COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Volpe Gains 165 Yards to Lead Stanford

STANFORD — Jon Volpe ran for a career-high 165 yards and 3 touchdowns Saturday, leading Stanford past San Diego State, 31-10.

Volpe, a 5-foot-7, 195-pound fullback, scored on runs of 4, 1 and 6 yards as the Cardinal (1-1) drove for touchdowns on 4 of its first 5 possessions. Volpe, who had 31 carries, picked up 100 yards in the first quarter alone. He also caught 3 passes for 20 yards.

Last week, Volpe, a sophomore, rushed for 97 yards in a 24-20 loss to USC.

San Diego State (1-2) opened the scoring on a 50-yard field goal by Tyler Ackerson but did not mount another threat until it trailed by 25 points.

After Ackerson’s field goal, Volpe and quarterback Brian Johnson helped the Cardinal move 71 yards in 7 plays to score on a quick trap over right guard. Volpe took it in from the 4 to make the score 7-3.

Stanford’s lead went to 14-3 with time running out in the first quarter when Johnson kept the ball and went over from the 1 to cap a 9-play, 67-yard march.

Volpe’s two second-quarter touchdowns put the game out of reach as the Cardinal’s lead went to 28-3 by halftime. Volpe’s capped a 6-play, 52-yard drive with his 1-yard run and he scored from the 6 to cap a 4-play, 37-yard march that was set up by a short punt.

Stanford gained 186 yards on the ground in the first half and Cardinal linebacker Rob Hinckley intercepted two passes by Mark Platt, the second on the Stanford 3 with 2 seconds left in the half.

San Diego tailback Paul Hewitt, the NCAA scoring leader in 1987 with 24 touchdowns, ran in from 2 yards out in the third quarter for the Aztecs’ only touchdown.

Hewitt, coming off a 259-yard, 4-touchdown performance against Air Force, had his running effectiveness limited by Stanford’s big early lead. The former Monrovia High star finished with 37 yards in 12 carries.

John Hopkins’ 36-yard field goal for Stanford midway through the third quarter closed out the scoring.