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 "Tonight was the first time we played like us, where it felt like
us," Shaw said.
The Cardinal (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12) could have made it a blowout if they
had not wasted several scoring opportunities. But they moved the
ball consistently and slowed the Cougars' vaunted passing game.
Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday, who set an FBS record
with 734 passing yards a week ago against Cal and entered Friday's
game leading the nation in passing yards per game, attempted 69
passes, completing 42 of them for 292 yards, well below his average
of 508.7 yards per game.
"We really don't consider our defense the same as defenses he's been
torching," said Stanford defensive tackle David Parry, who had a
sacks and five quarterback hurries.
Halliday threw two touchdown passes and one interception as
Washington State dropped to 2-5 overall, 1-3 in the Pac-12.
 Halliday seldom had time to throw deep ball, as Stanford sacked him
four times and hurried him eight other times.
"That's just a really good defensive front," Halliday said. "It was
nothing our offensive line did wrong. It limits what we can do. They
kind of dictated the way it was going to be played." Stanford free safety Zach Hoffpauir had 15 tackles, the most in a
game by a Cardinal player this season.
"We played really, really smart defensively," Shaw said, "and
getting pressure up front with (only) four linemen helps."
Halliday seldom had time to throw deep ball, as Stanford, which led
the nation in scoring defense heading into this weekend, sacked him
four times and hurried him eight other times.
"That's just a really good defensive front," Halliday said. "It was
nothing our offensive line did wrong. It limits what we can do. They
kind of dictated the way it was going to be played."
Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan was 23-for-35 for 284 yards, with
three touchdowns and no interceptions. Running back Remound Wright
had 98 rushing yards and a touchdown as Stanford finally got its
running game going, rushing for 193 yards.
Stanford outgained the Cougars 477-266, and Washington State had
minus-26 yards on the ground. But Stanford wasted several scoring
chances.
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Wide receiver Devon Cajuste dropped what would have been a touchdown
pass on Stanford's first possession, when it settled for a field
goal. In the second quarter, Cardinal running back Patrick Skov
fumbled the ball away at the Washington State 1-yard line. On its
next possession, Stanford was hit with holding penalties on
consecutive plays before kicker Jordan Williamson missed a 37-yard
field-goal attempt on the final play of the first half. Early in the
third quarter, a 35-yard touchdown pass to Cardinal wide receiver Ty
Montgomery was negated by an illegal-shift penalty.
Nonetheless, Stanford led 17-7 at that point, but a 46-yard field
goal by Washington State's Quentin Breshears reduced the margin to
17-10 midway through the third quarter.
Stanford increased the lead to 24-10 on Hogan's 4-yard touchdown
pass to tight end Greg Toboada. But a 3-yard scoring pass from
Halliday to wide receiver River Cracraft early in the fourth quarter
made it a 24-17 game.
A 34-yard Williamson field goal gave Stanford a 27-17 lead at the
8:13 mark of the fourth quarter, and the Cardinal added a touchdown
with 1:38 left on Wright's 6-yard scoring run.
"We're on the brink of doing a lot of good things, no doubt about
it," Cougars coach Mike Leach said. "We've got to play a whole game.
It was going to be physical and nasty, and Stanford had the luxury
of playing a lot of players."
Montgomery had seven catches for 72 yards and a 49-yard punt return
that set up Stanford's second touchdown.
Cracraft had 15 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.
NOTES: Washington State CB Charleston White was helped off the field
early in the third quarter after he and a teammate had a
helmet-to-helmet collision. But coach Mike Leach said he was OK....
Stanford WR Devon Cajuste stumbled off the field in the fourth
quarter after being knocked woozy. ... Stanford LB James Vaughters
left the game with an upper-body injury. Coach David Shaw said both
players will be evaluated over the weekend. ... Stanford wore
all-black uniforms for the fifth time in history, and it won all
four of the previous games.
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