October 10, 1998

Final Stats

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Todd Husak threw for 450 yards Saturday, a feat Stanford quarterback predecessors such as John Elway, Jim Plunkett and Steve Dils never accomplished. Yet he couldn't even lead the Cardinal to victory.

Ken Simonton ran for 207 yards, breaking a fourth-quarter tie with his second touchdown, as Oregon State won 30-23 for its first victory at Stanford since 1968.

Husak was 26-of-48 with scoring passes of 27 yards to DeRonnie Pitts and 30 yards to Dave Davis, but also threw two interceptions. He broke the Stanford passing record of 430 yards set by Dils in 1978.

Husak, a junior who had never started a game before this season, said the record is overshadowed by the loss.

"I'm here to win. If I go 2-for-10 for five yards and we come out with a victory, I'd be a lot happier than I am right now," he said. "It's nice to have the record, but I'd throw it all away in a heartbeat for a W."

Simonton, who earlier had a 17-yard touchdown run, scored on a 4-yard run with 5:42 left to break a 23-23 tie. Stanford (1-5, 0-3 Pac-10) had one more chance after that, but Husak was intercepted in the end zone and Oregon State (4-2, 1-2) ran out the clock.

The go-ahead touchdown was set up when Stanford's Troy Walters fumbled a punt at his 30. Four plays later, Simonton scored on a sweep.

The Beavers broke a 14-game conference losing streak.

"It's just really good for the players. I want things to get to the point where this isn't unusual," second-year Oregon State coach Mike Riley said. "We're on our way, but we're not quite there yet."

Simonton had 35 carries for Oregon State, which scored two touchdowns within a 10-second span of the second quarter. Terrance Bryant was 21-of-41 for 276 yards for the Beavers.

"It's good for us to have a close game and to able to pull it off. It should help us down the road," Simonton said. "No doubt if our offense can be consistent, we will be in a bowl game."

Both quarterbacks had long interception-less streaks snapped. Husak broke the Pac-10 season record by going 15 passes before getting picked off by Andrae Holland in the second quarter, snapping his streak at 159 passes without an interception.

That broke the mark of 150 set by California's Pat Barnes in 1996.

But the record didn't last long. Bryant went 30 passes into the game before getting intercepted in the third quarter by Tim Smith, ending his record streak at 170 passes without an interception.

Jose Cortez kicked field goals of 42 and 22 yards in the first quarter for the Beavers, but Stanford took a 10-6 lead on the scoring pass from Husak to Pitts and a 20-yard field goal by Kevin Miller.

The Beavers scored on consecutive plays in the second quarter. Simonton had his 17-yard touchdown run to give Oregon State a 13-10 lead. Stanford fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Brandon Boice recovered in the end zone for a 20-10 lead.

Maxwell Stevenson scored on a 1-yard run for the Cardinal with 42 seconds left in the half, but the Beavers responded with a 52-yard field goal by Cortez with seven seconds left to take a 23-17 halftime. lead.

Husak lofted his 30-yard scoring pass to Davis early in the third quarter, but the extra point attempt was blocked, leaving the score at 23-23.

Stevenson was taken off the field in an ambulance in the second half with a neck injury, but Stanford officials said it was a precautionary move and that Stevenson was able to move his arms and legs.