Sept. 9, 2000
Final StatisticsPostgame QuotesPostgame NotesVideo HighlightsSTANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Deonce Whitaker rushed for a career-high 254 yardson 21 carries, scored two touchdowns and set up two others as San Jose Statestunned Stanford for the third consecutive year, winning 40-27 on Saturdaynight.
Marcus Arroyo added two touchdown passes and threw for 199 yards as theSpartans (1-1) rebounded from a 49-13 loss to No. 1 Nebraska. San Jose Statelast beat Stanford three straight times from 1981-83.
Randy Fasani threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns, but also threw a keyinterception and was sacked four times, three by linebacker Marshall Blount.
Stanford (1-1) did not allow an offensive touchdown in last week'sseason-opening win against Washington State, but didn't have an answer forWhitaker, who went for 147 yards against Nebraska last week.
Free safety Willie Adams picked off Fasani's pass and returned it 63 yardsto give the Spartans a 6-0 lead four minutes into the game.
Stanford scored on its next two possessions, with Fasani throwing twotouchdown passes to senior receiver Jamien McCullum - his first two careertouchdown receptions.
The Cardinal drove 80 yards in four plays, with Fasani finding McCullum wideopen in the back of the end zone for a 9-yard scoring play with just over nineminutes left in the first quarter. That touchdown was set up by Fasani's67-yard pass to Luke Powell.
On a first-down play from the Stanford 25, Fasani scrambled away from heavypressure, then threw a pinpoint pass to McCullum along the right sideline tocomplete the 75-yard touchdown.
San Jose State tied it late in the first quarter when Marcus Arroyoconnected with Sean Brewer on an 8-yard scoring toss. Arroyo's 36-yard pass toRashied Davis set up the touchdown, and Whitaker ran in the 2-pointconversation to make it 14-14.
After Fasani connected with DeRonnie Pitts for a 13-yard touchdown passearly in the second quarter to give Stanford a 21-14 edge, Whitaker took over,scoring on runs of 5 and 65 yards.
Whitaker set up his first touchdown run with a 45-yard gain as he slashedand cut his way through the defense. On his longer run, Whitaker burst into theopen several yards downfield to give the Spartans a 27-21 halftime lead.
San Jose State extended its lead 41 seconds into the third quarter. TheSpartans took over at their own 35, then Whitaker raced 51 yards to theStanford 3. Casey LeBlanc carried on the next play, but fumbled into the endzone, where Davis recovered for the score. A failed 2-point conversationattempt left it 33-21.
Whitaker, who sat out most of the third quarter with leg cramps, gained 42yards on his first carry of the fourth quarter to set up a 1-yard touchdownpass from Arroyo to fifth-year senior tight end Jesse Rogers, his first careerscore.
Spartans defensive back Chris Koustas also made a big play when he strippedthe ball from Caleb Bowman after a 40-yard gain midway through the fourthquarter.