Stanford football stars of the game from the win over Cal Poly

Dylan Grausz | Sep 10, 2024

Sep 7, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Cal Poly Mustangs running back Kendric Sanders (34) is tackled by Stanford Cardinal linebacker Tristan Sinclair (8) during the second half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The Stanford Cardinal picked up their first win of the 2024 season, beating the Cal Poly Mustangs 41-7, also marking the first time since the 2022 season that the Cardinal have won a game at home. With the win, the Cardinal now get to go into a bye week with a wave of momentum as they rest, recover and regroup ahead of their first-ever ACC game. Now that week two is behind us, here are the five stars of the game for Stanford from the win over Cal Poly.

QB Ashton Daniels 

This week, Daniels put together about as good of a game as you could have asked from your starting quarterback, completing 19 out of his 23 pass attempts (83%) for 221 yards and a pair of touchdowns, throwing touchdown passes to Mudia Reuben and Sam Roush. He also carried the ball nine times for 31 yards. 

QB Elijah Brown

First of many on The Farm for @ElijahBrown_29‼️

📺 ACCNX#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/fSAh97xnDD

— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) September 8, 2024

Brown saw limited action, only playing in the fourth quarter after Stanford was up 31-7 but in the little time that he got, Brown dazzled the entire time. He completed all seven of his pass attempts while throwing for 97 yards, orchestrating a touchdown drive in his very first possession in the game, finding Ismael Cisse open and connecting with him for a 12-yard score. A true freshman, Brown still has plenty of time to continue growing, making it interesting to see what else he can do down the line.

WR Ismael Cisse 

As a true freshman last year, Cisse did not catch a single pass, only being targeted once in two games played. However, things have been much different for him on The Farm this season. Through the first two games, he has started to become a big part of the offense, leading the way in receiving this week when he caught all eight of his targets for 79 yards, including catching Brown’s touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. He also played a role in the run game as well, carrying the ball two times for 12 yards. 

CB Collin Wright 

"Mine." - @CollinDWright1

📺 ACCNX#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/2vvwaBBTXZ

— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) September 8, 2024

An aspiring pro, Wright is making the case to generate some looks from NFL scouts, putting together a massive game against Cal Poly where he picked off a pass to record his first interception of the season, matching his total from last year. He also made two tackles, both of which were solo tackles. One of the leaders of the team this year, Wright continues to play well and prove how valuable he is to the defense.

LB Tristan Sinclair

Now in his sixth season with the Cardinal, Sinclair’s experience during the transition into the Troy Taylor era has been vital, with his leadership being welcomed back to a defense ready to be a major force. Against Cal Poly, Sinclair was flying to the ball all game long, finishing tied with Mitch Leigber and Gaethan Bernadel for most tackles in the game with six. He also had two QB hits and 1.5 tackles for loss, using his athleticism and physicality to get through the line and cause havoc. Through two games, he has 11 total tackles, three tackles for a loss and a sack.