This past Saturday Stanford was finally able to get in the win column against an FBS program, and it happened to be against one of their biggest rivals.
The Cardinal were able to fend off Notre Dame who was on a three game winning streak, winning 16-14. In weeks prior, the Irish were looking like one of the hottest teams in the country, and were even favored by as many as 17 points. Stanford's win was a team effort, but two players really stood out and were named Pac-12 Player of the Week for their respective unit.
Joshua Karty, K, Special Teams POTW
There haven't been many signs of consistency for Stanford this season except for their kicker Joshua Karty. He has been a pillar of stability, and is the team's most reliable weapon. He had a great day on Saturday going 3-for-3 (43-43-45) in a two-point win at Notre Dame, which of course he was able to make what would be the eventual game winner. This is the second time this season Karty has won this award, and he also became the first Stanford player to win this award multiple times in the same season since KR Chris Owusu in 2009, and is the first Stanford place kicker to do it since Mike Biselli in 1999.
Johnathan McGill, S, Defensive POTW
Similar to Karty, Johnathan McGill has been one of the most consistent players on the team. He made nothing but huge plays in the win over Notre Dame, as he was flying all over the field. He recorded four tackles (one for loss), a fumble recovery, and most importantly the game-sealing pass breakup. This McGill's first time winning this award, and the first Cardinal to be named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week since Kyu Blu Kelly in Week 2 of 2021.
More must-reads: