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Oct. 18, 1997
No. 23 Cardinal Drop Pac-10 Matchup
STANFORD, Calif. - Fullback Jeff Paulk scored two of Arizona State's four rushingtouchdowns and the Sun Devils surprised 23rd-ranked Stanford,31-14, in a Pac-10 Conference matchup.
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| Running Back Anthony Bookman (File photo) (Game Stats)<!hr> |
Arizona State (5-2, 3-1 Pac-10) continued its dominance overStanford, improving to 10-4 against the Cardinal by defeatingthem for the fifth time in their last six meetings. ArizonaState also has taken 10 of the last 12 games between the teams.
"This game was important," said Sun Devil coach Bruce Snyder."It was in a lot of ways, so huge, so unbelievable. To come inhere and win was great. We were focused and determined and thewin keeps us in the race for a major bowl game, and even theRose Bowl."
Paulk snapped a 7-7 deadlock with a two-yard TD run in thesecond quarter. He found the end zone again from the 2-yardline just 33 seconds into the fourth quarter, extending ArizonaState's advantage to 24-7.
Michael Martin, the Sun Devils' second-leading rusher, openedthe scoring in the first quarter with a seven-yard TD scamper.He finished with 124 yards for Arizona State, which managed 259yards on the ground. In the last two games, the Sun Devils haveamassed 495 rushing yards.
Marlon Farlow, the third-string tailback who gained 98 yardsagainst Southern California last week, ran for 129 yards, thebulk of it on a 60-yard TD run that capped Arizona State'sscoring midway through the fourth quarter.
Stanford (4-3, 2-2), which lost five of eight fumbles last weekin a loss to Arizona, was plagued by turnovers once again,losing three fumbles in addition to Chad Hutchinson's twointerceptions. Hutchinson completed 20-of-35 passes for 214yards while being sacked four times.
"They're (turnovers) part of football," said Cardinal runningback Anthony Bookman. "You hope it won't happen but it does. Wejust need to concentrate on fundamentals and come back and workhard."
Ryan Kealy hit on 14-of-36 passes for 195 yards with aninterception for the Sun Devils, who thrived despite beingpenalized 11 times for 106 yards.
"We could have done some things better," conceded Kealy. "Butwe did put up some big points and that's got to say something."
Bookman and Mike Mitchell, a previously effective rushing duofor the Cardinal, were held to a combined 104 yards. Both brokethrough for touchdowns, however. Bookman on a 70-yard run in thefirst quarter and Mitchell on a two-yard rush after the outcomewas decided.
"We just came out strong," Sun Devils' linebacker Pat Tillmansaid. "We knew we had to come out physical and we eventuallywore them down. This game was great. I love coming out here,it's where I was born and raised."
Stanford lost for just the third time in its last 12 conferencematchups. The Cardinal have dropped their last two games toArizona State by a combined score of 72-23.
"We've been through rough times before," Mitchell stated. "Wehave four more games left. We have 16 or 19 seniors. We'regoing to go out there and give it all we've got and try to winthe last four."
The Cardinal won their final five games of last season.