Stanford pulled off one of the biggest ups and downs of the 2021 regular season as the Cardinals topped No. 3 Oregon 31-24 in overtime to hand their first loss to the Ducks and knock out the Pac-12's eventual undefeated team. For.
Oregon had a 24–17 lead in the final campaign of regulation, but Cardinal quarterback Tanner Mackie completed a pass to Elijah Higgins as the deadline ran out to unexpectedly send the game to overtime. He then completed a big pass to John Humphries in overtime to score the game-winning touchdown. Stanford pressured turnover to end the game.
The loss is a big hit to Oregon's chances in the college football playoffs, not to mention the Pac-12 as a whole. The Ducks took center stage in the discussion after traveling down the road and defeating Ohio State at The Horseshoe, but a defeat makes their way more difficult for the CFP. Oregon can't afford to lose another game.
Oregon fans took issue with several important calls, including a targeting call on potential No. 1 draft pick Kywan Thibodaux that ruled him out for the fourth quarter.
Kayvon Thibodeaux has been ejected as a result of a targeting call on this play.
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 2, 2021
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Mackie completed 20 of 36 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, while Nathaniel Peet ran for 78 yards. Oregon RB CJ Wordell rushed for 63 yards and scored a touchdown before injuring at the end of the game. Here are three takeaways from Stanford's win over Oregon.
1. Pac-12 playoff case is slipping
When Oregon went on the road and beat Ohio State, there was hope that it could be a turning point for the Pac-12. The league has only received two teams in the college football playoffs, the worst in any Power Five conference so far. Oregon's victory was giving the Pac-12 a trump card over the Big Ten. But with the loss of the Duck, suddenly that advantage becomes more difficult. Over the course of five weeks, each team in the Pac-12 takes a loss. Only one other team is ranked in the conference – No. 20 UCLA, which has its fight against Arizona State this week. The road got more difficult.
2. Stanford is different with Tanner McKee
The Cardinal made his senior Jack West debut in the opener against Kansas State and was played off the field. Stanford has been a different team since Mackie took the reins at quarterback full-time. After defeating USC and Vanderbilt, Mackie competed hard against No. 20 UCLA and led the win over Oregon. Stanford has struggled to play quarterback over the years. This plays a major role in the program's drop from a consistent Pac-12 contender to a good bowl team. If Mackie is the real deal, this dramatically raises the ceiling of the program over the long term.
3. Oregon has to prevent this from spiraling
Oregon could lose more than just games on Saturday. Thibodaux will be out for the first half of the next game against Cal. Worse, Verdel could have been dismissed in the second half after injuring his lower body, which was a pivotal moment in the game. As we mentioned, Oregon's path to the college football playoffs is extremely dangerous. The Ducks have little room for error after a loss, and a sloppy exit against Cal or UCLA in the next two games could spell doom.