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No. 15 Stanford blanks Colorado

Nov 4, 2012 - 12:02 AM Boulder, CO (Sports Network) - Kevin Hogan threw a pair of touchdown passes and Stepfan Taylor rushed for a pair of scores as No. 15 Stanford routed Colorado, 48-0, at Folsom Field.

Hogan completed 18-of-23 passes for 184 yards before being replaced in the fourth quarter for the Cardinal (7-2, 5-1 Pac-12), who have won three straight.

Hogan added 48 yards on seven carries, while Taylor finished with 43 yards on 10 carries. Levine Toilolo caught three passes for 59 yards and a score in the victory.

"Our guys played extremely well, it was a great game plan and the guys played it to perfection," Stanford coach David Shaw said.

Jordan Webb started the game under center for the Buffaloes (1-8, 1-5) and went 4-of-10 through the air for 19 yards with an interception.

Nick Kasa had three receptions for 34 yards to pace a Colorado offense that was held to just 76 total yards and turned the ball over three times.

"They are a very good defense and they showed it today," Colorado coach Jon Embree said about Stanford.

Colorado advanced the ball to its own 45-yard line after the teams traded three-and-outs on the first two possessions of the game, but Ed Reynolds intercepted a Webb pass on 3rd-and-6 and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinal used another turnover to add to their lead as A.J. Tarpley recovered a Kasa fumble in the closing seconds of the first quarter to give Stanford the ball at the Colorado 40.

Three plays later, Taylor reeled off a 26-yard touchdown run to give the Cardinal a 14-0 lead with 14:30 remaining in the second quarter.

Stanford regained the ball at its own 30-yard line following a Colorado three- and-out, and Hogan found Zach Ertz and Ryan Hewitt for double-digit gains to advance the ball past midfield before Jamal-Rashad Patterson's 42-yard rush placed the ball at the Buffaloes' two.

Remound Wright rumbled across the goal line from a yard out three plays later to give the Cardinal a 21-0 advantage with 8:26 left in the half.

Hogan converted a 3rd-and-9 on Stanford's next touch with a 20-yard run and then hit Toilolo for a 32-yard gain to move inside the Colorado red zone, setting up Ertz's 1-yard TD reception.

Taylor's 2-yard rushing touchdown in the closing seconds of the second quarter gave Stanford a commanding 35-0 lead at the break.

The Cardinal built on their lead with a 31-yard field goal by Jordan Williamson on the opening possession of the third quarter, and then added a 19-yard TD reception by Toilolo on their next touch for a 45-0 advantage.

Colorado's Gerald Thomas fumbled a punt early in the fourth quarter to give the ball to Stanford at the Buffaloes' 22 and set up Williamson's 35-yard kick.

The Buffaloes had not driven into Stanford territory throughout the entire game until Connor Wood found Tony Jones and Kasa for gains of 22 and 20 yards, respectively, on their ensuing drive to move the ball to the Cardinal 33.

Colorado would be forced to punt, though, as a sack and delay of game penalty pushed the ball out of field-goal range, preserving the shutout for Stanford.

The Cardinal were able to run out the remaining 6:35 of game clock to close out the contest.

"It's one thing to go out and win a game, which is great, but once a game is in hand, we want to finish it," Shaw said about preserving the shutout.

Game Notes

Stanford improved to 2-2 on the road this season ... Taylor needs 53 more rushing yards to record his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season, which would be a first in Stanford history ... The Cardinal racked up 436 total yards of offense ... Colorado finished with minus-21 yards on the ground ... Wood completed 4-of-7 passes for 66 yards.