Stanford Stuns Florida State with Backup Players in Thrilling Win

Stanford University achieved a remarkable victory on March 30, 2024, defeating the Florida State Seminoles 20-13 at Stanford Stadium. This win marks the Cardinal’s second consecutive home victory, following a narrow triumph over San Jose State. The team, now 3-0 at home for the first time since 2018, has shown resilience following a challenging start to the season.

Interim head coach Frank Reich expressed his pride in the team’s performance. “This is crazy,” he said. “Really proud of the guys. I just love the fact that we’re 3-0 at home. We’ve taken some punches and had some down moments. We’ve been money at home. We find ways to win.” Stanford’s record now stands at 3-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play.

### Backup Players Shine in Adversity

The victory was made even more impressive as the Cardinal had to rely on backup players following injuries to starting quarterback Ben Gulbranson and running back Micah Ford in the second quarter. Both players were sidelined with leg injuries and did not return. Redshirt freshmen Elijah Brown and Cole Tabb stepped up to lead the team, culminating in a significant 13-play, 94-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter.

Tabb praised Brown’s composure, stating, “(Elijah’s) always composed. You know what you’re going to get out of EB. He’s always calm, cool, collected back there, no matter what the situation is.” Brown completed 6 of 12 passes for 71 yards, managing the game effectively without making critical mistakes. Tabb had a standout performance, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, prompting Reich to commend his contributions: “Cole had a massive game… Just a trustworthy guy on your team.”

### Defensive Efforts Halt Seminoles’ Offense

Florida State entered the game with a formidable offense, ranking third nationally in yards per game and fifth in points per game. However, the Stanford defense held strong, limiting the Seminoles to just 133 rushing yards on 43 carries—less than half of Florida State’s average of 274.5 yards per game.

Despite losing top cornerback Collin Wright early in the game, the Stanford defense effectively contained Florida State’s ground game. Junior safety Jay Green highlighted their strategy: “The key to that was stopping the big plays in the run, making Tommy make plays in the air with his arm.” Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos managed a late 8-yard touchdown run, but the overall defensive effort was critical to Stanford’s success.

### A Narrow Escape to Victory

As the game approached its conclusion, Stanford appeared to have secured the win. However, Florida State mounted a final drive, starting from their own 20-yard line with just over a minute remaining and no timeouts. Freshman quarterback Kevin Sperry took over after Castellanos was injured on a controversial late hit, prompting a targeting ejection for safety Mitch Leigber.

Facing a third-and-22 situation, Sperry delivered a stunning 53-yard completion to Micahi Danzy, placing Florida State at the Stanford 9-yard line with only two seconds left. A pass interference call against Stanford set up a dramatic untimed down at the 2-yard line. Sperry’s shovel pass to Gavin Sawchuk was thwarted by linebacker Matt Rose, who stopped the play just short of the end zone, securing the win for Stanford.

### Looking Ahead

With their home victory secured, Stanford now faces the challenge of winning on the road. Reich emphasized the importance of proving their capability away from home: “We’ve talked about one step that we’ve got to prove to ourselves is that we can go on the road and play good football.” The Cardinal will travel to Miami for their next game, aiming to continue their momentum after exceeding expectations this season.

Stanford was initially projected to finish last in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) but now has a chance to improve its record as the season progresses. With three home games remaining and facing unranked opponents, the team looks to build on their recent successes and potentially move towards bowl eligibility once again.

Reich concluded with optimism about the future, noting the positive influence of former player Andrew Luck on the program. “It’s really exciting to see what Andrew is doing, how he’s leading this program, how he’s connecting with all the past players,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can do to fight, scratch and claw, put this program back where we want it to be.”