Elon University Athletics

STANFORD, Calif. – Kamerin McDowell-Moore rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards for the season, but the Elon football team fell 34-7 to Stanford on Saturday at Stanford Stadium.
 
Playing its first football game on the West Coast, the Phoenix held the Cardinal scoreless through the opening quarter before Stanford took a 14-0 halftime lead. Micah Ford led the Cardinal with 179 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
 
Elon moved to 4-4 overall, while Stanford improved to 3-4.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Elon's defense kept Stanford off the scoreboard on its opening possession, with Doug Quarles III recording a sack before the Cardinal missed a 35-yard field goal with 8:07 remaining in the first quarter. The Phoenix responded with a 10-play, 44-yard drive, fueled by McDowell-Moore's 27 rushing yards and an 11-yard reception, but Luke Barnes' 54-yard field goal attempt missed with 3:22 left in the period.
• Stanford broke the scoreless tie four seconds into the second quarter on Ford's 1-yard touchdown run, capping a nine-play, 64-yard drive. Ford added a 7-yard scoring run with 4:36 remaining before halftime, finishing a nine-play, 80-yard possession to extend the Cardinal's lead to 14-0.
• TJ Crews IV converted third downs with a 7-yard pass to McDowell-Moore and a 13-yard completion to Landyn Backey as Elon put together a 13-play, 47-yard drive late in the half. The Phoenix reached the Stanford 28 before Barnes missed a 46-yard field goal attempt with 46 seconds remaining, and the Cardinal carried a 14-0 lead into halftime.
• Elon forced punts on Stanford's first two possessions of the second half. The Cardinal then extended its lead to 21-0 on Davis Warren's 27-yard touchdown pass to Sedrick Irvin with 5:57 remaining in the third quarter, completing a four-play, 50-yard drive.
• A 33-yard punt return gave Stanford possession at the Elon 45, setting up Ford's third touchdown, a 5-yard run with 58 seconds left in the third quarter. Ford then broke an 81-yard touchdown run on Stanford's first play of the fourth quarter. The extra point missed, leaving the Cardinal ahead 34-0 with 14:30 remaining.
• McDowell-Moore put Elon on the board with an 18-yard touchdown run with 10:34 left in the fourth quarter, capping an eight-play, 84-yard drive. Crews extended the possession with a 2-yard run on fourth-and-1, and McDowell-Moore broke free for a 53-yard gain to move the Phoenix to the Stanford 20.
• Stanford's final possession ended when Irvin fumbled near the Elon goal line. Replay review resulted in a ruling that the ball went out of bounds through the end zone for a touchback, giving the Phoenix possession.

 
NOTES & STATS

• McDowell-Moore carried 21 times for 164 yards and a touchdown, averaging 7.8 yards per attempt. It was his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance – he's the first Phoenix to do so since Rushawn Baker in 2024 – and fifth of the season.
• McDowell-Moore is the first Phoenix true freshman to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Bobby Hedrick in 1977. He has 1,080 rushing yards through eight games.
• Elon finished with 272 yards of total offense, including 220 rushing yards on 34 attempts. The Phoenix averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Stanford totaled 515 yards, with 293 passing and 222 rushing.
• Crews completed eight of 27 passes for 52 yards and added 19 rushing yards. McDowell-Moore led the Phoenix with four receptions for 16 yards, while Backey had a team-high 19 receiving yards on two catches. Jamarien Dalton added two receptions for 17 yards.
• McDowell-Moore is Elon head coach Tony Trisciani's second 1,000-yard rusher, joining Jalen Hampton in 2022.
• Elon rushed for 220 yards as a team against the Cardinal. In the past two seasons, Elon has averaged 191.5 rushing yards against ACC opponents.
• Eric Jones and Tony Hart III led Elon with eight tackles apiece, while Brodie Carroll added seven. Jevean Brown finished with six tackles, including a tackle for loss.
• Quarles recorded five tackles and Elon's lone sack. The Phoenix finished with two tackles for loss.
• Elon did not commit a turnover and finished with one takeaway.
• Saturday's football game was Elon's first on the West Coast. The farthest west the Phoenix had previously traveled for a game was Abilene, Texas, when Elon faced Abilene Christian in 1973.

 
UP NEXT
Elon enters its bye week before returning to action on Oct. 31 at North Carolina A&T. Kickoff in Greensboro is at 1 p.m. ET.
 
SUPPORT THE PHOENIX
Fans can support Elon Athletics through the Phoenix Club. To purchase 2026 tickets, visit TicketMaster.com/ElonTickets.
 
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