Jim harbaugh Stanford led, 13-12, at intermission, mostly riding the big plays by little-used running back Jeremy Stewart, who carried three times for 90 yards. Stewart, who carried only 13 times this season, raced 60 yards for the first score in the game, busting through the left side and finding nothing but end zone in front of him.Then Harbaugh got cold feet. Was his wife – who just gave birth – more comfortable on the West Coast? Did Harbaugh have misgivings about his pro-style offense working with spread weapons in Ann Arbor Did he really want to sign a lucrative contract – that would be a matter of public record – to be one of the highest paid coaches in the country while living in one of the most distressed states in the countryMaybe the idea of coaching at the highest level, against his brother, was more attractive than something that might have been a rebuilding job.
His score came shortly after Stanford's first real gamble failed midway through the first period. The Cardinals faked a punt but faked nobody, losing a yard on a fourth-and-three. The Hokies, though, did nothing but punt the ball right back after three plays went nowhere.Stanford, the school that prides itself on having true student-athletes, didn't look so smart late in the first period with back-to-back mental blunders.
Kick returner Drew Terrell fielded a Virginia Tech punt on the two yard line a cardinal sin in the punt-return business -- and was tackled at the five. It led directly to a desperate pass from the end zone that was batted back by Tech's Antoine Hopkins, into the waiting arms of offensive lineman Derek Hall who caught the ball instead of batting it down and fell down in the end zone for a safety, giving Tech its first two points.Stanford took a 14-9 lead midway in the second quarter on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Luck to wide receiver Zach Ertz. Tech had taken a 9-7 lead earlier in the period on a 11-yard TD pass from Tyrod Taylor to running back David Wilson, who was forced to miss the first period after a curfew violation.
