Pac-12 football roundup: Justin Herbert’s 3 TD passes lead No. 16 Oregon past Stanford 21-6

Justin Herbert threw two of his three touchdown passes to Jacob Breeland and No. 16 Oregon won its Pac-12 opener for the first time since 2014 by beating Stanford 21-6 on Saturday in Stanford, California.

The Ducks (3-1, 1-0 Pac-12) used an efficient day from Herbert and another smothering defensive performance to end a three-game losing streak to the Cardinal (1-3, 0-2). Oregon had lost 15 of its past 20 games away from Autzen Stadium.

“That’s something we really talked about,” Herbert said. “We kind of struggled on the road the past couple of years. This was a great opportunity for us to make our mark.”

Herbert finished 19 for 24 for 259 yards. He connected with Jaylon Redd and Breeland on scoring strikes in the first half and put the game away with a 24-yard pass to Breeland that made it 21-3 five plays after K.J. Costello was intercepted by Jevon Holland.

Oregon has gone three straight games without allowing a touchdown, but doing it against Stanford was far more impressive than against Nevada and Montana.

“We weren’t going to allow them to come in and bully us,” cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. said. “Each game we want to come in and dominate a team in every way possible.”

Costello completed 16 of 30 passes for 120 yards with an interception. Stanford has lost three games in a row for the first time since 2008.

(23) Cal 28, Ole Miss 20: Chase Garbers threw for four touchdowns, but the Golden Bears (4-0) needed a game-saving tackle at the 1-yard line from linebacker Evan Weaver on the game’s final play to defeat the Rebels (2-2) in Oxford, Mississippi.

Cal (4-0) was in control until the final six minutes, when reserve quarterback John Rhys Plumlee led Ole Miss (2-2) on a late rally to wipe out a 28-13 deficit. Plumlee was stopped by Weaver, a Gonzaga Prep grad, for no gain on fourth down at the 1-yard line as time expired.

Garbers completed 23 of 35 passes for 357 yards, including TDs of 9 and 60 yards to Jordan Duncan and Jake Tonges on the opening two possessions of the third quarter, setting up the late defensive heroics.

Colorado 34, (24) Arizona St. 31: Steven Montez threw for 337 yards and had three touchdown passes to Tony Brown, lifting the Buffaloes (3-1, 1-0) over the Sun Devils (3-1, 0-1) in Tempe, Arizona.

Arizona State won its first three games behind its defense, allowing 21 combined points.

Colorado had 24 points by halftime and racked up 477 total yards against the Sun Devils, despite playing most of the game without star receiver Laviska Shenault due to injury.