STANFORD, Calif. — Oregon rode its red-hot defense to the program’s first victory over Stanford since 2015 on Saturday night.
No. 16 Oregon (3-1, Pac-12 1-0) controlled almost the entirety of the game, trailing for only four minutes after a Stanford (1-3, Pac-12 0-2) field goal on the opening possession of the game.
After getting blown out by the Cardinal in 2016, 2017 and losing what appeared to be a sure-fire win in 2018, Saturday night was not just any other night. Despite its two losses coming into the game, the aura of Stanford and its history is real. And Oregon didn’t shy away from that. In fact, it embraced it.
“Certainly [Stanford] was a game we didn’t finish last year. That was heavy on our minds,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “We wanted to finish this one the right way. And we did that.”
For the seniors, knowing they will leave the UO with a win against the Cardinal under their belt was a big deal.
“It meant a lot, honestly,” senior tight end Jacob Breeland said. “In the second half, walking in…we were looking at each other like ‘we’re gonna get this.’”
For fifth-year senior Drayton Carlberg, being able to witness Oregon spoil Stanford’s Playoff hopes in 2015 made Saturday night’s win even more meaningful. He’s experienced a big win against the Cardinal, and wanted to get that feeling back.
“We’ve gone through a lot,” Carlberg said. “With coaching changes and stuff like that, we knew that we had to prove ourselves as a senior class. As fifth-year seniors and leaders of this team, we needed to get this win against Stanford to prove a point.”
As for the game itself, the most notable Oregon senior was Justin Herbert. He continued to look like one of the nation’s best quarterbacks, throwing for 259 yards and three touchdowns on only five incompletions. He has now thrown a touchdown in 32 consecutive games — the longest streak in the country — and surpassed the 8,000-yard mark for his career.
“He was dialed in,” wide receiver Jaylon Redd said. “Justin Herbert has a Jug for an arm. You don’t even need a Jugs machine. That’s the Jug man for you right there. He’s gonna get it done for you.”
Redd’s 36-yard touchdown strike from Herbert put the Ducks up 7-3 in the first quarter, and the team never looked back. It was Redd’s third touchdown reception in as many games, and his role as a consistent presence in the slot has been huge for a receiving corps decimated by injuries.
The other consistent target has been Jacob Breeland. He caught two more touchdowns on Saturday to bring his season total to a team-leading five.
“I would say so,” Breeland said when asked if his chemistry with Herbert was at an all-time high. “He throws the ball perfectly where it needs to be.”
With the Herbert-Breeland connection putting points on the board, the Oregon defense found itself playing with a lead. And over the last three games, it’s been nothing short of dominant. Twelve quarters without a touchdown. Five points allowed per game. Four interceptions.
“Lot of pride, lot of toughness,” head coach Mario Cristobal said of the defense. “All those guys. I thought Jordon [Scott] was awesome. Troy Dye was spectacular. Just awesome to watch those guys play at such a high level.”
Aside from Scott and Dye, the standout defensively was Jevon Holland. He racked up eight more tackles and picked off KJ Costello for his second interception of the season. He continues to be one of Oregon’s most valuable players as just a true sophomore.
“We’re doing what we need to do,” Holland said of the defense. “We know what to do. We know where to go.”
An under-the-radar aspect of the contest that turned out to be a big storyline on Saturday was the punting game. On a night when Oregon struggled to get its running game going, Blake Maimone’s five punts inside the 20-yard line proved to be a difference maker.
“Hidden yardage,” Cristobal said of Maimone’s performance. “He made it difficult for them to sustain drives. Really valuable.”
With Maimone consistently pinning the Cardinal deep in its own territory and the defense continuing to lock up any offense that it lines up against, the Ducks did just enough to grind out a long-awaited victory on Saturday. The team will get a bye next week before welcoming still-unbeaten Cal to Eugene on October 5.
“Nobody’s seen our best yet,” Redd said. “I don’t even think tonight we played our best ball. In the future, I think everything will come together.”
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