In recognizing the 125th season of Stanford football and the 150th year of college football, GoStanford.com is celebrating and highlighting Stanford's football history with a season-long series by decade.
Stanford 125: The 2000s
Games of the Decade:
Oct. 6, 2007: Stanford 24, USC 23
An Internet search for "Greatest college football upset ever" finds Stanford's 24-23 victory over USC near the top of any list.
Coming off a 1-11 season and forced to use a first-time starter at quarterback, Stanford stared down the No. 2 Trojans (No. 1 in the coaches poll) and halted their 35-game home winning streak in a dramatic contest that silenced 85,000 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
When the intense Jim Harbaugh took over in 2007 in his first major-college head-coaching job, he began to spar with Pac-12 heavyweight USC in the media, prompting this line: "We bow to no program here at Stanford University," Harbaugh said.
"He had something to prove against those guys," said running back Anthony Kimble in Rags to Roses: The Rise of Stanford Football. "He told us we could be better than them. He wanted us to be better than them. He was just trying to take us to that point."
Stanford was 1-3 and without quarterback T.C. Ostrander, who suffered a seizure six days before the game and was ruled out as a precaution. Tavita Pritchard, a redshirt sophomore, was cast as the starter against the five-time defending Pac-10 champion. The year before, USC had trounced Stanford, 42-0, at Stanford Stadium and was seeking its third national title in five years.
The point-spread opened at 38 and grew to 41. No underdog had ever won a college game with a point spread so large. That would change.
This was the program's turning point. It reflected a change in culture and expectations that catapulted Stanford into a football golden age.
These sequences conspired to keep the Cardinal close:
- Five USC turnovers, including four interceptions.
- Pannel Egboh blocked an extra-point try.
- Bo McNally had first contact on a fourth down run inside the 1 in the final seconds of the first half.
- USC quarterback John David Booty broke the middle finger on his throwing hand.
Stanford hung around. The longer it did, the more confident the Cardinal became.
On a crucial USC fourth-and-goal, Nick Sanchez (2) finishes off the tackle after Bo McNally (22) made the first hit. Photo by David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics.
Down 23-14 in the fourth quarter, a Derek Belch field goal cut the deficit to within a touchdown with with 5:43 to play. USC tried to grind out the clock, but Booty was sacked by Clinton Snyder to force a passing down on third-and-19. His pass sailed and landed into the hands of Stanford's Wopamo Osaisai, who bobbled the ball and returned it 18 yards into USC territory with 2:50 left This was starting to become real.
A pass interference call gave Stanford a first down, but a holding penalty damaged Stanford's prospects, creating a do-or-die fourth-and-20. Pritchard stepped toward the sideline, but could not hear Harbaugh's play call. Instead, Pritchard called his own.
With receivers spread across the field, Pritchard saw freshman Richard Sherman cutting across the middle. Sherman leaped for the hard-thrown pass while hit from behind. The ball was marked at the 10 – a first down by inches with 1:39 to play. Three plays netted five yards and Stanford faced another fourth down, at the 5.
During a USC timeout, Pritchard exhorted his teammates. "One of you guys is going to make a play that's going to win this thing. I promise you it's going to happen."
QB Tavita Pritchard was thrown into the fire against USC. Photo by David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics.
In the huddle was receiver Mark Bradford, a Los Angeles native and childhood USC fan. He grew up 10 minutes from the Coliseum. Twelve days earlier, his father, Mark Bradford Sr., died of a heart attack. Bradford left the team twice in those 12 days, to be with his family and to attend the funeral.
As Stanford lined up for the pivotal fourth-down play, Stanford was flagged again. Too many men on the field. The ball was back to the 10.
With four receivers on the move, Pritchard looked left for Bradford. The throw went toward Bradford's outside shoulder. Bradford twisted his body, and leaped to make the catch and land with his foot in the end zone with 49 seconds left.
Derek Belch kicked the extra point for the lead before a stunned Coliseum crowd.
USC had one final chance, but on fourth-and-17, Chike Amajoyi pressured Booty into a high throw that McNally intercepted to ice the game.
The impossible had happened.
When the team returned to campus at 12:30 a.m., a boisterous mob of 1,500 students banged on the busses.
Harbaugh grabbed a megaphone: "So many times in life, you've got people that tell you … a hundred times 'no,' and 100 times 'you can't'. Today, our players said, 'Yes.'
"We did it. We beat USC!"
Mark Bradford makes the winning catch in Stanford's upset over USC. Photo by Rob Ericson/Stanford Athletics.
Nov. 28, 2009: Stanford 45, Notre Dame 38
Toby Gerhart gave the nation a glimpse of what Stanford fans saw all season, carrying the Cardinal to victory with a 205-yard, 29-carry performance. He scored three touchdowns and passed for another on a wild fourth-down play that tied the game and capped a comeback from an 11-point second-half deficit.
In a game featuring big plays, trick plays, and spectacular plays, Stanford scored the game's last 10 points while making two late defensive stops to close out the game and the regular season with an 8-4 record, the school's best since 2001.
"It was mayhem," said Gerhart, rushed by joyous Stanford fans on the field after the game. "I don't know what to say. I was excited, I was shaking. It was a good way to go out."
In a game that featured a combined 943 offensive yards, the biggest turned out to be the most unusual.
Down 38-30 early in the fourth quarter, "We basically looked each other in the eyes and said, `Man up,'" Stanford cornerback Richard Sherman said in Rags to Roses. "We knew `Seven' was going to take us to the promised land. That's what we said, that he'll carry us on his back. We just had to make some stops."
Gerhart bulled through the defense for 28 yards on one play, and gained 12 on another to take the Card downfield. With a fourth-and-4 at the Notre Dame 18, running backs coach Willie Taggart suggested a halfback option.
Gerhart took a pitch right, ran four steps, then pulled up to throw. Gerhart's floater under pressure was gathered by Ryan Whalen, who was interfered while made a rolling catch in the end zone. Stanford converted the two-point conversion to tie the game, 38-38, with 8:59 left.
As loose as the Stanford defense played -- allowing Irish QB Jimmy Clausen to complete 23 of 30 passes for 340 yards and five touchdowns -- it held when freshman linebacker Shayne Skov stuffed Notre Dame's Robert Hughes for no gain at the Irish's own 35-yard line on third down.
With 5:48 left, Stanford rode Gerhart on the winning drive. He carried seven times for 54 of the 72 yards. A big third-down pass to Coby Fleener for 14 helped.
Faced with first and goal from the 4, Gerhart rolled off left tackle for the winning touchdown with 59 seconds left, as the Notre Dame defense parted in an attempt to give itself as much time as possible for a tying drive of its own.
Taking over at its 20, with one timeout left, Clausen was sacked by Thomas Keiser. After a 43-yard pass to Golden Tate, Clausen was sacked again, by Chase Thomas. The Irish had the ball at the Stanford 31 with seven seconds left, but Clausen's Hail Mary pass was batted down by Michael Thomas as time expired.
"It was incredible to watch," said Harbaugh of Gerhart. "He is a phenomenal football player. The best I've ever been around."
Toby Gerhart left Irish in his wake during a 205-yard effort. Photo by David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics.
Oct. 20, 2001: Stanford 49, Oregon 42
Over four years, Chris Lewis received significant playing time at quarterback despite never fully securing the position. However, Lewis led Stanford to a share of memorable finishes.
As a redshirt freshman in 2000, Lewis hit DeRonnie Pitts with 1:12 to play to give Stanford a 27-24 upset win over No. 5 Texas. A few weeks later, he again came off the bench and threw a 20-yard TD pass to Jamien McCullum on the game's final play, giving the Cardinal a 32-30 victory over USC.
A two-sport star in football and volleyball at Long Beach Poly High, Lewis gave Stanford another comeback moment, this time in Eugene's Autzen Stadium.
Replacing injured Randy Fasani in the second quarter, Lewis and Stanford struggled to keep pace with a No. 5 Ducks team bent on the Rose Bowl. Oregon led 35-21 in the third quarter.
Then Lewis caught fire. He threw 28 yards to a leaping Teyo Johnson, a basketball player, on a play called the "Teyo Tossup," drawing the Cardinal within 35-28. Oregon responded by extending its lead to 42-28 with nine minutes left, but Stanford continued to gain ground.
Kerry Carter dived in from the 1 with 5:42 left, but Stanford's PAT was blocked, keeping Oregon in front, at 42-41. That's when defensive back Tank Williams ran into the backfield unobstructed on a stunt to block a Joey Harrington pass into the hands of defensive end Marcus Hoover.
Following fullback Casey Moore and tackle Kirk Chambers, Carter scored his third touchdown of the game, on a three-yarder with 1:10 left to complete the upset rally, silence the Autzen crowd, and knock the Ducks out of Rose Bowl contention. A good day.
Teyo Johnson catches a TD pass on a 'Teyo Tossup' against Oregon. Photo by David Gonzales.
Notable Coaches:
Jim Harbaugh (2007-2010)
Jim Harbaugh was just what Stanford needed. During a 1-11 season in 2006, Stanford hit rock bottom. That changed when Harbaugh brought a jolt of energy and some additional credibility to Stanford football.
Stanford was a homecoming for Harbaugh, who played his senior high school season at Palo Alto while his father Jack was a Stanford assistant. Though he only was a collegiate head coach for two years, at University of San Diego, Harbaugh brought "enthusiasm unknown to mankind" to the program. And it showed.
His energy never wavered and his love of football was contagious. Stanford rebuilt its program from the ground up, emphasizing a power running game and a punishing defense. Stanford became tough.
With increased speed and depth, the Cardinal improved each season, culminating in a 12-1 record in 2010 before Harbaugh left to coach the NFL's San Francisco 49ers.
Jim Harbaugh. Photo by David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics.
Tyrone Willingham (1995-2001)
Tyrone Willingham seemed a perfect coach for Stanford – dignified, demanding, and respected. Those qualities were missed after he left after seven seasons on The Farm for Notre Dame. It took the program years to recover.
That doesn't mean his successors – Buddy Teevens and Walt Harris – didn't have some of those qualities, but neither was a great fit. Teevens, a marathon runner, sought to run the program in a corporate fashion, taking cues from business leaders. After three losing seasons at Stanford, his greatest success came at his alma mater, Dartmouth, which he has coached to three Ivy League titles in 19 seasons. Harris was a disciplinarian who coached at Stanford two years, with a best record of 5-6 in 2005.
Willingham first came to Stanford in 1989 on Dennis Green's staff, and was a head coach at Stanford longer than anyone except David Shaw, John Ralston, and Pop Warner. He coached Stanford to four bowl games, including a Rose Bowl, and won a Pac-10 championship.
Tyrone Willingham. Photo by David Gonzales.
Prominent Players:
Toby Gerhart (2006-09)
Toby Gerhart had a record-breaking high school career at Norco (Calif.), setting a state record with 9,662 career rushing yards, including 3,233 and 39 touchdowns as a senior.
Though recruited by Walt Harris, Gerhart personified the toughness and style that Jim Harbaugh valued most. Gerhart was 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, a halfback built like a fullback. When Gerhart carried, it took multiple players to take him down. He was type of back who knocked defenders off their feet and dragged a pile five yards downfield. And he could run, gaining many yards in the open field.
When longtime NFL assistant Greg Roman came to Stanford as offensive coordinator in 2009, Gerhart truly flourished. Roman's power running attack, led by pulling guards Andrew Phillips and David DeCastro and fullback Owen Marecic, gave Gerhart the downhill track he needed.
Gerhart rushed for 1,871 yards in 2009 – a school season record by nearly 700 yards (over Tommy Vardell's 1,188 in 1991) – and averaged 5.5 yards per carry. His 29 touchdowns in 2009 and 44 career TDs remain Stanford records.
Gerhart was second to Alabama back Mark Ingram in the closest Heisman voting in history, but captured the Doak Walker award as the nation's best running back.
Toby Gerhart. Photo by David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics.
Richard Sherman (2006-10)
Richard Sherman grew up in Compton, a place where few Stanford students come from. Sherman set a goal of attending Stanford, and encountered many who doubted it could happen. But that was fine with Sherman, who always used perceived disrespect as fuel.
Sherman arrived as a wide receiver and made a crucial 4th-and-20 catch that kept Stanford's winning drive alive in the 24-23 upset over No. 2 USC in 2007.
After redshirting the 2008 season because of an injury, Sherman returned to the position he truly enjoyed the most -- cornerback. In the next two seasons, he made 112 tackles and had six interceptions – including a pick six against USC in 2009 – and was vital to the 2010 team that went 12-1 and routed Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl.
Sherman, who has continued to be an advocate for and close friend of Stanford football, has had a stellar pro career. He won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, where he was a three-time first-team All-Pro, and now is leading a resurgence with the San Francisco 49ers.
Richard Sherman returns an interception for a TD against USC in 2009. Photo by David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics.
Trent Edwards (2003-06)
Trent Edwards was one of the most skilled quarterbacks Stanford ever produced, starting during most of his four seasons. His problem was timing. Edwards came to Stanford during a poor stretch for the program and was badly beaten up.
However, Edwards always was a team-first player, never complaining about the difficulties he faced. His legacy is cloudy because the Cardinal went 14-31 during his career, but Edwards ranks 10th in career passing yards, with 5,443, and was well-respected for his ability and demeanor. He later played five seasons in the NFL, starting 32 games for the Buffalo Bills.
Edwards was a local product out of Los Gatos High where he was influenced by his freshman quarterbacks coach, Charlie Wedemeyer. Debilitated by ALS, Wedemeyer coached the Los Gatos varsity to a section championship while in a golf cart and without the ability to speak – he mouthed play calls to his wife Lucy, who vocalized them to an assistant coach, who relayed them to the quarterback.
At the time he coached Edwards, Wedemeyer was strapped into a wheelchair and only could communicate through the movement of his eyes, and his coaching instructions were relayed by an interpreter.
Edwards learned much from Wedemeyer, and the Edwards and Wedemeyer families grew close. Wedemeyer was so beloved in the community that his memorial service, in 2010, was held at the San Jose arena now known as SAP Center and Edwards gave the eulogy.
Trent Edwards vs. San Jose State in 2006. Photo by David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics.
Best Teams:
2001 (9-3)
Tyrone Willingham's final year was his best, in terms of season-ending rankings. The Cardinal reached as high as No. 10 after a 38-28 victory over No. 4 UCLA. After falling to Georgia Tech in the Seattle Bowl, Stanford settled in at No. 16 and a 9-3 record.
A week after an epic 49-42 comeback victory at No. 5 Oregon, Stanford beat another top-10 team, UCLA. In a tight game, Stanford led the Bruins 31-28 until Kerry Carter scored on a short run with two minutes left for the final margin.
Though Stanford lost at No. 11 Washington, 42-28, the week after beating UCLA, it was an earlier 45-39 loss to visiting Washington State that kept Stanford from a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl appearance.
Casey Moore helped Stanford to a seventh consecutive Big Game victory. Photo by David Madison.
2009 (8-5)
This was the Year of Toby. But it also was the beginning for Andrew Luck. Coming off a redshirt season as a freshman, Luck earned the starting job over incumbent Tavita Pritchard in 2009. The combination of Luck and Gerhart was something to behold, as the two complemented each other perfectly.
Gerhart unleashed rushing performances of 200 yards against Washington, 205 against Notre Dame, and a then-school record 223 in a 51-42 victory over Oregon. Meanwhile, Luck passed for 423 against Arizona and displayed a command and presence at the position not seen at Stanford for some time.
A broken finger prevented Luck from playing in the Sun Bowl, and Stanford lost to Oklahoma, 31-27. But it was Stanford's first postseason appearance in eight years and the program was on its way back.
Offensive guard David DeCastro and the Tunnel Workers Union paved the way for Toby Gerhart's success. Photo by David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics.
2000 (5-6)
A season after reaching the Rose Bowl, Stanford earned significant victories over No. 5 Texas, 27-24, and against visiting USC, 32-30. The season concluded with a 36-30 overtime victory over Cal in the Big Game in Berkeley.
On second down in the Big Game's first overtime period, Stanford quarterback Randy Fasani faked a handoff to fullback Casey Moore and dropped back to pass. Moore charged the through the line, found himself uncovered and caught Fasani's pass in stride. He scored the winning touchdown untouched.
Stanford coach Tyrone Willingham never lost to Cal, going a combined 10-0 in Big Games -- 7-0 as a head coach (from 1995-2001) and 3-0 as an assistant (1989-91).
Center Mike Holman and the Stanford line prepares for battle in the 2000 Big Game. Photo by David Gonzales.
Key Moments:
What's Your Deal? (Nov. 14, 2009):
Stanford had become a punching bag for USC during a lean era for the Cardinal and strong one for the Trojans. Stanford's 2007 mega-upset made the rivalry interesting again, but the rivalry was truly rekindled in 2009 when Stanford routed No. 11 and seven-time defending conference champion Trojans at the L.A. Coliseum, 55-21.
Toby Gerhart had 29 carries for 178 yards and scored three touchdowns, and Richard Sherman scored on a 42-yard interception return that gave Stanford a 41-21 lead and ended USC's hopes.
"That game really epitomized … what Stanford football's identity was becoming," Gerhart said in Rags to Roses. "That was, by far, my favorite game in my college career."
Afterward, coaches Jim Harbaugh and USC's Pete Carroll had an uncomfortable postgame handshake exchange that led to this being known as the "What's your deal?" game.
Matthew Masifilo points the way for Stanford in the 2009 victory over USC. Photo by David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics.
Messing with Texas (Sept. 16, 2000)
The headline in the Stanford Daily read, "Don't Mess With Stanford" after the Cardinal knocked off No. 5 Texas at Stanford Stadium a week after the Cardinal lost to San Jose State and a year after losing to the Longhorns, 69-17.
Quarterback Randy Fasani injured his knee early in the game, and redshirt freshman Chris Lewis came in to engineer a comeback that culminated with a pass to DeRonnie Pitts for a 15-yard score with 1:12 left in a 27-24 victory.
In a back-and-forth game, Stanford led 20-9, only for Major Applewhite to come off the bench and lead Texas on a pair of touchdown drives for a 24-20 lead. Lewis had less than two minutes to work with, but deftly brought the Cardinal downfield. Pitts caught the ball in the flat and ran unobstructed to the 1, where he dived and was upended, but landed in the end zone for the winner.
DeRonnie Pitts begins his leap for the winning TD against Texas. Photo by David Gonzales.
Luck's debut (Sept. 5, 2009)
For a year, freshman quarterback Andrew Luck was relegated to scout teams and clipboards, though it was obvious to all that his skills were unmatched. The anticipation of Luck's debut grew throughout his redshirt year, if only in watching how he zipped spirals to his receivers in warmups.
In the 2009 season opener at Washington State, Luck finally stepped on to the field to begin a career that would take him to Stanford football's Mt. Rushmore. Luck completed 11 of 23 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown, a 63-yarder to Chris Owusu, in a 39-13 victory – Stanford's biggest road win over a conference opponent in 18 years.
Andrew Luck had the look of a veteran during his first year as a starter, in 2009.