STANFORD – Quarterback Ben Gulbranson had his best game of the season Saturday, but the Stanford football team turned to its defense to help earn its first win under interim coach Frank Reich.
A huge goal-line stand by Stanford late in the third quarter quickly led to a go-ahead touchdown run by Micah Ford, helping to propel the Cardinal to a 30-20 win over Boston College in the ACC opener for both teams.
Stanford’s defense came up with a game-changing play late in the third quarter.
On 4th and goal on the Cardinal 1-yard line, Eagles running back Turbo Richard tried to leap the pile at the line of scrimmage, but had the ball knocked loose by defensive lineman Clay Patterson, with safety Jay Green recovering in the end zone.
On the ensuing play, Ford darted up the middle for a 75-yard run to the Boston College 5, then scored on the next play to give Stanford a 27-20 lead after the extra point.
For the game, the Cardinal scored 21 points off Boston College turnovers to help earn their first win of the year and open the season at home on a badly needed positive note.
Gulbranson, a transfer from Oregon State, completed 13 of 22 passes for 186 yards, and Ford had 157 yards on 17 carries.
Stanford (1-2, 1-0 ACC) also had two huge plays in the second quarter to take a 20-17 lead.
Gulbranson completed his first touchdown pass of the season late in the first half. On 3rd and three at the Cardinal 31, Gulbranson found tight end Sam Roush along the sideline at the 50-yard line, where Roush eluded a tackle and outraced Boston College cornerback Isaiah Farris to the end zone as Stanford cut Boston College’s lead to 17-13.
On the Eagles’ ensuing possession, Cardinal corner Collin Wright intercepted an off-target pass by Eagles quarterback Dylan Lonergan and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown, giving Stanford a 20-17 lead with 1:29 left in the second quarter.
Stanford moved the ball inside Boston College’s 20-yard line on its first two drives but had to settle for a pair of field goals from fifth-year senior Emmet Kenney, with the second from 35 yards that gave the Cardinal a 6-0 lead with 1:04 left in the first quarter.
Boston College’s offense started to find a rhythm in the second quarter. Trailing 6-3, Lonergan eluded a blitz and connected with Richard for a 49-yard touchdown with 10:43 left in the first half.
On the next possession for Boston College (1-2, 0-1), Lonergan found Reed Harris for a 46-yard gain to the Stanford 2, with running back Jordan McDonald scoring on the next play.
Gulbranson, before Saturday, had an uneven start to his Cardinal career, completing 32 of 62 passes for 251 yards, three interceptions, and no touchdowns.
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Lonergan, meanwhile, had completed 60 of 79 passes for 658 yards and eight touchdowns before Saturday, with the second-quarter interception he threw being his first of the season.
Through two games, the Cardinal’s longest play from scrimmage this season was a 36-yard pass from Gulbranson to Chico Holt in the third quarter of their season opener against Hawaii.
Starting left guard Nick Fattig left the game with a leg injury in the second quarter, further decimating an already thin Stanford offensive line. Already out with injuries for the Cardinal were guards Nathan Mejia and Simione Pale. Redshirt freshman Ziron Brown, playing just his fourth game, replaced Fattig, a transfer from Texas Tech.
