McCaffrey runs for 3 TDs as Stanford beats Oregon 52-27

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Christian McCaffrey ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns and Stanford defeated the defenseless Oregon Ducks 52-27 on Saturday.

Junior quarterback Keller Chryst made his third consecutive start for the Cardinal, throwing for 258 yards and three scores. Stanford (7-3, 5-3 Pac-12) has won three straight.

The loss means that Oregon (3-7, 1-6) will finish with a losing record for the first time since 2004. It also effectively knocks the Ducks out of contention for a bowl game with just two games left.

The game did not carry the implications that many thought it might have at the start of the season. Neither team was ranked for the first time since the 2008 meeting.

Either Stanford or Oregon had won every Pac-12 championship since the league expanded and a title game was established in 2011. This season, Washington and Washington State are undefeated in conference play at sit atop the league’s North division.

THE TAKEAWAY

Stanford: The Cardinal averaged just 20 points a game this season before Saturday’s win. Linebacker Joey Alfieri, an Oregon native, intercepted a first-half Justin Herbert pass to Tony Brooks-James, for his first career interception.

Oregon: The Ducks were again without receiver Dwayne Stanford, who has missed five games. CSNNW.com reported Stanford was out for the rest of the season. … Senior safety Reggie Daniels was listed on the depth chart but also in street clothes.

McCaffrey ran for a 61-yard touchdown to put Stanford up early. After Oregon lost the ball on a fumble, McCaffrey scored again on a 5-yard TD run. Last season’s Heisman runner-up needed just 20 yards rushing going into the game to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season.

UP NEXT

Stanford: The Cardinal visit California for the Big Game before finishing the season at home against Rice.

Oregon: The Ducks visit Utah next Saturday before finishing up with rival Oregon State to the north in Corvallis.