The Sports Xchange
Nov 12, 2016
EUGENE, Ore. -- Junior running back Christian McCaffrey ran for 135 yards and three touchdowns to lead Stanford to a 52-27 win over Oregon Saturday afternoon in Pac-12 Conference football at Autzen Stadium.
McCaffrey also had five catches for 52 yards as Stanford (7-3, 5-3) won its third straight game. Quarterback Keller Chryst threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns for the Cardinal.
McCaffrey put Stanford ahead with a 61-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter. After Stanford recovered an Oregon fumble, McCaffrey added a 5-yard touchdown run to put the Cardinal up 14-0.
Stanford pushed its lead to 21-0 when Chryst tossed a 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside late in the first quarter.
Oregon answered when quarterback Justin Herbert threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to tight end Johnny Mundt on fourth down to cut the lead to 21-6.
Stanford followed with a 43-yard field goal by Conrad Ukropina to push its lead to 24-6 in the second quarter, and Chryst tossed a 7-yard touchdown to wide receiver Michael Rector to put the Cardinal up 31-6 with 5:19 left in the half.
Oregon (3-7, 1-6) got within 31-13 when running back Royce Freeman scored on a 3-yard run but McCaffrey had his third touchdown of the half on a 14-yard run with 37 seconds left to put the Cardinal up 38-13 at the break.
McCaffrey had 14 carries for 131 yards and three scores in the first half before playing sparingly in the second half.
Stanford opened the second half with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Chryst to Rector to push the lead to 45-13, and Cameron Scarlett added a 13-yard touchdown run later in the third quarter to put the game well out of reach.
Oregon running back Kani Benoit had a 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter before Herbert capped the game with a 42-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Charles Nelson.
Freeman ran 20 times for 111 yards and a touchdown for the Ducks while Herbert threw for 274 yards and two scores.