Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels #14 runs for an 11-yard gain in the 1st quarter against Cal Poly’s Brian Dukes Jr. #9 , Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
By Michael Roberson
STANFORD, Calif. — RELIEF is the word that would express the feeling of the Stanford Cardinal (1-1, 0-0 ACC), after hammering the Cal Poly Mustangs (0-2, 0-0-0 Big Sky) 41-7, on a late Saturday Afternoon in the Bay Area.
The Cardinal finally got the proverbial monkey off their back (out of their tree), as they corralled the Mustangs inside the confines of Stanford Stadium. The win eclipsed a double-digit losing streak on the storied campus. The last time they were victorious at the stadium, was October 22, 2022, when former star kicker, Josh Karty scored all the points (5 FG’s) in a 15-14 victory over Arizona State,
Although Stanford had the ball first to begin the game, they did not score until all 15 minutes had elapsed in the first quarter. Ashton Daniels tossed a five yard TD to junior receiver Mudia Reuben, to put the home team up 7-0, after one quarter.
Less than three minute into the second quarter, Cal Poly had an answer for Stanford. The Mustangs galloped down the field for the equalizing score. The equines from Southern California performed a gadget play (Flea Flicker), where junior (X) receiver Michael Briscoe threw a 22-yard TD pass to redshirt-junior tight end Jake Woods, to even the score at seven.
The Cardinal struck again, this time with less than 30 seconds in the seconds in the first half. Backup/Associate QB Justin Lamson scored on two yard keeper to pay dirt, doubling the score at the midway part of the game. Cal poly took a knee, and the halftime score was 14-7, Stanford.
In the second half, Stanford continued to lay the wood. Three minutes into half number two, put seven more points on the board, tripling the score 21-7, on a 90-yard punt return TD. Sophomore WR Tiger Bachmeier not only used his EYE, but his legs to take the second longest punt return to the “House” in stadium history.
The last Cardinal player to accomplish the same feat, was Stanford Legend and present 49er, Christian McCaffrey, in the 2016 Rose Bowl versus Iowa.
Stanford would go on to score 20 more unanswered points throughout the rest of the game. Senior kicker Emmet Kenney put them up 24-7 on a 32-yard FG, followed by a five yard TD toss by Daniels to junior TE Sam Roush, giving them a 24-point advantage after 3/4 of the California battle, 31-7.
The final stanza had third string QB Elijah Brown enter the game to complete the blowout win. He not only came in the party to complete the task, but he was a perfect 7-7 for 97 yards passing and launched a 12-yard TD to redshirt freshman Ismael Cisse to raise the lead to 31, 38-7.
Stanford had one last scoring drive in them, as Kenney kicked another FG (43) to make the score 41-7 with just under two minutes left in regulation. As the time elapsed and the clock hit zeroes, that was also the final score, 41-7, Stanford Cardinal.
Stanford will next be in action Friday, september 20 @ 4:30 PM EST in the Empire State, as they take on ACC foe Syracuse on ESPN. Cal Poly Cal Poly heads back home to host Western Oregon Saturday, September 14 at 5:00 PM PDT on ESPN+.
NOTE: All three Stanford QB’s combined for 26-30, 318 passing yards, three TDs and a rushing touchdown (Lamson).
Tiger Bachmeier’s ROARING PR touchdown is tied for second with UCLA’s Luke Powell (2003), and they both trail Oregon’s Thomas Henley’s 92-yard return in 1986.
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