"The passing game wasn't doing very well so we went to the running game," Shaw said. "We need to play our game and play it better."

Hogan rushed for 112 important yards as the Cougars corralled McCaffrey for most of the game. The sophomore running back came through on Stanford's winning drive, though, and he finished with 107 yards.

"We survived by the skin of our teeth," Cardinal coach David Shaw said. "Our quarterback has one has one of the biggest hearts in college football."

The Cardinal (7-1 overall, 6-0 Pac-12) had just taken over following a Cougars punt and Kevin Hogan faked a pitch to Christian McCaffrey, kept the ball and raced 59 yards for a touchdown, bringing Stanford within 22-20 of Washington State and igniting an improbable rally.

The perfect play, called at the perfect time and executed to, well, perfection, turned the tide of Stanford's 30-28 Pac-12 football victory over host Washington State on Saturday.

True freshman defensive back Quenton Meeks (white) was solid for Stanford with plays like this and two interceptions. Photo by Bob Drebin/isiphotos.com

Stanford's Alijah Holder (13) celebrates a little early before a play was overruled and WSU was given a final shot at a potential game-winning field goal, which missed. Photo by Bob Drebin/isiphotos.com

Stanford freshman Quenton Meeks (center) is congratulated by Ronnie Harris (left) and Kodi Whitfield (right) following one of two interceptions by Meeks. Photo by Bob Drebin/isiphotos.com

Stanford's Conrad Ukropina (34) connected on a 19-yard field goal with 1:54 left for the margin of victory in a 30-28 Pac-12 win over host Washington State. Photo by Bob Drebin/isiphotos.com

McCaffrey was largely silenced, but carried for 30 to set up Ukropina's winner. The series was set up by the second of two crucial interceptions by freshman Quenton Meeks, who seemed to know exactly where Cougars quarterback Luke Falk was going to throw.

He hit from 47 and 46, but this time the left-footer hooked to the right allowing Stanford to maintain its unbeaten conference record and emerge with a two-game lead over second-place Oregon and Washington State (6-2, 3-2) in the North Division.

The Cougars drove to the Stanford 27 in the final seconds, giving Erik Powell a chance for his sixth field goal of the game.

No. 8 Stanford survived at Washington State in a pivotal Pac-12 North contest in the rain at Martin Stadium, overcoming two 12-point deficits and Conrad Ukropina connected on a 19-yard field goal with 1:54 left for the margin of victory.

He also scored on a 6-yard TD run after Meeks' first interception and return to the WSU 17. That capped a 17-point Stanford surge bridging the third and fourth quarters, all within a span of 4:20, for a 27-22 lead.

Though WSU answered quickly with another touchdown to build the lead to 22-10, the Hogan strategy was paying off.

On Stanford's first series of the second half, Hogan faked a pitch to McCaffrey, but instead carried himself, for 39 yards, to set up Remound Wright's two-yard touchdown run.

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Hogan's heroics help give Stanford improbable football win