Nov 8, 2003
Final Stats|Quotes|Notes|Photo Gallery
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - J.R. Lemon pounded his way to a career-high 151yards on 34 carries and scored two touchdowns, and Stanford recorded a seasonhigh in points to defeat sluggish Arizona State 38-27 on Saturday.
Chris Lewis ran for a score and passed for two more as just about everythingwent right again for the Cardinal (4-4, 2-4 Pac-10) a week after their 21-14upset of UCLA.
Lewis went 18-of-34 for 279 yards as Stanford compiled 474 yards of offense,despite playing through a steady rain in the second half.
If the last two games are any indication, the Cardinal seem to be findingsome consistency that coach Buddy Teevens has been striving for all season.
Lemon came up big in place of leading rusher Kenneth Tolon, who hurt histhumb in a warmup drill before the game and played only the first snap. Lemon'stotals were the most for a Stanford running back since 1997. His previous bestwas 103 yards in a 31-10 win against San Jose State in the season opener Sept.6.
Evan Moore caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Lewis on the first play ofthe fourth quarter, then was down for several minutes before being helped offthe field by several members of the training staff and carted away with anapparent left ankle injury. Moore is also planning to play power forward on theStanford basketball team.
Arizona State (4-6, 1-5) couldn't manage near the offensive production ithad in a 65-24 rout of the Cardinal last season. Andrew Walter threw touchdownpasses of 67, 46 and 9 yards to Derek Hagan, but the Sun Devils defense allowedStanford the most points since scoring 63 in last year's opener against SanJose State and also a season-best yardage total by the Cardinal.
Hagan finished with four catches for 138 yards and Walter was 22-for-52 for351 yards.
The Pac-10 coaches have been saying all along that Stanford has big-playpotential, and the Cardinal are finally showing it.
In Arizona State's opening series, Walter's pass hit off the back oflinebacker Mike Silva and Trevor Hooper got the interception, his second in asmany games.
Stanford immediately capitalized when Lewis scurried 11 yards for atouchdown on the first play, using all of eight seconds.
The Sun Devils punted on their next two possessions, then Loren Wade fumbleddeep in Stanford territory the following offensive series and Cardinal nosetackle Babatunde Oshinowo recovered. Arizona State got a break when StanleyWilson tipped a pass by Lewis and Michael Lovelady picked it off.
Lemon's 1-yard TD run made it 14-0 with 9:07 left in the first quarter. Thescore was set up by Lewis' 46-yard pass completion to Moore - the Cardinal'ssecond-longest play from scrimmage this fall. Lemon set up his second TD, a10-yard burst into the open in the second quarter, with a 32-yard run -Stanford's longest rush of the season.
Hagan scored on a 67-yard pass play from Walter 26 seconds later, breakingthree tackles as he tiptoed along the sidelines on the way to the end zone tomake it 21-7.
Wade failed to go over 100 yards rushing for the first time in four games.He finished with 55 yards on 12 carries.