David Shaw perhaps said it best: “Here is the best player in the nation”. “Second of all, really…the biggest difference…was just the knowledge of all the blocking schemes, of all the plays, and knowing who he is reading”, Shaw said. “It’s not even a debate”.
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By virtue of Clemson’s win over North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game, and Alabama’s defeat of Florida in the SEC Championship Game, Stanford is frozen out of the College Football Playoff.
The Cardinal defeated USC at Levi’s Stadium, 41-22, but didn’t get what it needed most – help. The Trojans’ chief problem was that they could not control McCaffrey.
However, a 71-yard drive which amassed 15 plays for the Trojans led to a 40-yard field goal by kicker Alex Wood with 10 seconds left in the half, cutting the Stanford lead to 13-3 and providing USC with some much-needed momentum entering the halftime break. Oregon State fans know this is an excellent bowl destination, one of the best beyond the NY6 bowls, but had what would have been the winning touchdown toss in the Oregon-Michigan State game not been dropped, Stanford would have been in the CFP, and Oregon in the Rose Bowl. But McCaffrey kept Stanford in contention with a 67-yard pass from Hogan to McCaffrey. It’s a huge honor, ‘ McCaffery said of breaking Sanders record.
No. 17 HOUSTON 24, No. 20 TEMPLE 13: In Houston, Greg Ward Jr. ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns and the Cougars won the inaugural American Athletic Conference Championship game.
“I think it’s going to be unavoidable”.
“I don’t know if there is any question”, Shaw said. But a strip-sack of USC quarterback Cody Kessler by Blake Martinez led to Solomon Thomas picking up the ball and rumbling 34 yards for the score.
The Trojans responded with a 65-yard, seven-play touchdown drive to cut the deficit to 27-22 after a 12-yard touchdown scamper by Kessler, however, McCaffrey sealed Stanford’s fate as Pac-12 champions in the remainder of the fourth quarter.
Zurek rushed 21 times for 72 yards and quarterback Connor Rice was 9 of 26 for 92 yards for Wabash (12-1), which got nine solo tackles from Austin Brown.
McCaffrey collected 155 rushing yards and 244 all-purpose yards in the first half, which ended with Stanford leading 13-3.McCaffrey even led the Cardinal in passing yardage in the first half with 11 yards, and Hogan was the Cardinal top receiver with 11 yards.
Without McCaffrey Stanford is not in the top 10 and perhaps not in the top 25. “We talked about him in the spring – that he’s going to have to handle it all”. The Cardinal amassed 417 yards of total offense while the Trojans managed only 364 yards. The battle in the trenches was one that USC needed to win in order to be successful but the Cardinal took that away as early as the first possession when McCaffrey attacked the Trojans right side.
“It was an extremely fun game to play in”, McCaffrey said. I just do believe eventually, it will become an eight-team playoff because it’s the only thing that makes sense.
McCaffrey turned this entire game into a Heisman pose, rolling up 461 all-purpose yards.
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USC chose to keep on Clay Helton as its head coach, but heading into the 2016 season, there will be some big changes. This way, Helton, who was handed the play calling duties by Steve Sarkisian this year, said that he can concentrate on being the team’s CEO.
