[hardball01]

So Hardball, does that mean in 1H Oregon went:

1st down (after 2 running plays);
1st down (after 2 running plays);
1st down (after 2 running plays);
1st down (after 2 running plays);
9 yards (after 2 running plays) and then stoned on 3rd an 4th down;
1st down (1 running play);
1st down (2 running plays).

Or did penalties muck up that seemingly effective approach?

It also looks like Oregon got a 1st down yardage on 3 running to start 2H, though as I posted earlier, the D played great in 2H (with 66 and 34 back).

Yeah, penalties messed Oregon up and the absence of chunk plays kept them out of the end zone which might be the defensive strategy Stanford employed: allow the offense to make mistakes and keep everything in front of you. This seems to be what Stanford has done over the past ten years with the predominantly passing teams across the conference, it can be annoying as a fan but it seems like Stanford coaches would rather give up 40 yards and a punt on 9 plays than 40 yards and a punt on 4 plays because it bleeds the clock and avoiding the 30 yard play in the second example limits the probability of the 70 yard touchdown. Maybe.

[hardball01]

So Hardball, does that mean in 1H Oregon went:

1st down (after 2 running plays);
1st down (after 2 running plays);
1st down (after 2 running plays);
1st down (after 2 running plays);
9 yards (after 2 running plays) and then stoned on 3rd an 4th down;
1st down (1 running play);
1st down (2 running plays).

Or did penalties muck up that seemingly effective approach?

It also looks like Oregon got a 1st down yardage on 3 running to start 2H, though as I posted earlier, the D played great in 2H (with 66 and 34 back).

Yeah, penalties messed Oregon up and the absence of chunk plays kept them out of the end zone which might be the defensive strategy Stanford employed: allow the offense to make mistakes and keep everything in front of you. This seems to be what Stanford has done over the past ten years with the predominantly passing teams across the conference, it can be annoying as a fan but it seems like Stanford coaches would rather give up 40 yards and a punt on 9 plays than 40 yards and a punt on 4 plays because it bleeds the clock and avoiding the 30 yard play in the second example limits the probability of the 70 yard touchdown. Maybe.