|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE | |
SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- Randy Fasani and Brian Allen accounted for two touchdowns apiece as 12th-ranked Stanford defeated San Jose State, 41-14, for its second nine-win season in 50 years. Fasani threw for a touchdown and rushed for another in the second quarter for Stanford (9-2), which has won four straight games and is locked into the Jeep Seattle Bowl against Georgia Tech on December 27. The Cardinal had not won nine games in the regular season since 1992 under Bill Walsh. Their only other nine-win regular seasons in the 106-year history of the program were in 1929, 1930, 1934, 1940 and 1951. "It was an expectation we were shooting for," coach Tyrone Willingham said. Held to 30 yards rushing on a muddy field, the Spartans finished their first year under coach Fitz Hill at 3-9 -- their worst season since also losing nine of 12 games in 1996. They are 32-70 over the last nine years. "It's been a fun year in many respects," Hill said. "It's been a very learning year for me. I'm excited about where we're going. I'm excited about the future that we're building." Fasani threw a 27-yard TD pass to Luke Powell 52 seconds into the second quarter and scored on a 34-yard run with 80 seconds left in the period for a 20-0 lead. A fifth-year senior, Fasani started for the second straight week after taking one snap in four games following an MCL sprain. He completed 12-of-22 passes for 256 yards and picked up another 44 yards on seven carries. Allen rushed 21 times for just 62 yards but opened the scoring with a three-yard run late in the first quarter and added an eight-yard scamper 11 seconds into the fourth for a 27-7 cushion. Also a senior, Allen has amassed 899 yards rushing this season -- the eighth-best total in school history. San Jose State closed within 27-14 four minutes into the fourth, but Casey Moore and Justin Faust had late touchdown runs to make it a rout. Moore scored from 13 yards and finished the game with 68 on just five carries. Faust capped the scoring with a two-yard run. The 5-8 Powell had six catches for 158 yards and returned a punt 58 yards, helping the Cardinal to a 476-309 advantage in total offense. San Jose State did most of its damage through the air as Clint Carlson threw for 245 yards and a pair of scores and Edell Shephard grabbed seven passes -- giving him a school-record 83 this season -- for 107 yards and a TD. Carlson replaced Marcus Arroyo in the second half and directed both scoring drives. He had started three games earlier this year before breaking a thumb. Arroyo had 476 yards passing and five TDs on November 10 in a 64-45 win over Nevada. "The only reason Clint wasn't playing was because his thumb was broken," Hill said. "It's been standard when somebody comes back and they have been cleared, you put them back in." Jarmar Julien led the Spartans with 48 yards rushing, but Carlson had a net of minus-48, thanks to five sacks. Linebacker Coy Wire and defensive end Matt Leonard led Stanford's defensive effort with 1 1/2 sacks apiece. Tackle Travis Pfeifer and linebacker Amon Gordon had the other two. The Cardinal snapped a three-game losing streak in the series and improved to 43-13-1 against their Bay Area rival. Even though the schools are worlds apart in terms of record, it's still a rivalry. "You can't help it because when I go to the grocery store, and I said that earlier in the week, the clerk says, 'Good season, coach, but ...' And that but is in reference to San Jose." The game featured two of the five black coaches in Division I-A. Former Spartans quarterback Jeff Garcia, now with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, was inducted to San Jose State's Ring of Honor at halftime.
|
