Sun Devils cruise past Stanford

September 07, 2008

<a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/carpenter_rudy00.html"… Carpenter</a> 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.<separator></separator>Carpenter has thrown for a school-record 733 yards in the first two games.<separator></separator>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, at least for three quarters.<separator></separator>Toby Gerhart's 5-yard run gave Stanford (1-1) a 7-3 lead after one quarter. That brought back memories of last year, when the Sun Devils led after the first quarter only three times and were outscored 128-50 in the first quarter.<separator></separator>Gerhart finished running for 67 yards and two touchdowns.<separator></separator>The second quarter belonged to ASU.<separator></separator>With 9:08 to go in the half, Carpenter hit a wide-open <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jones_michael00.html">… Jones</a> 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 <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/taylor_kerry00.html">K… Taylor</a> for a 45-yard score to give ASU a 20-10 halftime lead.<separator></separator><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/nance_dimitri00.html">… Nance</a> scored from a yard out to make it 27-10 early in the third quarter.<separator></separator>ASU looked ready to blow the game open when Cardinal linebacker Clinton Snyder sacked Carpenter and forced a fumble midway through the third quarter. Stanford drew within 10 on a 6-play, 63-yard drive capped by Gerhart's 2-yard run.<separator></separator>The Sun Devils responded with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Carpenter hitting tight end <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/knapp_dan00.html">Dan Knapp</a> for a 2-yard touchdown with 10:43 to go in the game.<separator></separator>Carpenter, a senior, improved to 23-10 in his fourth season as a starter. With his next victory, Carpenter will tie Jake Plummer for third on the all-time list, and he's within range of all-time leader Danny White, who won 30 games in three seasons.<separator></separator>Nance ran for 75 yards and a touchdown for ASU, while senior <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/herring_keegan00.html"… Herring</a> 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.<separator></separator>Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh started Tavita Pritchard at quarterback but also used Jason Forcier and Alex Loukas.<separator></separator>Pritchard completed 11 of 18 passes for 97 yards, and he threw two interceptions that led to Sun Devils touchdowns. Loukas also was intercepted.<separator></separator>The Cardinal 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.