Daschbach revels in Stanford’s epic comeback victory

After viewing the game on television at his family’s home in Atherton, he returned to his new dorm room at Stanford and awaited the arrival for four of his roommates after their flight home from Oregon.

It took until 1 a.m. for Costello — who threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner — to walk through the door with three other Cardinal football players: defensive back Andrew Pryts, and tight ends Kaden Smith and Scooter Harrington. A two-hour rap session ensued.

“[Costello] was fired up to say the least,” Daschbach said. “I think he was pretty tired too. The first thing he did was fall right onto the coach and we just hung out and talked some shop.”

Daschbach — a 2016 graduate of Sacred Heart Prep — finished his sophomore season for Stanford baseball in the spring, hitting .287 while ranking fifth in the Pac-12 with 17 home runs and tied for third with 63 RBIs. He went on to play in the Cape Cod League during the summer, earning All-Star honors while representing his Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the CCL’s midseason classic played at Fenway Park.

Through his sophomore year, he roomed with a group of fellow baseball players. Daschbach decided to mix things up this year, instead rooming with four football players and wrestler Matt Mills in an on-campus apartment within walking distance of the Stanford Golf Course.

Daschbach enjoyed a busy Saturday himself, shooting a round of father vs. son golf with three of his Stanford baseball teammates, their fathers, and his father Mark. After golf, the football party ensued at the Daschbach’s family residence, where it turned into a grueling epicenter of fandom as the Cardinal rebounded from a 24-7 third-quarter deficit.

“I didn’t think I’d be in such an intense environment for a game I hadn’t been taking part in,” Daschbach said. “It makes me a little more nervous knowing the guys. But I know those guys — they’re calm, cool and collected — so I wasn’t surprised they pulled through.”

The turning point for the Cardinal came in the third quarter when Oregon had a touchdown overturned that would have pushed the Ducks’ lead to 30-7, and Stanford linebacker Joey Alfieri scooped up a fumble that he ran back 80 yards for a touchdown.

“This game was pretty awesome,” Costello said to the Associated Press. “It was one of the coolest games I’ve been a part of in terms of highs and lows, and really just staying steady throughout the entire night.”

In the final minutes of regulation, Stanford cut the deficit to 3 with Costello’s 15-yard TD pass to JJ Arcega-Whiteside to narrow it before Sean Barton recovered CJ Verdell’s fumble on the Stanford 40 with 51 seconds left.

“It’s tough to see anything like that,” Daschbach said of Verdell’s fumble, a product of the freshman running back fighting for every inch as he neared a first down that would have put the game away. Verdell had already crossed the first-down threshold when he lost the handle on the ball, but he couldn’t have been sure of that in the moment.

“Being an athlete and being in a situation like that, you can definitely feel for someone like that,” Daschbach said. “But it was a good play for Stanford, so I was still really happy about that.”

Stanford kicker Jet Toner hit a 32-yard field to tie it and send the game into overtime. Then in OT, Costello hit tight end Colby Parkinson for a 23-yard scoring pass to give the Cardinal the lead. The Stanford defense did the rest, with a flurry of lead-saving stops by the secondary in the end zone.

“To see them come through and do what they did was special,” Daschbach said. “And getting to hang out with them later on that night was really special.”