Stanford will need to get its offense back on track if it hopes to reclaim The Axe next Saturday at Cal in the 125th Big Game.
The Cardinal (3-7, 1-7 Pac-12) hasn’t topped 16 points in any of its previous five games. It lost 42-7 on Saturday night at 13th-ranked Utah.
Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee, who has just one touchdown pass in the last five games, was sacked seven times against the Utes (8-2, 6-1) and finished 11 of 23 passing for 155 yards.
Stanford coach David Shaw said the playbook was streamlined to try and get the ball in the hands of the team’s best players, but the passing game had trouble connecting.
“It’s the combination of making the plays when we get protection, and making sure that we get enough time to get the ball off,” Shaw said.
It didn’t help that Stanford didn’t have any healthy running backs. Sophomore Mitch Leigber, who played running back in high school and switched over from safety three weeks ago, had 40 yards on 12 carries. Shaw didn’t know if any of Stanford’s regular running backs would be available Saturday at Cal.
Elijah Higgins had seven catches for 105 yards against Utah, including a 51-yard catch early on that set up Stanford’s only score. But the Cardinal went three-and-out on its three second-quarter possessions and then punted on all four of its third-quarter possessions as the Utes scored 42 unanswered points.
Tavion Thomas’s 180 rushing yards for Utah were more than Stanford’s entire output of 178 yards.
ESPN play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch joked at one point that “McKee (is) sacked by about 17 Utes” and called Stanford’s offense “inept.”
Stanford’s two games before Utah were a 52-14 loss to Washington State and a 38-13 loss at UCLA. Those three successive blowouts wiped away any hope for a winning season or a first bowl appearance since 2018. But senior linebacker Levani Damuni said the team was still motivated knowing that Cal (3-7, 1-6) is on deck.
The Bears won 41-11 at Stanford Stadium last year.
“There’s no bowl contention anymore but we still have purpose, we’re still playing for a trophy,” Damuni said. “I know we’re locked in on getting that Axe back. Just moving forward we still have drive on this team. We won’t stop until it’s over.”
Fortunately for Stanford, Cal’s defense doesn’t seem as imposing as it did in years past under coach Justin Wilcox. The Bears have allowed at least 38 points to each of their last three opponents – Oregon, USC and Oregon State – and entered the weekend ninth in the Pac-12 in yards allowed at 427.7 a game, 0.2 better than Stanford.
Shaw isn’t worried about getting his players’ best effort next Saturday.
“The Big Game. That’s the message,” Shaw said. “It’s about recognizing that we’ve got some seniors that have given this program a lot, and the Axe is about the seniors and the tradition of holding that thing and taking pictures with it. It’s been a while since we had it and with all the things behind us, I can’t worry about any of that stuff. Right now we’re trying to get that Axe for the seniors. That’s the focus. Nothing else.”
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