FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM STANFORd VS. KANSAS STATE

Stanford started fast, stagnated in the second half and needed a late blast from Christian McCaffrey to seal a 26-13 victory over Kansas State on Friday in the season opener.

The performance was a marked improvement from last year’s opening-week belly flop, but the Cardinal has no shortage of areas to fine-tune as it prepares for the toughest stretch of its season, with four games against ranked opponents in five weeks.

Here are four takeaways from the victory:

— Quarterback Ryan Burns was ready for his assignment.

The redshirt junior completed all nine of his passes in the first half and tossed a 40-yard touchdown to Michael Rector.

He hit receivers in stride, placed the ball in narrow windows and adeptly checked down when his primary targets were covered.

His management of the offense was crisp, as well: No interceptions, no delay-of-game or false start penalties, no instances of mass confusion.

Then halftime arrived, Kansas State adjusted, Burns wasn’t as effective, and the Cardinal offense struggled. Its success in the second half consistent of one play: McCaffrey’s late touchdown run.

That’s hardly a surprise given that KSU has a veteran defense and Burns had thrown one career pass prior to Friday. He’ll face more talented opponents in the weeks to come, but as first starts go, his could have been worse.

— Christian McCaffrey isn’t bad.

The Heisman Trophy candidate accumulated 210 all-purpose yards and put the game away with a 41-yard touchdown run with two minutes remaining.

McCaffrey’s best play didn’t count: a 97-yard punt return in which he appeared to be tackled immediately after fielding the ball but somehow broke free, then zoomed the length of the field.

He finished with 22 carries, seven receptions and was the primary punt and kickoff returner. That’s a heavy load to carry each week for three months. Which is another way of saying ….

— Stanford needs Bryce Love.

The blazing sophomore is the Cardinal’s best big-play option not named McCaffrey. A lower leg injury kept him on the sideline Friday, and his absence was glaring – the Cardinal lacked a second playmaker in the running and short-passing games.

Love was listed as “unlikely” by coach David Shaw, which would seem to indicate he could be back when USC visits in two weeks.

— Stanford’s defense was stout, but give Kansas State the assist.

The Cardinal kept KSU out of the end zone until the final minutes, had eight sacks, forced two turnovers and recorded a safety.

But much of that success was rooted in the Wildcats’ ineptitude. They lack a high-end playmaker and have little in the way of a downfield passing game to punish the defense for overplaying the run.

Whether Stanford’s defense is first-rate or merely solid won’t be clear for weeks.