[BostonCard]

I'm pretty sure the Four Tops must be performing at the half, because we're sure listening to the same old song. Another stellar defensive performance, another offensive parade up and down the field; we've got 333 yards total offense to Washington State's 131. And yet our lead is just 10 points. We gave away the ball once at the Cougar half-yard line, then -- with back to back holding penalties -- turned a first and 10 at their 16 into an unsuccessful 37-yard field goal attempt. And instead of burying Washington State by 20 or more, we're still in an actual football game.

The defense has been just short of awesome. We blitzed a good bit at first, then dialed it back to a four-man rush with the same result: Connor Halliday is getting pounded like a rock-em-sock-em robot with one arm torn away. He's been sacked twice for 23 yards in losses and thrown more balls into the ground while being brutally hit in mid-throw than I can count.

Washington State has countered with fast throws to beat the pressure, with only limited success. They did convert a couple of fourth downs with quick-draw passes to the perimeter on their second drive, which went 75 yards on 10 plays for a TD, but otherwise the pickings have been slim. With 154 yards on 31 attempts, Halliday is averaging less than five yards an attempt. And the Coug running game is literally non-existent. They've called exactly one rushing play, which barely made it back to the line of scrimmage.

The Stanford offense would be cause for celebration if not for the red zone troubles. We've had seven plays go for more than 20 yards. (One was rubbed out by a penalty.) Hogan is shredding the Cougar secondary, and the CardBoard Prophets of Youth have at last been served; Barry Sanders has over 60 yards rushing, Christian McCaffrey over 50 combined rushing and receiving.

But the graphic ESPN put up after that lethal fumble, when Patrick Skov tried to stretch the ball over the goal line at the end of a plunge and had it knocked out of his hands, told it all: 4TH RED ZONE TD OF SEASON.

I assume that was meant to be 4th red zone TURNOVER of the season.

BC

[BostonCard]

I'm pretty sure the Four Tops must be performing at the half, because we're sure listening to the same old song. Another stellar defensive performance, another offensive parade up and down the field; we've got 333 yards total offense to Washington State's 131. And yet our lead is just 10 points. We gave away the ball once at the Cougar half-yard line, then -- with back to back holding penalties -- turned a first and 10 at their 16 into an unsuccessful 37-yard field goal attempt. And instead of burying Washington State by 20 or more, we're still in an actual football game.

The defense has been just short of awesome. We blitzed a good bit at first, then dialed it back to a four-man rush with the same result: Connor Halliday is getting pounded like a rock-em-sock-em robot with one arm torn away. He's been sacked twice for 23 yards in losses and thrown more balls into the ground while being brutally hit in mid-throw than I can count.

Washington State has countered with fast throws to beat the pressure, with only limited success. They did convert a couple of fourth downs with quick-draw passes to the perimeter on their second drive, which went 75 yards on 10 plays for a TD, but otherwise the pickings have been slim. With 154 yards on 31 attempts, Halliday is averaging less than five yards an attempt. And the Coug running game is literally non-existent. They've called exactly one rushing play, which barely made it back to the line of scrimmage.

The Stanford offense would be cause for celebration if not for the red zone troubles. We've had seven plays go for more than 20 yards. (One was rubbed out by a penalty.) Hogan is shredding the Cougar secondary, and the CardBoard Prophets of Youth have at last been served; Barry Sanders has over 60 yards rushing, Christian McCaffrey over 50 combined rushing and receiving.

But the graphic ESPN put up after that lethal fumble, when Patrick Skov tried to stretch the ball over the goal line at the end of a plunge and had it knocked out of his hands, told it all: 4TH RED ZONE TD OF SEASON.

I assume that was meant to be 4th red zone TURNOVER of the season.

BC