Stanford flashes offensive weapons in dominant win

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The Stanford football players had to feel like their 15-hour flight home from Sydney on Sunday was a breeze.

They had plenty of highlights from their 62-7 season-opening beatdown of Rice to help pass the time.

“This was not an exhibition. This was our first game of the year, and we wanted to come out and play well,” head coach David Shaw said after No. 14 Stanford’s dominating performance in the Sydney Cup. “We played hard the whole game, not perfect by any stretch, but we came out and played the way that we wanted to play, which was as physical as we could and make as many plays as we could.

“We expected to start off well. It’s always a surprise when we don’t. We didn’t want to make it look like the first game of the year. We wanted to come out in midseason form, execute offensively — running game, passing game — be efficient.”

Check. Check. Check. Check. Check.

Stanford, which entered as 31-point favorites and led 55-0, piled up 656 yards of total offense, averaging 9.0 yards per play. The Cardinal were 6-for-9 on third-down conversions and scored six touchdowns in seven trips to the red zone.

ESPN’s broadcasters had barely finished talking about trying to replace running back Christian McCaffrey when the new feature back, Bryce Love, was handed the ball on the first play from scrimmage. Love darted up the middle and then raced up the right sideline for 62 yards.

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES - AUGUST 27: Stanford University players celebrate after victory in the College Football Sydney Cup match between Stanford University (Stanford Cardinal) and Rice University (Rice Owls) at Allianz Stadium on August 27, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) less SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES - AUGUST 27: Stanford University players celebrate after victory in the College Football Sydney Cup match between Stanford University (Stanford Cardinal) and Rice University (Rice Owls) ... more Photo: Brook Mitchell, Getty Images Photo: Brook Mitchell, Getty Images Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Stanford flashes offensive weapons in dominant win 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

Love finished with 13 carries for 180 yards (13.8 yards per carry) and a touchdown, leading a Stanford running attack that churned out 287 yards on 8.0 yards per rush.

“Bryce is going to be our lead dog, but it’s nice to know we’ve got some guys who can back him up,” Shaw said. “I’m excited about where Bryce is heading into this season. We don’t want to wear Bryce out in any one game, so those guys have got to come out and make plays like they did.”

The replacements for the replacement were pretty good, too. Cameron Scarlett had eight carries for 59 yards and three scores, and freshman Connor Wedington, who ran for more than 4,000 yards at Sumner High (Wash.) had six catches for 82 yards.

After showing playmaking ability as a slot receiver with the first unit, Wedington lined up as an outside receiver with the second team. On one third-quarter play, he held off a Rice defender with his right arm and caught a 33-yard back-shoulder throw with his left.

No. 4 USC, which should be sporting a 10-game winning streak, dating to last season, when it hosts Stanford in two weeks, might be scrambling to figure out a scheme to cover all of the Cardinal’s targets after watching the game against Rice.

Stanford, which has become Tight End U, had four tight ends combine for 10 catches, 142 yards and three scores. Freshman Colby Parkinson caught two of the TD passes, basically outrebounding opponents on two jump balls.

Quarterback Keller Chryst, who returned from a torn right anterior cruciate ligament suffered in December, made use of all of his skill-position guys — completing 14 of 24 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns.

“It was great to see Keller Chryst come back completely healthy and run the show out there,” Shaw said. “It was great to see him adjust in the pocket, slide in the pocket and go through his progressions. ...

“He’s at his best when he’s calm and he’s comfortable. He’s got a strong arm and can make all the plays.”