Field Level Media
Sep 15, 2018
K.J. Costello overcame a horrid start as No. 9 Stanford wore down visiting UC Davis in a 30-10 nonconference contest Saturday at Stanford, Calif.
Costello threw two first-quarter interceptions, the first setting up the Aggies in field-goal range, before firing two touchdown passes to JJ Arcega-Whiteside.
Stanford (3-0) played without standout running back Bryce Love, who apparently is dealing with an undisclosed injury sustained a week earlier against Southern California. His absence might have been among the reasons the Cardinal had only 137 rushing yards.
Trevor Speights led Stanford on the ground with 87 yards on 11 carries.
The FCS Aggies (2-1) gave the Cardinal fits at times but they didn't have the firepower to keep up. UC Davis put up 56 passes in the game.
Costello finished 17-for-30 for 214 yards. He wasn't alone with early struggles as the Cardinal seemed to have a hangover from the Southern Cal game.
UC Davis led 3-0 until Costello hit Arcega-Whiteside with a 9-yard touchdown pass with 13:26 to play in the second quarter.
Costello and Arcega-Whiteside later hooked up for an 8-yard scoring play to produce a 17-3 halftime lead.
Stanford's Cameron Scarlett scored on a 5-yard run in the third quarter as the lead expanded.
Jet Toner connected on field goals from 31, 33 and 46 yards.
Stanford's offense churned out an ordinary 351 yards of total offense.
UC Davis quarterback Jake Maier was 22-for-45 for 194 yards. Keelan Doss made 13 catches for 106 yards.
Max O'Rourke's 26-yard field goal accounted for UC Davis' only points until the final snap from scrimmage. Hunter Rodrigues threw 26 yards to C.J. Spencer for the team's lone touchdown.
Rodrigues ended up 6-for-8 with an interception.
The Aggies had 106 first-half yards, with only 4 of those on the ground.
Stanford won the most-recent meeting by 45-0 in 2014.
--Field Level Media