2010 Stanford Cardinal football team
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University
in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season
. The Cardinal were led by head coach Jim Harbaugh
, who was in his 4th and final season before leaving to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers
. They played their home games at Stanford Stadium
and were members of the Pacific-10 Conference.
Stanford ended the regular season 11–1, with their sole loss to conference champion Oregon
. They defeated Virginia Tech
40–12 in the Orange Bowl
for the first BCS bowl victory in program history.
threw for 316 yards and a career-high four touchdowns as Stanford routed Sacramento State, 52–17. Doug Baldwin caught an 81-yard touchdown strike from Luck in the first quarter, the eighth-longest Stanford touchdown reception in school history, and caught another 15-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Three different Stanford rushers scored from within the two-yard line. For the Hornets, Kyle Monson returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown, the first Sacramento State punt return for a score in seven years, and kicker Chris Diniz matched his career-longest field goal with a 52-yard kick in the fourth quarter.
on October 16, 1999. It was also the first time Stanford had achieved a road shutout against an opponent since 1974 and the first time since 1941 that Stanford had shut out UCLA.
defeated the Cardinal
24–17 at BB&T Field
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
, but the Cardinal got revenge in this game, scoring touchdowns on their first eight possessions on the way to a 68–24 rout. Quarterback Andrew Luck has scored 11 touchdowns in the first three games. This is the fifth time in 36 seasons, and the first time since 2001 that the Cardinal has started 3-0. The win is the 13th in Stanford's last 15 home games. They are averaging 51.7 points per game through three games, the best offensive start to a season for the Cardinal since scoring 164 points in the first three games of the 1923 season. This was the most points Stanford had scored in a game since 1968 when the Cardinal scored 68 points against San Jose State. Wake Forest has given up 116 points combined in its last three games. This was the most points allowed by Wake Forest since a 72-13 loss to Florida State in 1995.
scored on a one-yard touchdown plunge, then returned an interception for a touchdown two plays later as Stanford defeated Notre Dame 37–14, the team's first win in South Bend
since 1992. Stanford placekicker Nate Whitaker added five field goals to tie a Stanford single-game record to help the Cardinal move to 4–0 for the first time since 1986.
threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another, while running back LaMichael James
rushed for three touchdowns on a career high 257 yards. Two interceptions by Duck cornerback Cliff Harris and a fourth-quarter fumble by Stanford receiver Chris Owusu sealed the game for the Ducks.
earlier in the fourth quarter, and USC capitalized on the miss to go ahead of Stanford 35–34 with just over a minute to play. But Andrew Luck led the Cardinal on a nine-play, 62-yard drive to set up Whitaker's game winner. In an evenly matched back-and-forth game, Luck and Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley
each threw for three touchdowns.
. Stepfan Taylor added two more rushing touchdowns for Stanford. Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel threw for four touchdowns on the day, including two in the last four minutes of the game to keep the final score close.
turned into a lopsided affair as Washington could only manage 104 yards of offense, as Locker went 7 for 14 with only 88 yards passing, was sacked three times, and intercepted twice.
and held the Wildcats to 3 points in the first half. Though they allowed two late touchdowns, Stanford answered each on its next possession with a long drive that culminated in a touchdown run from Stepfan Taylor.
while the Golden Bears need one more win to attain of bowl-eligibility
.
and Steve Stenstrom
. Meanwhile, the Stanford defense intercepted Beavers quarterback Ryan Katz three times and sacked him four times, one of which resulted in a fumble recovered by the Cardinal. The shutout
was Stanford's third of the season and Oregon State's first since 2002. Coupled with losses by Boise State
and LSU
, the win moved Stanford to #4 in the BCS
standings, a position which would assure them an at-large bid in a BCS bowl for the first time (Stanford last won an automatic BCS bid to the 2000 Rose Bowl
).
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season
2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on Thursday, September 2, 2010. The season progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, 2011.-Rule changes for...
. The Cardinal were led by head coach Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh
James Joseph "Jim" Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011. Previously, he was the head coach at...
, who was in his 4th and final season before leaving to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. They played their home games at Stanford Stadium
Stanford Stadium
Stanford Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the Stanford University campus, the home of Stanford Cardinal college football team. It originally opened in 1921 as a football and track stadium, an earthen horseshoe with wooden bleacher seating and flooring upon a steel frame...
and were members of the Pacific-10 Conference.
Stanford ended the regular season 11–1, with their sole loss to conference champion Oregon
2010 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2010 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in the 2010 college football season. The team was led by Chip Kelly in his second season as a head coach. The Ducks played their home games at Autzen Stadium for the 44th straight year....
. They defeated Virginia Tech
2010 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2010 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Hokies were led by 24th-year head coach Frank Beamer and played their home games at Lane Stadium...
40–12 in the Orange Bowl
2011 Orange Bowl
The 2011 Discover Orange Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Stanford Cardinal on Monday, January 3, 2011, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Stanford defeated Virginia Tech 40–12...
for the first BCS bowl victory in program history.
Schedule
Sacramento State
Andrew LuckAndrew Luck
Andrew Austen Luck is an American football quarterback for Stanford University. He was the runner-up for the 2010 Heisman Trophy, and is considered a leading contender for the 2011 Heisman Trophy. He was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O'Brien Award and the...
threw for 316 yards and a career-high four touchdowns as Stanford routed Sacramento State, 52–17. Doug Baldwin caught an 81-yard touchdown strike from Luck in the first quarter, the eighth-longest Stanford touchdown reception in school history, and caught another 15-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Three different Stanford rushers scored from within the two-yard line. For the Hornets, Kyle Monson returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown, the first Sacramento State punt return for a score in seven years, and kicker Chris Diniz matched his career-longest field goal with a 52-yard kick in the fourth quarter.
UCLA
Stanford safety Michael Thomas (top, left photo) stripped the ball and ran 21 yards for one touchdown, and Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck rushed for a career-best 63 yards and threw for 151 yards and two more touchdowns as Stanford shut out UCLA 35–0. It was the first time UCLA had lost at home to Stanford since 1996 and was the first shutout UCLA had suffered at home since a 17–0 loss to CaliforniaCalifornia Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
on October 16, 1999. It was also the first time Stanford had achieved a road shutout against an opponent since 1974 and the first time since 1941 that Stanford had shut out UCLA.
Wake Forest
In their 2009 meeting, the Demon Deacons2009 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
The 2009 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe during his ninth season at the school and played its home games at BB&T Field. Wake Forest competed in the Atlantic Coast...
defeated the Cardinal
2009 Stanford Cardinal football team
The 2009 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cardinal was coached by third-year coach Jim Harbaugh and played their home games at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California....
24–17 at BB&T Field
BB&T Field
This article is about the football stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. For the baseball stadium also in Winston-Salem, see BB&T Ballpark. For the baseball stadium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, see BB&T Coastal Field....
in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
, but the Cardinal got revenge in this game, scoring touchdowns on their first eight possessions on the way to a 68–24 rout. Quarterback Andrew Luck has scored 11 touchdowns in the first three games. This is the fifth time in 36 seasons, and the first time since 2001 that the Cardinal has started 3-0. The win is the 13th in Stanford's last 15 home games. They are averaging 51.7 points per game through three games, the best offensive start to a season for the Cardinal since scoring 164 points in the first three games of the 1923 season. This was the most points Stanford had scored in a game since 1968 when the Cardinal scored 68 points against San Jose State. Wake Forest has given up 116 points combined in its last three games. This was the most points allowed by Wake Forest since a 72-13 loss to Florida State in 1995.
Notre Dame
Owen MarecicOwen Marecic
Owen Marecic is an American football player for the Cleveland Browns. He played at the collegiate level for Stanford University.-Early life:Marecic moved with his family around the United States following his father's career as an IT executive...
scored on a one-yard touchdown plunge, then returned an interception for a touchdown two plays later as Stanford defeated Notre Dame 37–14, the team's first win in South Bend
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
since 1992. Stanford placekicker Nate Whitaker added five field goals to tie a Stanford single-game record to help the Cardinal move to 4–0 for the first time since 1986.
Oregon
The Cardinal started out quickly, scoring three touchdowns in less than five minutes of the first quarter aided by two Duck turnovers. But the Ducks used a risky onside kick to keep the score close at halftime, and in the second half, held the Cardinal scoreless. Meanwhile, Ducks quarterback Darron ThomasDarron Thomas
Darron Varnell Thomas is a college football quarterback for the Oregon Ducks football team. Thomas is the starting quarterback for the 2010 Ducks, being given the opportunity after former starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended for the 2010 season and eventually dismissed from the team....
threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another, while running back LaMichael James
LaMichael James
LaMichael Keondrae James is a college football running back for the Oregon Ducks football team. The 2010 season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the...
rushed for three touchdowns on a career high 257 yards. Two interceptions by Duck cornerback Cliff Harris and a fourth-quarter fumble by Stanford receiver Chris Owusu sealed the game for the Ducks.
USC
Nate Whitaker kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired to give the Cardinal a dramatic 37–35 victory over the visiting Trojans. Whitaker had missed a PATConvert
The convert or try, in American football known as "point after", and Canadian football "Point after touchdown", is a one-scrimmage down played immediately after a touchdown during which the scoring team is allowed to attempt to score an extra one point by kicking the ball through the uprights , or...
earlier in the fourth quarter, and USC capitalized on the miss to go ahead of Stanford 35–34 with just over a minute to play. But Andrew Luck led the Cardinal on a nine-play, 62-yard drive to set up Whitaker's game winner. In an evenly matched back-and-forth game, Luck and Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley
Matt Barkley
Matt Barkley is an American football quarterback and student athlete at the University of Southern California, playing for the Trojans football team. As a high school player, Barkley was named 2007 football Gatorade National Player of the Year, and then the 2007 Gatorade national male athlete of...
each threw for three touchdowns.
Washington State
Andrew Luck threw for three touchdowns as the Cardinal defeated the Cougars 38–28 to improve their record to 7–1, their best start since the season they appeared in the 1971 Rose Bowl1971 Rose Bowl
The 1971 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1971. It was the 57th Rose Bowl Game. The Stanford Indians defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 27-17. The MVP was Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett.-Ohio State:...
. Stepfan Taylor added two more rushing touchdowns for Stanford. Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel threw for four touchdowns on the day, including two in the last four minutes of the game to keep the final score close.
Washington
Stepfan Taylor ran for two touchdowns, and quarterback Andrew Luck ran 51 yards for another as the Cardinal shut out the Huskies 41–0, the worst shutout for the Huskies at home since 1976. The highly-touted matchup between NFL quarterback prospects Luck and Jake LockerJake Locker
Jacob Cooper "Jake" Locker is an American football quarterback selected by the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League in the 2011 Draft...
turned into a lopsided affair as Washington could only manage 104 yards of offense, as Locker went 7 for 14 with only 88 yards passing, was sacked three times, and intercepted twice.
Arizona
In highly-anticipated matchup for second place in the Pac-10, Stanford overwhelmed Arizona 42–17. Quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns, and receiver Chris Owusu caught 9 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. The Cardinal defense, meanwhile, intercepted Arizona quarterback Nick FolesNick Foles
Nick Foles is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Wildcats. During the 2011 season, Foles led the Pac 12 Conference and ranked fifth nationally in total offense with an average of 352.58 yards per game....
and held the Wildcats to 3 points in the first half. Though they allowed two late touchdowns, Stanford answered each on its next possession with a long drive that culminated in a touchdown run from Stepfan Taylor.
Arizona State
With its usually explosive offense held in check by the Sun Devils, the Cardinal relied on their defense to keep the game close until a fourth-quarter drive put them on top of the Sun Devils, 17–13. After scoring on its first drive, the Stanford rushing game was held to 128 yards on 42 carries. Quarterback Andrew Luck fumbled and threw an interception, but had enough left to engineer a fourth-quarter drive finished with an Owen Marecic one-yard touchdown plunge. Stanford moved to 9–1 on the year, its best start since 1951.California
Andrew Luck led the Cardinal to scores on all eight possessions in which he participated—including three touchdown drives of more than 80 yards—as the Cardinal cruised to a 48–14 victory, its most lopsided victory in the Big Game since 1930, when Stanford shut out California 41–0. Luck was 16 of 20 for 235 yards and 2 touchdown passes. Stepfan Taylor scored on three short touchdown runs, but Luck was Stanford's leading rusher with 72 yards, 58 of which came on a broken play in which he stiff-armed a Cal defender and continued for another 20 yards. Stanford's 48 points tied with Cal's 1975 total for the most points scored by either team in 113 Big Games. Both Bears touchdowns came on fourth-quarter trick plays: a pass from receiver Keenan Allen to Marvin Jones, and with 15 seconds left in the game, an Allen lateral to Isi Sofele. Stanford remains in contention for an at-large BCS berthBowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
while the Golden Bears need one more win to attain of bowl-eligibility
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
.
Oregon State
The Cardinal closed out its best-ever regular season at home with a 38–0 victory over the Beavers. Andrew Luck threw four touchdown passes for a total of 28 on the year, setting a new Stanford single-season record, and surpassing Stanford quarterback greats John ElwayJohn Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
and Steve Stenstrom
Steve Stenstrom
Steve Stenstrom is a former professional American football quarterback.-College career:Stenstrom was the starting quarterback at Stanford University from 1991 to 1994, and still holds most of Stanford's passing records:*Total yards, career: 9,825*Passing yards gained, career: 10,531*Passing yards...
. Meanwhile, the Stanford defense intercepted Beavers quarterback Ryan Katz three times and sacked him four times, one of which resulted in a fumble recovered by the Cardinal. The shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
was Stanford's third of the season and Oregon State's first since 2002. Coupled with losses by Boise State
2010 Boise State Broncos football team
The 2010 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Broncos were led by fifth-year head coach Chris Petersen and played their home games at Bronco Stadium. They entered the 2010 season with winning streaks of 14 games...
and LSU
2010 LSU Tigers football team
The 2010 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Les Miles in his 6th season. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium and were members of the Southeastern Conference in the Western...
, the win moved Stanford to #4 in the BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
standings, a position which would assure them an at-large bid in a BCS bowl for the first time (Stanford last won an automatic BCS bid to the 2000 Rose Bowl
2000 Rose Bowl
The 2000 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 2000. It was the 86th Rose Bowl game and was played on January 1, 2000 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. The game featured the Wisconsin Badgers defeating the Stanford Cardinal by a score of 17-9...
).
Virginia Tech (Orange Bowl)
Andrew Luck threw four touchdown passes, three to Coby Fleener and one to Zach Ertz, to defeat the Hokies to finish the season with 12 wins and the first BCS bowl victory in program history.Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | NR | 25 | 19 | 16 | 9 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Coaches | NR | NR | 19 | 17 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Harris | Not released | 14 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | ||||||
| BCS | Not released | 12 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | |||||||
Awards and honors
- September 13 – Cornerback Mike Thomas was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week.
- September 27 – Placekicker Nate Whitaker was named Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week.
- November 8 - Quarterback Andrew Luck was named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week.
- November 17 – Fullback/linebacker Owen MarecicOwen MarecicOwen Marecic is an American football player for the Cleveland Browns. He played at the collegiate level for Stanford University.-Early life:Marecic moved with his family around the United States following his father's career as an IT executive...
has been named a first-team selection on the Pac-10 All-Academic Football Team. Earlier this month, he was named National Football FoundationNational Football FoundationThe National Football Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1947 by General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army Black Knights football coach Earl "Red" Blaik and journalist Grantland Rice...
Scholar-Athlete Award winner and is a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, known as the academic Heisman.
- November 22 - Quarterback Andrew Luck was named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week.
- November 29 - Linebacker Chase Thomas was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week
- January 10, 2011 – Owen MarecicOwen MarecicOwen Marecic is an American football player for the Cleveland Browns. He played at the collegiate level for Stanford University.-Early life:Marecic moved with his family around the United States following his father's career as an IT executive...
was named Paul Hornung AwardPaul Hornung AwardThe Paul Hornung Award is a college football award that was created in January 2010 by the Louisville Sports Commission with the support of Paul Hornung, a native and resident of Louisville, Kentucky and member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
winner, the most versatile player.