STANFORD, Calif. - With two regular season games remaining, the postseason fate of the Stanford football team is unclear, but this much is certain: If the Cardinal beats Cal on Saturday in the 120th Big Game, and Washington defeats Washington State on Nov. 25 in the Apple Cup in Seattle, Stanford wins the Pac-12 North Division and will face USC for the conference championship on Dec. 1 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
That scenario emerged after the Cardinal (7-3, 6-2 Pac-12) upset the ninth-ranked Huskies on Friday night, 30-22.
Stanford's stirring victory against Washington was its fifth in a row at home against an AP top-10 opponent. Students stormed the field afterward.
When the players returned to the locker room, David Shaw had two messages.
"That's how you play," said the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football, drawing roars from the group.
He calmly added, "No trophies were handed out tonight. But one will be next week."
Shaw was referring to the Stanford Axe, which has resided on campus for seven consecutive years.
Saturday's kickoff has been set for 5 p.m. PT and the game will be televised on FOX.
Friday's victory was easily the most complete performance of the season for the Cardinal. Not only did it avenge last year's 44-6 setback in Seattle, it showed what Stanford is capable of when all three click. It was a group effort in every sense, especially after a tough setback at Washington State on a short week.
While some outside the program were pessimistic about the Cardinal's chances of taking down Washington, the coaching staff and players never wavered.
"What's crazy about our program is that when the outside world thinks things are going wrong, we're just so subtly off," said sophomore quarterback K.J. Costello. "Tonight (Friday) didn't seem extraordinarily different than last week."
Making only his third collegiate start, Costello was clutch and efficient, completing 16 of 27 passes for 211 yards and ran for 26 on five attempts. Several throws were lasers to JJ Arcega-Whiteside (five catches for 130 yards) and Trenton Irwin (five for 46), as Stanford converted 10 of 18 times on third down against the stingiest defense in the country.
The Cardinal outgained the Huskies, 406-325, ran 15 more plays, and finished with a 12-minute time of possession advantage.
While Stanford had standouts up and down the roster, jersey No. 20, shared by Bryce Love and Bobby Okereke, was all over the field.
Love, a junior from Wake Forest, North Carolina, hasn't participated in a full practice for more than a month while nursing an injury which was aggravated again versus the Huskies. But he kept coming back, grinding for 166 yards on 30 carries, and tallied touchdown runs of 1, 13 and 9.
"He goes out there from start to finish and pours his heart out for his teammates," Shaw said. "I don't know if you could ask for anything more of a football player. I don't know if you can find a better football player in America than Bryce Love."
Love got stronger as the game progressed. After averaging 3.3 yards per carry in the first half, he improved to 7.2 after intermission. His 30th attempt -- arguably his most important -- was a 35-yard scamper late in the fourth quarter.
"I definitely felt like I was getting into more of a groove," said Love. "Just seeing things better, feeling a little better, knowing things would open up."
Not only was it the most individual rushing yards allowed by the Washington defense this season, the unit had surrendered only three rushing touchdowns -- all 1-yard runs.
"He played on one leg and played a phenomenal game," Shaw said. "I'm not going to mention any awards, but if he doesn't win 'em all, then I don't know what is going on. This guy is unbelievable."
Okereke, a senior inside linebacker from Santa Ana, California, has become a force. He contributed 10 tackles, two for loss and two sacks, including a key 18-yarder against elusive Husky quarterback Jake Browning.
"Who's playing better?" said Shaw.
Okereke showed speed and determination by chasing down the retreating Browning at his own 6.
"I just said, 'He's not scrambling anymore' and went after him," said Okereke.
Shaw credited his improved play to anticipation instead of reaction.
"This offseason, I put a lot of work into film study, just trying to develop myself as a player," Okereke said. "The Utah game, I made a big play and just felt comfortable and in the flow. I've been able to feel that a couple times."
Junior safety Frank Buncom from San Diego sparked the defense by collecting a game and career-high 11 tackles and forced a fumble.
"It's just a testament to our preparation," Buncom said. "This game had been in the back of our minds since it happened (last year's defeat). We had a statement to make ... We wanted to come out and prove something."
The defense held Washington to 91 yards and seven points in the second half. Also noteworthy, the Huskies converted only 2 of 8 on third down.
"We found our stride," said Buncom. "The beauty of this game is counter-punching. It's like boxing: you're going to receive blows and you have to counter-punch when your back is against the wall. We just started making plays."
As has been the case most of the season, Stanford's special teams play was outstanding. Dante Pettis of Washington had returned four punts for scores this season, but didn't get a chance Friday. The Cardinal punted only twice, Pettis making fair catches on both Jake Bailey boots.
Five of Bailey's seven kickoffs went for touchbacks, and the coverage teams excelled. Junior linebacker Mustafa Branch downed Salvon Ahmed at the Husky 11.
"We take it pretty seriously and all want to be out there," said Branch. "We want to make as many plays as possible. They put it on tape, so we knew it was going to be a challenge for us."
Jet Toner made three field goals and is now 18 of 21 on the season and has converted 39 consecutive extra points. Bailey averages 44.2 yards per punt and 17 of his 40 attempts have been downed inside the opponent's 20. Of his 61 kickoffs, 41 have resulted in touchbacks.
"Jake's had a few great years here and has taken a leadership role with the specialists group," said Toner. "I've been able to learn a lot from him. With him holding for me, there's a lot of trust. Jake gets the job done every time. We feed off each other."
Love regained the FBS rushing lead and now has 1,622 yards. He also ranks first in yards per game at 180.2, is second in yards per carry at 8.96, and third in all-purpose yards (183.67) and rushing touchdowns (15).
Love has now scored in 11 consecutive games. He has a run of 35 or more yards in 11 straight contests, and has surpassed 100 yards in eight games this season, tied for first in the nation.
Shaw now has 71 wins at Stanford, tying Glenn "Pop" Warner for the most in school history. Shaw called Washington a "good" win, but ranked his first Rose Bowl victory against Wisconsin and Pac-12 title against Arizona State during the 2012 season higher.
"There are no upsets in this conference," he said. "Anybody can beat anybody."
Cal (5-5, 2-5) had a bye this week. Its last win in the series was a 34-28 victory at Stanford in 2009. Since then, the average margin of victory for the Cardinal is 21.8.
That said, players know the Bears are dangerous. Earlier this season, they upset previously unbeaten Washington State in Berkeley, 37-3.
"We know it's going to be a fight," said Branch.
Added Buncom, "We know it's going to be challenging because that's how rivalries are. They've played some great games and we know they're going to come out and give us their best shot."
Two targeting calls against Washington were reversed. Shaw helped change the rules last year to protect defenseless players and thought he understood them as well as anyone.
"We've talked about it so much," said Shaw. "After helping reshape the rules and having continual conservations about it, I am now confused again."
Go figure: Washington remains the only defense in the country that hasn't allowed a play of 40 or more yards. Arcega-Whiteside caught two 39-yard passes from Costello -- the longest plays of the season against the Huskies.
Extra Points … Representatives from 19 professional teams attended the game … Also on hand were representatives of the Holiday Bowl, Alamo Bowl and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl … Former Stanford baseball standout AJ Hinch '96, who managed the Houston Astros to their first World Series title in franchise history last week, served as honorary captain. Hinch played catcher and was a two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year.
Quotable ... "Coach Shaw said, 'You carry heavy things, you get stronger.' " -Bobby Okereke, on how last year's defeat at Washington served as motivation.
