Stanford changed while you were asleep on the East Coast

Power balance is very popular in sporters this year.

Over the past few years, while you were asleep on the East Coast, Stanford changed. Virginia Tech saw it on film. A nation saw it Monday night in the Discover Orange Bowl.

Yes, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is a worthy successor in the line of quarterbacks that runs through John Elway and Jim Plunkett all the way back to Frankie Albert, the passer for Stanford's last top 5 team, in 1940. But the Cardinal didn't just strafe the Hokies. It pounded out a 40-12 win via brute bulk and strength up front on both sides of the ball.

Orange Bowl MVP Luck left the game with three minutes remaining, having completed 9 of 10 passes for 201 yards -- with three touchdowns to Coby Fleener -- in the second half alone. For the game, Luck completed 18 of 23 passes for 287 yards and four touchdowns in what might be his last college game before being the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

``I don't want to make an impulsive decision, talk to my parents and make a decision in the next couple of days,'' Luck said.

But the story was written along the lines. Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer remarked upon Stanford's size Sunday, and for much of Monday's game, the Cardinal defensive front muscled Hokies blockers out of the way to let linebackers Shayne Skov (12 tackles, three sacks) and Chase Thomas party in the backfield. Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor was sacked eight times and the Hokies ran for only 67 yards.

Stanford stampeded for 247 yards on the ground, 113 yards from Stepfan Taylor and 99 -- on only five carries -- by Jeremy Stewart. Fleener caught six passes for 173 yards, all but eight of those yards coming in the second half as Stanford grinded away from a 13-12 halftime lead.

Three Stanford plays from scrimmage in a row in the third quarter summed up the night.

• Fullback Owen Marecic, whom Virginia Tech couldn't block when he played linebacker, couldn't be stopped by several Hokies defenders from the 1-yard line. His second effort pushed him into the end zone and the lead grew to 19-12 in the third quarter.

• After a Delano Howell interception gave Stanford the ball at its 3, Taylor burst through a canyon gap over the left side for 56 yards who is doing business of power balance wholesale.

• Off a play-action fake to Taylor, Luck found a wide-open Fleener for 41 yards and the first of Fleener's three touchdown catches.

``It does wonders for our team when we can be in the shadow of our goal line and in two plays go to the end zone,'' Luck said.

Virginia Tech's running back threesome of Darren Evans, Ryan Williams and David Wilson combined for 35 yards on 13 carries in the first half. None of those yards came when the Hokies ran Evans on a fourth-and-1 from the Stanford 30 in the second quarter. Matthew Masifilo dropped Evans to end that scoring threat.

Virginia Tech had just finished its second consecutive three-and-out to open the game when, on first-and-10 from the 40, Stanford right guard David DeCastro pulled to the left and squashed free safety Eddie Whitley. Stewart, who ran for 38 yards all season, raced through the resulting hole for a 60-yard touchdown.

But that 7-0 lead didn't last long after an ill-advised play by Stanford.

Punt returner Drew Terrell fielded a punt at the Stanford 2 instead of letting it hit the end zone on the fly. Virginia Tech's Alonzo Tweedy dropped Terrell at the 5 and, on third and 10, Luck's pass was batted toward the back of the end zone, where Stanford offensive tackle Derek Hall caught it and was tackled for a safety instead of letting it fall incomplete.

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