Oregon Football: 3 takeaways from road rout of Stanford in Week 4

3. The Oregon defense stood tall against Stanford on the Farm

Oregon has always been better known for their offense than their defense, but they have evolved into one of the best shutdown units in the country this season. Through their first three games, the Ducks allowed just 12 points and 272 yards per game, putting them squarely among the top 25 units in the FBS.

They held close to those averages on Saturday in California, as the Ducks held Stanford to just 234 total yards of offense. K.J. Costello finished the day with only 120 passing yards, competing 16 of his 30 attempts and throwing one costly interception along the way. Costello was sacked several times, hit a couple more right as he released the ball, and was hurried throughout the contest.

The Cardinal continued to struggle on the ground as well, as Oregon’s front seven held the home side to 114 rushing yards. Getting pressure in the backfield all throughout the game, the Ducks disrupted any chance that Stanford might have had of coming back in what proved to be a relatively low-scoring affair. Cameron Scarlett managed to put up 97 yards, and three other backs chipped in 40 yards, but sacks scaled back some of the final net.

Ultimately Oregon needs to be able to lean on their defense if they are going to reclaim the Pac-12 crown this season, and the Stanford game went a long way toward building the necessary confidence to continue playing big against the upcoming challenges on their schedule