Stanford steamrollered Colorado 42-10 to come within a step of clinching the Pac-12 North. In a game that pitted the league's top rushing offense against its worst run defense, the Cardinal amassed 275 yards on the ground. Christian McCaffrey delivered another big effort, finishing with 220 all-purpose yards and a 28-yard touchdown pass on a trick play. Kevin Hogan returned to his efficient throwing ways, completing 17 of 23 passes for 169 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also continued making big plays with his feet, rushing for a key touchdown right before halftime.

What this win means for Stanford: A week after sweating their way to victory at Washington State, the Cardinal cruised. Stanford flexed its offensive and defensive muscles. The attack showed as much versatility as ever, and the defense found a home in the Buffs' backfield with a season-high 10 tackles for loss. Stanford will clinch the Pac-12 North if California beats Oregon later Saturday. If the Ducks win, the Cardinal will have a chance to seal the deal at home next week. At 8-1, Stanford's College Football Playoff hopes are still alive.

Stanford's Kevin Hogan passed for two touchdowns against Colorado. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

What this loss means for Colorado: The Buffs were very competitive in a 35-31 loss at UCLA last week, but they were no match for Stanford's physical assault on both sides of the ball in this one. USC, Washington State and Utah remain on Colorado's schedule. The 4-6 Buffs will need to run the table to attain bowl eligibility, and that seems a very tall task at this point.

Player of the game: McCaffrey. He grew up in the Denver area, so McCaffrey's family and friends enjoyed one of his vintage versatile performances in person. His explosiveness was on full display from the running back position, where he finished with 147 yards on 23 carries (6.4 per carry). McCaffrey's most memorable highlight came on a halfback pass, on which he delivered a perfect 28-yard touchdown strike to Austin Hooper.

Stat of the game: Colorado ran 114 plays last week at UCLA. Stanford, through a combination of ball control and solid defense, limited the Buffs to only 53 plays Saturday.