Nov. 13, 1999
By BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Stanford is one victory away from its first trip to theRose Bowl in 28 years after Todd Husak threw four touchdown passes in theCardinal's 50-30 victory over Arizona State on Saturday.
With Washington's overtime loss at UCLA, Stanford (6-1, 6-3) took solepossession of first place in the Pac-10. The Cardinal can earn their first RoseBowl berth since the 1971 season with a victory over arch-rival California nextSaturday.
Husak was 20-of-35 for 311 yards and passed the 6,000-yard mark for hiscareer and moved up to No. 5 on Stanford's career passing list. His touchdownpasses went to four receivers and all of his passing yardage came in the firstthree quarters.
Stanford's Dave Davis caught a 58-yard touchdown pass, returned a kickoff 60yards to set up a field goal and blocked an Arizona State field goal try, allin the first half.
The Sun Devils' Ryan Kealy was 24-of-46 for 324 yards and two touchdowns. Healso ran for a score.
The Cardinal's defense, dead last statistically among all NCAA Division Ischools, scored one touchdown on tackle Willie Howard's 22-yard fumble returnand set up another with nose tackle Andrew Currie's interception.
Arizona State (4-3, 5-5) fell behind 23-3 in the second quarter, thenrallied behind Davaren Hightower's 78-yard punt return with 1:27 left in thehalf to cut the lead to 26-17.
Stanford scored two touchdowns in a 54-second span in the third quarter totake a 40-17 lead. The Cardinal went 69 yards in nine plays on their firstpossession of the second half. Husak's 19-yard pass to Troy Walters set upCasey Moore's 1-yard scoring run.
On Arizona State's next possession, Kealy threw to Kendrick Bates, whofumbled. Howard scooped the ball up and ran it in for the touchdown to make it40-17 with 8:35 remaining in the third quarter.
In the first quarter alone, Husak was 11-of-18 for 179 yards and twotouchdowns.
The Cardinal took the opening kickoff and went 80 yards in 15 plays. Husakthrew 6 yards to DeRonnie Pitts for the touchdown. After Stephen Baker's31-yard field goal made it 7-3, Husak hit a wide-open Davis on a 58-yardscoring 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 hepassed. Currie picked it off and rambled 16 yards to the ASU 6. On the nextplay, Husak threw a touchdown pass to Moore and it was 21-3 with 14:39 to playin the half.
Center Brian Jennings' snap sailed over the head of punter Nick Murphy, whoknocked the ball out of the end zone for a safety that put the Cardinal up 23-313:28 before halftime.