Stanford, Calif. - Stanford University rushed for 276 yards as part of a 506-yard offensive output and got a pair of touchdown passes from senior quarterback T.C. Ostrander in defeating San Jose State University, 37-0, in “The Bill Walsh Legacy Game” on Saturday, September 15.
The game featured several remembrances of late coaching legend Bill Walsh, after a long association with both schools.
It was the 62nd meeting all-time between the area rivals, and the Spartans’ first appearance inside the new Stanford Stadium.
In between a pair of first-quarter punts by Spartan senior Waylon Prather, the host Cardinal (1-1) took a 3-0 lead on a 52-yard field goal by placekicker Derek Belch. The kick came at the conclusion of a 13-play, 51-yard drive that took up 5:58 off the clock. Safety Jonathan Harris forced the Cardinal to settle for the kick with a hit on wideout Evan Moore to jar the ball loose for an incompletion on a third-and-10 pass play.
Belch tacked on his second field goal at the 9:54 mark of the second quarter, this time from 37 yards after a 10-play, 46-yard drive that took 4:57.
The Spartans missed an opportunity to get on the scoreboard with under eight minutes to go in the first half when Jared Strubeck went wide left from 44 yards away. San Jose State got into scoring position thanks in large part to a 14-yard run down the left sideline by wide receiver Kevin Jurovich into opposing territory and an ensuing 15-yard personal-foul penalty against Stanford on a late hit.
It looked as though Stanford would extend its advantage when sophomore running back Toby Gerhart benefited from some missed tackles and took off down the right sideline on a 48-yard run to the Spartan 25. Two plays later, however, cornerback Christopher Owens picked off a pass from Ostrander intended for Moore in the end zone for his second interception in as many games.
From its own 20 off the touchback, San Jose State went on the offensive immediately, as quarterback Adam Tafralis found Jurovich for a 36-yard gain. That drive was ultimately thwarted on an unsuccessful fourth-and-two try from the Cardinal 22-yardline.
The teams headed into the break with Stanford holding a 9-0 lead after Belch’s third field goal of the half, from 50 yards, at 0:31. The Cardinal went 46 yards in nine plays and 3:02 on the drive, with Ostrander finding Moore on a key play for a 21-yard gain.
Stanford took the second-half kickoff and marched 66 yards down the field in eight plays and just under four minutes, capping the drive with a 13-yard jaunt by Gerhart for the night’s first touchdown and a 16-0 Cardinal advantage. It would be the only score of the third quarter, and Gerhart would finish with his first collegiate 100-yard game, gaining 140 yards on 12 carries.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Ostrander found sophomore receiver Richard Sherman wide open down the right sideline for a 46-yard touchdown. Tafralis was intercepted by Bo McNally one play after the sophomore safety caused a five-yard loss with a solo stop, one of his 11 tackles. McNally took it back 28 yards, and Anthony Kimble ran 14 yards to the left and into the endzone on Stanford’s first play of the drive. Ostrander later found Austin Gunder for the 37-0 score line.
Tafralis passed for 130 yards, completing 12 of 24 tosses with one interception. Sean Flynn and Myles Eden each saw action at quarterback. Hunsucker wound up with team highs of 26 yards on 10 carries. Jurovich caught two passes for 41 yards. In his first major college start, David Richmond had four receptions for 38 yards while Jeff Clark added four catches for 31 yards.
San Jose State next concludes a stretch of four straight road games to begin the season with its 2007 Western Athletic Conference opener against Utah State University (0-3, 0-0 WAC) in Logan, Utah, on Saturday, September 22. Kick-off at Romney Stadium is set for 6:05 p.m. MDT, with ESPN Regional providing live television coverage.