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Stanford shocks top-ranked Oregon in OT

Nov 18, 2012 - 6:42 AM Eugene, OR (Sports Network) - Jordan Williamson kicked a 37-yard field goal in overtime, and the No. 14 Stanford Cardinal delivered a blow to Oregon's dream of reaching the national championship game by stunning the top-ranked Ducks, 17-14.

Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan had forced overtime with a touchdown pass to Zach Ertz with 1:35 remaining. Ertz was initially ruled to have made the catch out of the end zone, but replay overturned the call.

Alejandro Maldonado missed a 41-yard field goal try for the Ducks in OT, and the Cardinal survived a Hogan fumble in the extra session before winning the game.

Stanford had lost its last five trips to Eugene since winning at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 20, 2001.

"Our word of the week was 'resolve.' It was about us playing our best football and withstanding a mad rush we knew we were going to get from a great football team in Oregon," said Stanford coach David Shaw. "We knew we were going to have a chance to make some plays. We knew some things were going to go against us. We had to stay with the same mentality."

Hogan completed his first nine passes and finished 25-of-36 with 211 yards and one interception. He also ran for the game's first score.

Stepfan Taylor compiled 161 yards on 33 carries for Stanford (9-2, 7-1 Pac-12), which can win the North Division with a victory over UCLA next week. The 17th-ranked Bruins beat No. 21 USC earlier Saturday to clinch the South and a spot in the conference championship game.

Stanford limited Oregon's high-octane offense to 405 yards, well below its season average of 562.6. The Ducks (10-1, 7-1) entered the game as the nation's highest scoring team with 54.8 points per game and riding a program- best 13-game winning streak.

"It is tough losing but it is not always going to go your way and that's life; that's football," said Ducks coach Chip Kelly. "It hurts everyone so badly because they have all put so much into this."

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota connected on 21-of-37 throws for 207 yards with one touchdown and an interception.

The Ducks orchestrated a 15-play, 95-yard drive to take a 14-7 lead in the third quarter. Mariota converted a pair of third downs with his arm before De'Anthony Thomas rushed for a 6-yard score.

Oregon squandered opportunities to pad its lead with its defense forcing two Stanford fumbles.

On the Cardinal's first offensive play following the go-ahead touchdown, Kelsey Young fumbled after a 12-yard catch-and-run. Oregon recovered in Stanford territory, but Maldonado missed from 42 yards.

Taylor then fumbled at the Oregon 20 late in the third quarter. After its defense forced a three-and-out, Stanford came up empty when Williamson missed a 43-yard field goal.

However, the Cardinal reached the end zone on their next possession. Ertz was Hogan's favorite target on the drive, catching four passes, including a 10- yard touchdown. Ertz leaped and bobbled the ball while fighting off a defender and falling to the turf. Replays showed his right shoulder was down before he went out of bounds.

The first big play of the game belonged to Mariota, who sprinted 77 yards down the right sideline to the Stanford 15. But the Ducks came away with no points when a fourth-down gamble failed. The Oregon offense remained on the field and Mariota was stuffed for no gain at the 7-yard line.

Stanford responded with a 15-play drive that stretched into the second quarter and culminated in Hogan's 1-yard plunge. Hogan twice converted third downs with completions to Ryan Hewitt and moved the chains on 3rd-and-2 from the Oregon 8-yard line with a QB keeper.

The Ducks then went for it a second time on fourth down and, once again, they came up empty as Mariota's pass from the Stanford 38 fell incomplete.

Stanford turned the ball over on downs on its next possession. Facing a 4th- and-1 from the Oregon 41, Hogan couldn't connect with a wide-open Hewitt off of play-action.

Given a short field, the Ducks reached the end zone in three plays. Josh Huff caught a 22-yard pass and Kenjon Barner picked up nine yards on the ground before Mariota found Keanon Lowe for a 28-yard touchdown.

Hogan and Mariota threw interceptions on consecutive drives late in the first half.

Game Notes

Stanford improved to 2-6-1 against teams ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll ... The Cardinal played a No .1- and No. 2-ranked team in the same season for the first time in school history. The Cardinal beat then-No. 2 USC on Sept. 15 ... Ertz had 11 receptions for 106 yards ... Oregon had scored at least 30 points in an NCAA-record 23 straight games.