Oct. 26, 1997
Plummer Helps Arizona State Top Stanford, 41-9
Jake Plummer passed for two first-quarter touchdowns and rushedfor a third as fourth-ranked Arizona State remained unbeaten asit rolled over Stanford, 41-9, in the Pac-10 Conference.
The Sun Devils (8-0, 5-0 Pac-10) raced to a 21-point lead afterhaving to rally from double-digit deficits in their last twogames. Arizona State has won nine of 13 all-time from Stanford(2-5, 1-3).
Plummer completed 21-of-34 for 316 yards and one interception ashe remained among the top Heisman Trophy candidates. He tosseda 31-yard scoring pass to J.R. Redmond just under nine minutesinto the game and added a 17-yard TD pass to Courtney Jacksonless than five minutes later.
"We were up and down a little bit on offense, but the defenseplayed great today," said Plummer. "We keep getting out to abig lead and lettting them come back a little. We have to learnto keep going, but we did pull it out today."
Plummer impressed the opposition.
"Jake (Plummer) is probably the best quarterback we have faced,"said Stanford head coach Tyrone Willingham. "He makes thingshappen. He is just a great athelete."
Terry Battle added a five-yard scoring run with six seconds leftin the opening quarter as the Sun Devils opened a 21-0 lead.
After ASU increased its lead to 28-9 on Jeff Paulk's one-yardplunge 4:36 into the third quarter, Plummer scored on afive-yard run just 95 seconds later to give the Sun Devils a26-point lead.
Stanford scored all of its points in the second quarter. Backupquarterback Todd Husak tossed a 45-yard scoring pass to tightend Greg Clark midway through the period and Kevin Miller booteda 27-yard field goal to end the half.
"I'm really pleased for the defense," said Arizona State headcoach Bruce Snyder. "The fact we shut them out afer hafltime wassignificant."
Husak, a freshman, replaced Chad Hutchinson who suffered asprained right thumb while trying to recover a fumble at the endof the first quarter.
Husak was 17-of-34 for 173 yards and two interceptions.Hutchinson completed just 3-of-7 for 17 yards and oneinterception.
"Things we're going well for me in the first half," said Husak."I was calm and the field looked very clear."
ASU's Robert Nycz kicked field goals 27 and 25 yards to cap thescoring.
Keith Poole had his third straight 100-yard receiving game witha career-high 10 catches for 161 yards.
"Catches don't matter if we won the game," said Poole. "I can'tkeep track of how many I have. It's just a rhythm I get intoand keep catching the ball."
The Sun Devils racked up 498 total yards while holding theCardinal to 298 yards.
Arizona St (4) 21 0 17 3 -- 41 Stanford 0 9 0 0 -- 9 Scoring Summary:ASU - TD - 6:01 left in the 1st Quarter Plummer 31-yard pass to Redmond (Nycz kick good) (1 play, 31 yards, 0:07 elapsed time) ASU - TD - 0:28 left in the 1st Quarter Plummer 17-yard pass to L. Jackson (Nycz kick good) (10 plays, 90 yards, 4:36 elapsed time) ASU - TD - 0:06 left in the 1st Quarter Battle 5-yard run (Nycz kick good) (2 plays, 18 yards, 0:11 elapsed time) STA - TD - 6:26 left in the 2nd Quarter Husak 45-yard pass to Clark (Miller kick blocked) (9 plays, 89 yards, 4:49 elapsed time) STA - FG - 0:02 left in the 2nd Quarter Miller 27-yard kick (4 plays, 38 yards, 0:46 elapsed time) ASU - TD - 10:24 left in the 3rd Quarter Paulk 1-yard run (Nycz kick good) (11 plays, 75 yards, 4:36 elapsed time) ASU - TD - 8:49 left in the 3rd Quarter Plummer 4-yard scramble (Nycz kick good) (3 plays, 40 yards, 0:46 elapsed time) ASU - FG - 6:32 left in the 3rd Quarter Nycz 27-yard kick (6 plays, 29 yards, 2:04 elapsed time) ASU - FG - 10:33 left in the 4th Quarter Nycz 25-yard kick (5 plays, 30 yards, 1:53 elapsed time) Arizona St Stanford First downs 24 18 Rushed-yards 45-175 34-108 Passing yards 323 190 Sacked-yards lost 3-28 3-11 Return yards 48 18 Passes 22-37-1 20-41-3 Punts 6-33.2 8-38.8 Fumbles-lost 3-0 2-1 Penalties-yards 8-71 7-74 Time of possession 32:00 28:00 Individual Statistics RUSHING: Arizona St-T Battle 14-80, Farlow 16-73, Paulk 6-14,Mitchell 1-7, Redmond 1-1, Plummer 7-0. Stanford-Mitchell17-81, Comella 6-23, Dunn 1-20, Bookman 4-9, Hutchinson 3-3,Husak 3-minus 28.PASSING: Arizona St-Plummer 21-34-1-316, Campbell 1-3-0-7.Stanford-Hutchinson 3-7-1-17, Husak 17-34-2-173.RECEIVING: Arizona St-Poole 10-161, Boyer 4-62, Mitchell 2-17,Redmond 1-31, Jackson 1-17, Bates 1-16, Bush 1-8, Mustafa 1-6,T Battle 1-5. Stanford-Dunn 4-29, Manning 3-25, Clark 2-48,Walters 2-23, Mitchell 2-21, T Hanson 2-16, Bookman 2-0, JJohnson 1-17, Kirwan 1-7, Salina 1-4.Att: 32,550 Highlights:1st QuarterSTA - Stops ASU on 4th and 2 on the Stanford 14ASU - Von der Ahe intercepts Hutchinson's pass - returns to Stanford 31ASU - Plummer 37-yard pass to Pooole to ASU 47ASU - Battle 28-yard draw to Stanford 8ASU - Tillman recovers Hutchinson's fumble on Stanford 18STA - Husak replaces Hutchinson at QB2nd QuarterSTA - Dunn on a reverse - 28-yard run to ASU 41STA - Mitchell 16-yard run to ASU 26STA - Miller misses 49-yard FG attemptSTA - Mitchell 14-yard run to ASU 343rd QuarterASU - Battle with a 27-yard run to Stanford 40ASU - Farlow 16-yard run to Stanford 23ASU - Plummer 19-yard pass to Brown to Stanford 2ASU - C. Jackson intercepts tipped pass at Stanford 40ASU - Plummer 29-yard pass to Poole to Stanford 11ASU - Tillman intercepts Husak's pass at Stanford 38STA - Haskins sacks Plummer for 4-yard loss to ASU 444th QuarterSTA - White intercepts Plummer to Stanford 31ASU - Plummer 29-yard pass to Boyer to Stanford 12STA - Comella 16-yard run to ASU 47