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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- With a little help from UCLA, Stanford is
back in control of the Pac-10 race, just one victory away from its
first Rose Bowl trip in 28 years.
Todd Husak threw four touchdown passes as the Cardinal beat
Arizona State 50-30 on Saturday.
With Washington's overtime loss at UCLA, Stanford (6-1, 6-3)
took sole possession of first place in the Pac-10. The Cardinal can
earn their first Rose Bowl berth since the 1971 season with a
victory over arch-rival California next Saturday.
"You can't ask for anything else," said Troy Walters, who
caught seven passes for 127 yards, including a 27-yarder for
Stanford's final touchdown. "The Big Game will truly be bigger
this week because the Rose is on the line."
Husak said his team, which hadn't played since its loss to
Washington two weeks earlier, was ready to play regardless of what
happened in the UCLA-Washington game.
"Hearing the news did pump us up a little." he said, "but we didn't hear it until we were up 21-3."
Husak was 20-of-35 for 311 yards and passed the 6,000-yard mark
for his career and moved up to No. 5 on Stanford's career passing
list. His touchdown passes went to four receivers and all of his
passing yardage came in the first three quarters.
"Our offense came out from the get-go," Husak said. "We had
the momentum going from the start. When we click like that, we're
tough to beat."
Stanford's Dave Davis caught a 58-yard touchdown pass, returned
a kickoff 60 yards to set up a field goal and blocked an Arizona
State field goal try, all in the first half.
Arizona State (4-3, 5-5) could have forced a four-way tie for
the Pac-10 lead with a victory, but the Sun Devils were undone by
five turnovers.
"I want to give Stanford credit, but we played lousy," Arizona
State coach Bruce Snyder said. "Our offense didn't do a good job.
Our special teams didn't do a good job, and our defense didn't make
enough plays. I mean, other than that, how was the play, Mrs.
Lincoln?"
The Sun Devils' Ryan Kealy was 24-of-46 for 324 yards and two
touchdowns. He also ran for a score.
The Cardinal's defense, dead last statistically among all NCAA
Division I schools, scored one touchdown on tackle Willie Howard's
22-yard fumble return and set up another with nose tackle Andrew
Currie's interception.
"We knew coming in that we needed a complete game," Stanford
coach Tyrone Willingham said. "We knew our offense and our defense
and our special teams had to make big plays. Everybody stepped
up."
Arizona State fell behind 23-3 in the second quarter, then
rallied behind Davaren Hightower's 78-yard punt return with 1:27
left in the half to cut the lead to 26-17.
Stanford scored two touchdowns in a 54-second span in the third
quarter to take a 40-17 lead. The Cardinal went 69 yards in nine
plays on their first possession of the second half. Husak's 19-yard
pass to Walters set up Casey Moore's 1-yard scoring run.
On Arizona State's next possession, Kealy threw to Kendrick
Bates, who fumbled. Howard scooped the ball up and ran it in for
the touchdown to make it 40-17 with 8:35 remaining in the third
quarter.
In the first quarter alone, Husak was 11-of-18 for 179 yards and
two touchdowns.
The Cardinal took the opening kickoff and went 80 yards in 15
plays. Husak threw 6 yards to DeRonnie Pitts for the touchdown.
After Stephen Baker's 31-yard field goal made it 7-3, Husak hit a
wide-open Davis on a 58-yard scoring play that made it 14-3 with
5:56 left in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Kealy was hit by Stanford's Sharcus Steen
as he passed. Currie picked it off and rambled 16 yards to the ASU
6. On the next play, Husak threw a touchdown pass to Moore and it
was 21-3 with 14:39 to play in the half.
Center Brian Jennings' snap sailed over the head of punter Nick
Murphy, who knocked the ball out of the end zone for a safety that
put the Cardinal up 23-3 13:28 before halftime.
"We had a lot at stake," Arizona State tight end Todd Heap
said, "but everything that could go wrong went wrong for us."
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Stanford Clubhouse
Arizona State Clubhouse
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