University of Washington
Stanford
Huskies Pull Away From Stanford, 42-28
November 03, 2001 | Football
Nov 3, 2001
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
SEATTLE - Willie Hurst swears his teammates do all the work.
"I just had the easy part - running," the Washington tailback said.
Hurst made it look simple enough, as the No. 11 Huskies showed they do have a running game after all in a 42-28 victory over No. 10 Stanford on Saturday.
He scored three touchdowns, including one that broke a 28-all tie with 3:48 left, and another with 4 seconds on the clock. Washington entered the game eighth in the Pac-10 in rushing.
Hurst finished with 108 yards on 22 carries, a week after running for 185 yards against Arizona State. Coach Rick Neuheisel has been emphasizing the need to get the running game untracked.
Perfect timing.
Both teams came into the game with only one loss in Pac-10 play, and couldn't afford another. The five-team conference race will be more clear now, and after UCLA's game at Washington State. The Bruins and Cougars also had one loss each.
Stanford (5-2, 4-2 Pac-10) beat Oregon and UCLA the last two weeks, but couldn't make it three big wins in a row.
Washington (7-1, 5-1 Pac-10) just keeps on winning in the final minutes. It was the Huskies' sixth victory decided in the final period and 11th in two years.
"Somehow, some way we came up with some big, big plays down the stretch," Neuheisel said. "It's been that way for our football team for a long time now."
Hurst's go-ahead touchdown was set up by two completions from Cody Pickett to tight end Kevin Ware, who has been the replacement for injured Jerramy Stevens since the second game of the season.
Ware caught an 18-yard pass to bring Washington to the 15, and had an 11-yard reception that gave the Huskies a first down on the 3.
Hurst ran 2 yards into the end zone, then scored the final TD on a 15-yard run. He also had a 1-yard scoring run in the third quarter.
Stanford tied it at 28 with 10:01 remaining on Brian Allen's 8-yard touchdown run, his second touchdown of a 138-yard rushing day. The Cardinal were successful on the 2-point conversion when quarterback Chris Lewis completed a pass to Teyo Johnson.
They had one final chance with 2:22 left in the game but Washington cornerback Roc Alexander broke up a pass intended for Johnson on fourth down. Lewis was 19-of-34 for 231 yards and an interception, with no touchdowns.
Stanford is now aiming just for a postseason bid, with its chances of winning the Pac-10 all but gone.
"That goal is probably removed from the list of things we can accomplish," Cardinal coach Tyrone Willingham. "In this conference it's a rarity a team wins a conference title with two losses."
These comeback Huskies also were the quick-strike Huskies for much of the day.
Washington started two straight second-quarter scoring drives in good field position at its own 49 and took only 1:39 combined off the clock for two touchdowns. What's more, the Huskies' first touchdown of the second half by Hurst took only 57 seconds off the clock.
That gave Washington a 28-13 lead, but it didn't last long. Stanford answered with an 80-yard touchdown run by Allen to pull within 28-20.
Washington showed a balanced offense it has lacked for most of the season.
In addition to Hurst, receiver Reggie Williams caught three passes for 74 yards and an 8-yard touchdown before leaving the game in the third quarter with a quad contusion.
Pickett completed 15 of 28 passes for 291 yards and an 8-yard TD run.
Hurst found success against a Stanford defense that led the conference in rushing defense and held UCLA star tailback DeShaun Foster to 77 yards in the Cardinal's upset of the Bruins a week earlier. Foster entered Saturday's game at Washington State as the nation's fourth-leading rusher.
"We decided to take it at them no matter what they did in the past," Washington offensive lineman Khalif Barnes said.
The Huskies had been waiting for a game like this.
Every aspect of Washington's game was effective. For example, freshman punter Derek McLaughlin booted a 56-yard punt when his team needed it from deep in its own territory.
Stanford safety Simba Hodari left in the third quarter with a concussion and head injury. He was moved onto a stretcher on the field and taken by ambulance to Harborview Medical Center, where he was to spend the night.
On-field medics conducted tests to check for spinal cord injuries and he passed those, able to move his extremities. Doctors said he had full motor function and was progressing.
The game was delayed about 10 minutes after he was hurt with 1:34 left in the third quarter after he collided with Washington's Charles Frederick during a Pickett scramble.
"You can't help but think about it during the rest of the game, but you have to refocus and keep playing," Stanford safety Tank Williams said.
A year ago, Washington safety Curtis Williams was paralyzed from the neck down while making a tackle during an Oct. 28 game at Stanford.
Also leaving Saturday's game were Cardinal receiver Kerry Carter and Huskies split end Wilbur Hooks Jr., both with shoulder injuries.
