By the time the 16th-ranked Ducks take the field in Palo Alto this coming Saturday vs. the Stanford Cardinal, 364 days will have passed since Oregon suffered one of its most infamous and inexplicable losses in program history. In case you somehow need a refresher, the game was last year’s 38-31 overtime defeat to what was then a top 10 ranked Stanford team; a game that was trending towards becoming the first signature win for head coach Mario Cristobal and quarterback Justin Herbert, not to mention emphatically announce the return of Oregon football in front of a nationally televised audience.

The final outcome, however, couldn’t have been more diametrically opposite.

This time around, the Ducks hope to wake up on Day 365 feeling much different than they did when they went to bed on Day 0. The growth this team has undergone since that unforgettable day certainly leads one to think that they can. Whether they will, though, remains to be seen.

As the Ducks prepare for a week focused on vindication and the goal of starting conference play with a statement-making win, WFOD takes a deeper look at the object of Oregon’s revenge this Saturday.

Stanford Cardinal

2019 record: 1-2 overall, 0-1 in Pac-12
Last game: 27-45 loss at no. 17 UCF
Ranking: N/A
All-time record vs. Oregon: 49-32-1
When and where to watch: Saturday, Sept. 21 at 4:05 p.m. (Pacific), ESPN

Items of note:

• Oregon has outscored its opponents 70-12 in the first half through the first three weeks.
• The Ducks are also one of seven FBS teams (Arizona State, Clemson, Iowa State, TCU, Temple, Wisconsin) that haven’t allowed a first half touchdown this season.
• Opponents are completing just 51.5 percent (53-of-103) of their passes against the Ducks’ defense, good for 11th lowest in the nation.
• Under head coach David Shaw, Stanford is 20-7 coming off a loss and 5-0 coming off back-to-back losses.
• Stanford has won three straight in the series, including last season’s improbable come-from behind road victory in Eugene.

Five Stanford names you should know:

5. Casey Toohill (LB)

This season, the Cardinal may not quite be what they were on defense in previous seasons, but you’d be mistaken to assume that the unit is completely devoid of playmakers. After serving as mostly a key reserve for Stanford at linebacker the past three seasons, Casey Toohill enters his final season with the Cardinal as one of its most integral players on the defensive side of the ball. As a junior last season, Toohill notched a career-high 29 total tackles in seven games. Through three games this season, Toohill has nearly eclipsed that previous career-high, having tallied 20 tackles to lead all Cardinal defenders. Toohill also leads the Cardinal in both tackles for loss (4.0) and sacks (2.0) to go along with one forced fumble, making him a player to watch Saturday afternoon.

4. Connor Wedington (WR)

Stanford hasn’t always been known for churning out dynamic offensive playmakers, but ever since the days of Christian McCaffrey and continuing most recently with Bryce Love, that narrative is beginning to change. It may be a overzealous to anoint Connor Wedington as the “next” Stanford player in that illustrious line, but it doesn’t take long to realize that Wedington is a player with game-changing talent who is just now getting his opportunity to showcase his full repertoire of skills. Through three games, Wedington leads the Cardinal with 328 all-purpose yards (162 receiving, 149 kick return, 17 rush), including a career-best 187 all-purpose yards (plus one touchdown) two weeks ago at USC. With the ability to strike from anywhere on the field, the Ducks will need to know where no. 5 in cardinal is at all times come Saturday. 

3. K.J. Costello (QB)

Much of last year’s game between the Ducks and Cardinal was overshadowed by wild turns of chance, but the player who proved to be the one steadying influence for Stanford in their miraculous come-from behind victory in Eugene last season was quarterback K.J. Costello. In fact, from a passer rating perspective (216.81), that game stands as the finest performance of Costello’s collegiate career as a starting quarterback. Indeed, Costello shredded the Oregon secondary inside Autzen last season, completing 19-of-26 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns en route to the stunning Cardinal victory. This year, however, Costello enters the game vs. Oregon physically hobbled and licking some emotional wounds after a rough outing in Stanford’s blowout loss to UCF last Saturday. With a banged up offensive line set to protect him Saturday, Costello will be up against it once again with a fierce and opportunistic Oregon defense headed to town. Yet, even with that, don’t expect to get anything less than Costello’s best if you’re a fan of the green and yellow.

2. Colby Parkinson (TE)

The bane of Oregon’s existence over the years in their budding rivalry with Stanford hasn’t necessarily been stellar quarterback play from the likes of Andrew Luck, Kevin Hogan, or K.J. Costello. It’s instead been the out-of-this-world performances from big bodied pass catchers like Teyo Johnson, Zach Ertz, and JJ Arcega-Whiteside that have absolutely devastated and demoralized generations of Duck fans. And if you thought the Ducks might get off easy this year with Arcega-Whiteside and tight end Kaden Smith off to the NFL, buddy, you thought wrong. That’s because 6-foot-7, 251-pound junior tight end Colby Parkinson is back in an attempt to make all your nightmares come true. Though he may not have been the most prolific pass catcher for the Cardinal vs. the Ducks last season (three catches for 50 yards), he certainly provided one of the game’s most memorable plays, as his 23-yard touchdown catch – which saw Parkinson son Ducks cornerback Deommodore Lenoir by reaching over him and tipping the ball back to himself – ultimately proved to be the game-winning touchdown in overtime. Parkinson once again figures to be a primary target for Costello in the passing game, as he comes into the weekend as Stanford’s leader in both receptions (17) and receiving yards (178).

1. Paulson Adebo (CB)

Another unsung hero in last year’s win over the Ducks was then-freshman cornerback Paulson Adebo, whose four pass break ups helped catapult the Mansfield, Texas native into the national college football conscious. Adebo would go on to finish the year as the national leader in passes defended (24), while also locking up All-Pac-12 first team and FWAA All-America second team honors. This year, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound corner entered his sophomore campaign on a who’s who of preseason All-American teams and watch lists for national awards, and has done nothing except validate the hype. Through three games, Adebo is already tied for fourth nationally in passes defended (6) and even has an interception to boot. He’ll likely draw a regular one-on-one matchup with Oregon’s top receiving target Johnny Johnson, who will have his hands full finding separation from the ever-present Adebo.