Three Plays That Made the Difference: Stanford
In a game that was billed as the most important game of the 2011 Pac-12 season, there were literally dozens of plays that were critical to the outcome, I have looked at 3 plays that were momentum changers which turned the tide in favor of the Ducks. Without these plays, the outcome could have been drastically different.
ONE:
1st Quarter, 9:00
The Ducks and Stanford had traded punts. Stanford had been buried deep and was forced to punt a second time to the Ducks. With excellent field position at their own 47 yard line, the Ducks ran the ball on the first two plays of the series and netted zero yards. On 3rd and 10, Darron Thomas dropped back to pass, with heavy pressure from Matt Masifilo, Darron Thomas looked to make a play, while falling down he heaved the ball almost straight up. The ball was intercepted and ran back to the Oregon 30 yard line and it looked like Stanford was in prime position to strike first. As the players ambled towards the line, the referees announced that the play had been blown dead before the attempted pass; there was no interception. With that ruling, on came Jackson Rice to punt the ball away.
TWO:
1st Quarter, 6:48
THREE:
1st Quarter, 12:10