Oregon all but made sure that if the Ducks can't get back to the College Football Playoff, nobody from the Pac-12 can.
Visiting UO upset Stanford, 38-36, on Saturday, giving the Cardinal its second loss and essentially taking what had been the Pac-12's top contender for a playoff spot out of the hunt.
Vernon Adams completed 10 of 12 passes for 205 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Ducks, while running back Royce Freeman added 105 yards on 16 carries. It was Freeman's sixth consecutive game with more than 100 yards. Eight NFL clubs sent scouts to the game, which featured several impressive draft prospects. Among them: Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, and Stanford offensive lineman Kyle Murphy. Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan threw a 4-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds left to pull within two points, but a two-point pass that would have forced overtime fell incomplete thanks to heavy pressure from the Ducks' pass rush.
Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey rushed for 147 yards on 33 carries and added 42 yards receiving in a losing effort.
Stanford had been ranked No. 7 in the CFP rankings. It will face Notre Dame in a season finale that could determine whether the Fighting Irish qualify for the playoff.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
