Oct. 2, 1999
Final Stats | Post-game Notes & Quotes
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Steven Pulley tied a school record with 15receptions, including touchdowns of 54 and 15 yards, as San Jose State overcamethe loss of tailback Deonce Whitaker to defeat Stanford 44-39 Saturday.
It was the second straight victory for San Jose State (3-2) over Stanford(3-2), which leads the Pac-10 with a 3-0 record but is winless in twonon-conference games.
Pulley, who had 255 yards in receptions, tied the Spartans' record of 15receptions by Guy Liggins in 1986 against Fresno State.
Troy Walters, who had scoring catches of 25 and 7 yards for Stanford, brokethe Pac-10 career record with 3,331 yards receiving. Walters, who had 10catches for 186 yards, surpassed the mark of 3,201 yards by SouthernCalifornia's Johnnie Morton in 1990-93 on a 35-yard reception in the secondquarter.
San Jose State turned to the air to overcome the loss of Whitaker, who hadrushed for more than 100 yards in each of the Spartans' first four games thisseason. He missed the game with a sprained right ankle.
Chris Kasteler was 24-of-43 for 368 yards for San Jose State. Joe Borchard,filling in for the second straight game for injured Todd Husak, was 19-of-37for 313 yards for Stanford.
Ron Ockimey returned a fumble 38 yards for a touchdown for San Jose State,which has won three straight after opening the season with losses at LSU andColorado, and Casey LeBlanc went 19 yards with a reverse for a score.
Patrick Battle had a 15-yard scoring run, Darian Morton had a 4-yardtouchdown run and Tim Morgan kicked a 44-yard field goal for the Spartans - whohad lost six straight to Stanford before winning the last two.
Mike Biselli kicked three field goals for Stanford, which got scoring runsof 39 yards by Brian Allen and 2 yards by Coy Wire. The Cardinal also got asafety when a punt was blocked out of the end zone.
Battle scored 2:05 into the game, completing a 65-yard game-opening drive.After Biselli kicked a 41-yard field goal, Morton scored to complete a 79-yarddrive and give the Spartans a 14-3 lead with 4 1/2 minutes left in the firstquarter.
Stanford responded with 12 straight points. Biselli kicked a 21-yard fieldgoal, Colin Branch blocked a punt out of the end zone for a safety and Wirescored to complete the ensuing drive. Morgan's field goal with 2:13 left in thesecond quarter gave San Jose State a 17-15 halftime lead.
Pulley's 15-yard scoring catch made it 24-15 midway through the thirdperiod, before Walters' 25-yard scoring catch pulled the Cardinal within twopoints again.
The Spartans increased the lead to 31-22 when Samson Sherrod sacked Borchardand forced a fumble that was picked up by Ockimey and returned for a touchdown.
Allen broke through the middle of the line to score 64 seconds later, on thelast play of the third period, to make it 31-29, and Biselli's 29-yard fieldgoal with 11:20 left in the fourth quarter gave Stanford its only lead of thesecond half.
The Spartans responded with LeBlanc's scoring run, on which he scootedaround the left side and then cut back inside to go untouched into the end zonewith 5:28 remaining.
Pulley caught the 54-yard bomb with 2:33 left to give San Jose State a 44-32lead. Stanford then marched 59 yards in 47 seconds to Walters' 7-yard scoringcatch to pull within 44-39, but an onside kick was recovered by the Spartansand they ran out the clock.
By ROB GLOSTER
AP Sports Writer