Sept. 6, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Rudy Carpenter threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 15 Arizona State to a 41-17 victory over Stanford on Saturday night.
Facing relentless pressure on a 100-degree night in the desert, Carpenter completed 27-of-36 passes and threw an interception.
The Sun Devils (2-0) had won the last two meetings with Stanford by a combined score of 79-6, but this one was tighter.
Toby Gerhart's 5-yard run gave Stanford (1-1) a 7-3 lead after one quarter. Gerhart finished running for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
With 9:08 to go in the half, Carpenter hit a wide-open Michael Jones with an 11-yard touchdown pass to put ASU ahead 13-7. After a Stanford field goal in the final minute of the half, Carpenter hit Kerry Taylor for a 45-yard score to give ASU a 20-10 halftime lead.
Dimitri Nance scored from a yard out to make it 27-10 early in the third quarter.
ASU's momentum seemed to slow when Cardinal linebacker Clinton Snyder sacked Carpenter and forced a fumble midway through the third quarter. Stanford drew within 27-17 on a 6-play, 63-yard drive capped by Gerhart's 2-yard run.
The Sun Devils responded with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Carpenter hitting tight end Dan Knapp for a 2-yard touchdown with 10:43 to go in the game.
Nance ran for 75 yards and a touchdown for ASU, while senior Keegan Herring returned from a hamstring injury to rush for 59 yards and a touchdown. Herring limped off with an apparent leg injury late in the game.
Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh started Tavita Pritchard at quarterback but also used Jason Forcier and Alex Loukas.
Pritchard completed 11 of 18 passes for 97 yards, and he threw two interceptions that led to Sun Devils touchdowns. Loukas also was intercepted.
Stanford closed last season and opened this one with victories, and they were trying to put together their first three-game win streak since 2005. They also were bidding for their first 2-0 conference start since 2001.