GLENDALE, Ariz. — Andrew Luck’s Stanford career couldn’t and wouldn’t end without an exclamation point, high drama and one last lightning strike of brilliance.
One last epic moment, to finish off an epic three-year era that will last forever in record books and memories.
But it did not end with a victory; it ended with Luck trudging off the field for the last time in a Cardinal uniform in defeat after kicker Jordan Williamson missed two crucial field-goal tries.
So, yes, the last moment arrived. And yes, Luck was ready. Luck was incandescent.
He was better than he has ever been, and he has always been incredible.
And Luck carried Stanford one last time — this one against Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl on Monday — completing 27 of his 31 attempts for 347 yards, concluding a remarkable collegiate career with a performance for the ages.
It was not, however, enough. It should’ve been, but it wasn’t.
“I play football to win,” Luck said after the game. “Sure, I’ll watch the film and see what I could do better, to see what I did well, but we lost.”
Maybe that was symbolic of some of Luck’s career, too: He did everything, and in the end, it wasn’t quite enough.
He didn’t win a Heisman. He didn’t win a conference title. He didn’t win a national title. None of it was his fault, especially Monday, but this is part of the record book, too.
Was it worth Luck bypassing the NFL last year and coming back this season?
“Yes, it was worth it,” Luck said. “Not to say I enjoyed every moment, because I didn’t, but it was worth every moment.”
After Luck led the Cardinal downfield for what would’ve been a game-winning field goal, Williamson missed a 35-yard attempt as time expired in regulation.
So into overtime — tied 38-all — the game went.
After Williamson missed another field-goal try in overtime, Oklahoma State won it, 41-38, with a short field goal.
But in many ways, this game won’t be remembered as the game Stanford lost, or the game in which the Cardinal couldn’t tackle Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon.
It will be remembered as the game that Luck kept trying to win, over and over again, and deserved to win, over and over again.
“I will completely go over the top and say he’s a Hall of Fame college football player that come around every 20 years or so,” coach David Shaw said of Luck.
“He hates to hear that, but it’s the doggone truth.”
What was Luck’s signature play on this night?
Maybe it was his perfect pass to Griff Whalen on third-and-14 for a huge 20-yard gain to set up a go-ahead Stanford touchdown in the late going.
Maybe, a series later after the Cowboys tied it again, it was his screen pass to Jeremy Stewart — let go just as three Oklahoma State rushers blasted Luck backward.
Maybe it was the cumulative flurry — Luck completed 20 of 21 passes from midway through the second quarter to the start of overtime, when Stanford needed him most.
Maybe it was just the presumptive No. 1 overall pick of this year’s NFL Draft looking like the best NFL prospect in decades, for every second of this game.
In five consecutive drives — from the middle of the second quarter until late in the fourth, with Oklahoma State’s offense exerting maximum pressure — Luck’s offense produced these results, in order:
Touchdown, touchdown, field goal, touchdown — and the missed field goal.
It was his game, until he turned it over to the kicker, and then it was out of Luck’s hands, and that was the only time.
In fact, by his body language and actions, it seemed clear that Luck wanted singular ownership of this game. It seemed like he demanded it.
Midway through the second quarter, after a failed Stanford possession, Luck immediately went to Shaw, and the two engaged in a long and fairly intense conversation.
Luck did most of the talking and gesturing, Shaw did a lot of nodding his head.
The result: On Stanford’s ensuing possession, the Cardinal immediately went with four wideouts and into the no-huddle offense (when Luck calls the plays).
The first play was a 25-yard pass to Ty Montgomery, the third an incredible 31-yard pump-and-go down the sideline to Whalen, and five plays after that, Stepfan Taylor rumbled in from four yards out to give Stanford back the lead, 21-14.
It was symbolic of who Luck is and what he had accomplished, and what Stanford could not achieve, even with a Hall of Famer in its midst.
It was brilliant, but it was not enough. Everything about Luck will be remembered, for the victories as much as the agonizing defeats.
Luck achieved so much. He was deserving of so much. And so much more was possible.
Read Tim Kawakami’s Talking Points blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami. Contact him at tkawakami@mercurynews.com or 408-920-5442.
