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SEATTLE (AP) -- Thanks to Marques Tuiasosopo, the Washington
Huskies control their own destiny.
Tuiasosopo dazzled Stanford's defense with a school-record 509
yards of total offense as Washington rallied to beat Stanford 35-30
Saturday, handing the Cardinal (No. 25 ESPN/USA Today, unranked AP) their first Pac-10 loss.
| | Washington quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo fights off the tackle of Stanford's Sharcus Steen. |
The Huskies improved their league record to 4-1. They will go to the Rose Bowl if they win their final three conference games; at Arizona, at UCLA and at home against Washington State.
Arizona State suffered its second Pac-10 defeat at Oregon 20-17
Saturday.
"We've got a tall order ahead of us," Washington coach Rick
Neuheisel said.
Tuiasosopo became the first quarterback in NCAA history to pass
for 300 yards and run for 200 yards in the same game.
And he's only the fourth major-college quarterback to throw and
run for over 200 yards in a game. The last to do it was
Southwestern Louisiana's Brian Mitchell in 1987. His combined is
the most of the four players in the 200-200 category.
The talented junior, son of former NFL defensive lineman Manu
Tuiasosopo, gave the Huskies their first lead of the day at 28-23
with a 10-yard touchdown run with 9:54 left.
The Cardinal knew he was good, but not that good.
"He did a tremendous job," Stanford coach Tyrone Willingham
said. "We weren't just afraid of his running and ability to
improvise, but also his ability to throw."
Tuiasosopo completed 19 of 32 passes for 302 yards and a
touchdown. He also ran 22 times for 207 yards and two TDs.
He became the first Washington quarterback with consecutive
300-yard passing games since Sonny Sixkiller did it in 1970.
Tuiasosopo broke the school mark for total offense, which was 419 yards by
Cary Conklin against Arizona State in 1989.
David Klingler of Houston set the single-game record for the
most yards in a game, 732, against Arizona State Dec. 2, 1990. He
had 716 yards passing and 16 rushing in that game.
Tuiasosopo proved how tough he was, too. He was injured on the
second play of the game when he was thrown to the AstroTurf on his
backside and hip. He went into the dressing room during the game
and was limping badly after the game.
"I had a doubt about him at halftime," said Washington wide
receiver Dane Looker. "He could barely left his leg to walk. Yet,
he didn't even look hurt when he was playing."
Stanford knew Tuiasosopo was playing hurt, too.
"We noticed that he was limping early in the second quarter," Stanford quarterback Todd Husak said. "I was impressed with his heart."
Said Tuiasosopo: "Coach (Rick Neuheisel) kept asking me if I could still run the option and I said, 'Let's do whatever we need to win the game."'
With Washington clinging to a 28-23 lead, Tuiasosopo threw his
second interception of the game, giving the Cardinal the ball on
the Huskies 47 with 7:02 left. But Anthony Vontoure intercepted a
pass by Husak at the Huskies' 12 with 6:05 remaining, and
Washington scored on a 48-yard run by Maurice Shaw with 1½ minutes
left.
Stanford scored on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Husak to tight
end Russell Stewart as time expired.
Washington rolled up 670 total yards against the Pac-10's worst
defense, the most yards in a game for the Huskies since going for
734 against San Jose State in 1996.
"It shows our offense is explosive, but it's a better indication that we're very lucky," Neuheisel said, referring to Washington's four turnovers.
Husak completed 22 of 41 passes for 300 yards and three
touchdowns with two interceptions.
Washington (5-3) rallied after trailing 23-12 early in the
second half, scoring 23 points in a row on three touchdowns and a
field goal before the Cardinal's final TD.
Stanford (5-3, 5-1 Pac-10) lost at Husky Stadium for the 10th straight time.
Despite the defeat, the Cardinal still have a chance to go to their first Rose Bowl since 1972 if Washington loses one of its final three conference games. Stanford has Arizona State and California left on its Pac-10 schedule.
Stanford took its 23-12 lead on a 26-yard touchdown pass by Husak with 3:32 gone in the second half after Aaron Focht recovered a fumble by Willie Hurst at the Stanford 31.
But then the Huskies began their rally, driving 99 yards on nine plays with Tuiasosopo scoring on a 30-yard run to cut Washington's deficit to 23-19 with six minutes gone in the second half. The drive was kept alive by a crucial pass interference on Ruben Carter against Gerald Harris on a third-and-9 play at the Huskies' 2.
Willingham disagreed with the call against Carter, saying: "It
was a big play. It was a major play that gave them a chance to keep
their drive alive. I didn't see the interference."
Freshman John Anderson's third field goal of the game, a 40-yarder, cut Stanford's lead to 23-22 with 3:03 left in the third quarter.
The Cardinal led 17-12 at halftime after being forced to settle
for Mike Biselli's 24-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in the
first half after having a first down at the Washington 3.
Tuiasosopo threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Harris, and Anderson kicked a 40-yard field goal as Washington came back in the second quarter after trailing 14-3 after one period.
In the opening quarter, Stanford stunned the Huskies on Ryan Wells' 47-yard kickoff return and Husak's 49-yard pass to Troy Walters for a touchdown only 22 seconds after Anderson kicked a
49-yard field goal.
Washington's first drive ended when Tim Smith intercepted
Tuiasosopo at the Stanford 28. The Cardinal went 72 yards in seven
plays for their first touchdown with Coy Wire scoring on a 5-yard
run. Wire had a 37-yard run on the drive.
Walters caught five passes, giving him 224 for his Stanford
career to set a Pac-10 record. He broke the old record of former
Stanford receiver Darrin Nelson of 223 receptions.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Stanford Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
College football Top 25 overview
AUDIO/VIDEO
Marques Tuiasosopo seals the win with this 10-yard touchdown (Courtesy: ABC).
avi: 389 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Tuiasosopo connects with Gerald Harris for the TD (Courtesy: ABC).
avi: 626 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Coy Wire goes up the middle and scores for the Cardinal.
avi: 551 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
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