a punt for a score, and Rasheem Green raced 33 yards to the end zone with a third-quarter fumble by UCLA stud freshman quarterback Josh Rosen. Stanford doesn’t always need Hogan to take control of the offense, but the Cardinal need Hogan, period. His nine rushing touchdowns tied him with Tony Rice and Rick Mirer for the most in a season by an Irish signal caller. A Wright 1-yard run and a play-fake reverse-field pass to junior Austin Hooper accounted for the remainder of the scoring. But the game’s fate was sealed in the first half, as it turned out.
Tonight’s game kicks off just after 7:30 ET/4:30 PT. Malik Zaire will get healthy at quarterback.
And to cap a send-off drive for the ages, Cajuste and classmate Kevin Hogan connected one last time on a career night for both seniors with a 27-yard completion up the seam in their final act at Stanford Stadium to set up a game-winning field goal attempt.
-WR Will Fuller broke the 1,000-yard receiving plateau with his third catch of the night and now has 1,000 yards on the season.
The previously #4 Irish, now ranked 9th, got beat 38-36 by the #7 Cardinal on a last second field goal.
With the win, Stanford (10-2), who entered the night 9th in the latest playoff standings, not only kept the flicker alive for themselves, but they knocked out one of their biggest rivals in the process. But it didn’t matter to Notre Dame in a strong effort that ultimately went for naught. In a Stanford game, no less. The Seminoles probably locked up a spot in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on December 31 in Atlanta. He has 14 touchdowns this season. Notre Dame is ranked No. 4 by A.P. and No. 6 in the playoff rankings.
To find out how to watch the Notre Dame vs. Stanford College Football Playoff qualification elimination game live online, see the streaming link in the final paragraph of this article. IL also announced interim coach Bill Cubit had agreed to a two-year contract. Cubit took over for the fired Tim Beckman right before the season.
Ezekiel Elliott ran for 214 yards and two touchdowns to help No. 8 Ohio State rout No. 10 MI.
Hogan continued to exploit a Notre Dame defense that sold out to stop the run, tossing his fourth touchdown pass of the game on the first play of the fourth quarter for yet another lead change.
Prescott completed 31 of 42 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked seven times and rarely looked comfortable in the pocket. Stanford starting CB Ronnie Harris (ankle) missed his second straight game. Stanford was 8 of 12 on 3rd down.
USC improved to 5-2 under interim coach Clay Helton and snapped its three-year losing streak in the annual city rivalry game.
Asked if Stanford felt the responsibility of carrying the Pac-12 in terms of national respect, Shaw had this response: “We represent Stanford”. They lost to the teams they were supposed to lose to.
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Romond Deloatch caught a touchdown for Temple, which will play at No. 21 Houston for the AAC title Saturday with a New Year’s Six bowl bid possibly at stake for the victor. Notre Dame did not run its first offensive play until there was 1:48 remaining in the first quarter.
