There is no probability course in Palo Alto to explain what Stanford did on Saturday.
The clock read 0:00. The scoreboard: Oregon 24, Stanford 17.
Somehow, the Cardinal came back from the dead and defeated the Ducks, 31-24 in overtime.
How?
On what was assumed to be the final play of the game in the fourth quarter, Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee threw an incomplete pass.
However, an official threw something, too, a penalty flag.
That gave Stanford an untimed down and McKee threw a 2-yard TD pass to Elijah Higgins. The PAT made it 24-24 and on the Pac-12 game went.
In the extra session, McKee hit John Humphries with a 14-yard touchdown pass. The PAT made it 31-24 and Oregon was unable to convert on its ensuing possession.
It’s celebration time in Palo Alto after Stanford upsets No. 3 Oregon in a WILD OT finish 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QAxBZCuDRF
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 2, 2021
The upset had been accomplished.
STANFORD WINS!
STANFORD WINS!INSTANT CLASSIC ON THE FARM!!!!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/9NtB01pyUB
— Stanford Athletics (@GoStanford) October 2, 2021
Stats will show the game-tying drive went 86 yards in 11 plays. Not totally accurate. Stanford had been penalized twice and was backed up to its 4-yard line before starting its march.
McKee was knocked from the game during the drive when sandwiched by Oregon players. On that play, Ducks star defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux was flagged for targeting and ejected from the game.
The win was more unlikely because the Cardinal had 39 yards of offense in the second half prior to the drive that forced overtime.
So, if you count the penalties, Stanford went 121 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in its final two possessions after being stymied by Oregon.
Stanford had a 0.1% chance to beat Oregon with 1:51 left in the 4th quarter, according to ESPN's Win Probability Model.
After winning in overtime, the Cardinal has won 4 straight games over AP top-3 teams, the longest active streak in FBS. pic.twitter.com/JT3VMVMg7m
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 2, 2021
Oh, Stanford also was flagged for illegal procedure penalties six times in the second half and overtime alone and somehow upset the third-ranked team in the nation.
