Stanford Pulls Off Miracle Comeback to Beat Oregon 38-31 in OT

The No. 7 Stanford Cardinal overcame a 24-7 deficit to beat the No. 20 Oregon Ducks 38-31 in overtime at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday.

Stanford recovered a fumble with 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and kicker Jet Toner made a 32-yard field goal to force overtime before tight end Colby Parkinson caught the winning touchdown in the extra session.

The Cardinal are 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Pac-12, while Oregon fell to 3-1 (0-1).

Junior quarterback K.J. Costello was the driving force behind Stanford's comeback, as he went 19-of-26 for 327 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

After quarterback Justin Herbert combined with Oregon's running game and defense to build a big lead, a major red-zone mistake by the Ducks offense in the third quarter allowed Stanford to get back in it.

On 3rd-and-goal from inside the 5-yard line, the snap went over Herbert's head, and linebacker Joey Alfieri scooped the fumble before returning it 80 yards for a touchdown:

Stanford Fumble Recovery TD

Stanford's defense then forced a three-and-out, setting the stage for a 22-yard touchdown scamper by running back Bryce Love to help close the gap to 24-21.

Oregon appeared to put the game away with a one-yard touchdown run by Cyrus Habibi-Likio with 4:39 remaining, but the Cardinal refused to go quietly.

Stanford moved quickly down the field, and Costello found wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside from 15 yards out for his second touchdown catch of the game:

JJ Arcega-Whiteside catches for a 15-yard touchdown vs. Oregon Ducks

After Herbert ran for a first down on the ensuing drive, Oregon needed to just hang on to the ball to seal the win. Running back CJ Verdell fumbled with 51 seconds remaining, though, and Stanford recovered.

Costello masterfully got Stanford into field-goal range, and Toner nailed a 32-yarder as time expired to force overtime.

Stanford got the first possession in OT, and Parkinson bailed out Costello's risky throw to the end zone by tipping it to himself for a 23-yard touchdown:

Colby Parkinson with a 23-yard Touchdown Catch from K.J. Costello vs. Oregon Ducks

The Ducks had a chance to tie it, but cornerback Alameen Murphy intercepted Herbert's pass in the end zone on fourth down to complete the Stanford comeback. 

Costello Outshining Love as Star of Stanford's Offense

Love was expected to carry the load for the Stanford offense after rushing for over 2,118 yards last season, but it continued to be apparent Saturday that Costello has taken charge.

While Oregon's offensive mistakes were a big help in Stanford's comeback, Costello made huge passing plays in the fourth quarter and overtime to complete the win.

After Oregon scored to go up 31-21 with 4:39 left in the fourth, Costello showed off his strong arm with a 49-yard completion to Osiris St. Brown:

Stanfords St. Brown Gets WIDE Open

That set up a touchdown to Arcega-Whiteside to end a drive that took little time off the clock and left Stanford with enough time to tie it after recovering the fumble.

Costello has great weapons in Arcega-Whiteside, Parkinson and tight end Kaden Smith, and he took full advantage of them Saturday.

Former NFL and Oregon tight end George Wrighster is convinced Costello is the key to Stanford's success:

After missing last week's game, Love returned, but he ran for a modest 89 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He also had one catch for nine yards.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic noted Love had never produced such little yardage with so many carries:

Love is outside the Heisman Trophy race, and there have been few signs he'll get back into the conversation.

Ian Wharton of Optimum Scouting and Bleacher Report is among those who believe Love should have entered the NFL draft early:

Love is still a supreme talent who could heat up, but most of Stanford's offensive success has come from Costello.

If Stanford is to beat Washington in the Pac-12 North, win the conference and reach the College Football Playoff, then all signs point toward Costello's being the person to lead it there.

Oregon's Late Blunder Will Define Its Season

Oregon had a chance to control its destiny in the Pac-12 North and get into the CFP conversation, but losses like this one are difficult to overcome.

The Ducks had numerous opportunities to put away the game, including the third-quarter play that saw Stanford score an 80-yard defensive touchdown due to a defensive snap.

Oregon's TD with 4:39 left should've been enough. And even when the Ducks defense allowed Stanford to score quickly, Herbert's third-down conversion on Oregon's final drive of regulation should have been the nail in the Cardinal's coffin.

Instead, Verdell fumbled on a play that likely shouldn't have even happened, since head coach Mario Cristobal could have had Herbert kneel on the ball and left Stanford with essentially no time remaining.

ESPN's David Pollack put the game in perspective:

Michael Lombardi of The Athletic echoed his sentiments, noting the Ducks should have won:

It isn't impossible for Oregon to beat Washington in a couple of weeks, run the table and win the Pac-12, but it's more likely the loss will haunt the Ducks in a division as talented as theirs.

Whether Oregon falls short of the CFP, the Pac-12 title game or both, most pundits will look back to Saturday's loss as the moment that took it out of contention and put the spotlight back on Stanford and Washington.

Herbert Still a Heisman Contender Despite Loss

Saturday's loss won't look good on Herbert's resume, but he passed the eye test and did enough to stay in the Heisman Trophy conversation.

The quarterback went 26-of-33 for 346 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 35 yards on 11 carries.

He had an especially good connection with wide receiver Dillon Mitchell, who caught 14 passes for 239 yards, including a 53-yard first-quarter gain:

Herbert to Mitchell 53-Yarder Sets Up TD

Herbert could have thrown for more than one touchdown had he not let the running game shine in the red zone, but his touchdown pass was a bullet to tight end Jacob Breeland:

Jacob Breeland catches for a 7-yard touchdown vs. Stanford Cardinal

Herbert's accuracy was especially impressive, as he completed 78.8 percent of his passes. That number would have been much higher if not for four consecutive incompletions in overtime.

During the fourth quarter, Stewart Mandel of The Athletic compared Herbert's showing to one of the most impressive quarterback performances in Pac-12 history:

ESPN's Mina Kimes was among those who took notice of how Herbert was dissecting a talented Stanford defense that allowed just 23 points over its first three games:

The argument can be made that Herbert didn't come through in clutch moments during overtime, but the game never should have come down to that. He converted a key fourth down on Oregon's final scoring drive that saw Mitchell fall inches short of the end zone, and he rushed for a first down on 3rd-and-3 on the next drive.

That rush should have put the game away, but questionable coaching and poor ball security rendered it moot.

It will be difficult for Herbert or anyone else to keep pace with Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray in the Heisman race as long as their teams remain undefeated, but Herbert did enough Saturday to remain in the mix. 

What's Next?

Stanford will look to build on Saturday's remarkable win next week when it takes on a fellow undefeated team in No. 8 Notre Dame on the road.

Meanwhile, Oregon will attempt to bounce back next week at California.