Sept. 25, 1999
By STEVE BRISENDINE
Associated Press Writer
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Jack Hawley threw for 343 yards and three touchdowns Saturday night, and San Diego State ended an 18-year non-conference road drought with a 41-13 win over Kansas.
Larry Ned ran for two scores and Jonas Lewis carried 14 times for 103 yards for the Aztecs, whose last non-conference road win was a 38-20 victory at Nevada-Las Vegas on Nov. 14, 1981. Since then, they had lost 26 straight.
San Diego State (2-2) gained 572 yards against the Jayhawks (1-3), including 413 in the first half. Hawley completed 16 of 19 passes for 331 yards and all three of his passing TDs as the Aztecs took a 31-0 halftime lead.
The half appeared to end when Derrick Lewis caught Hawley's pass for a 49-yard gain to the Kansas 9, but the Jayhawks were flagged for roughing the passer on the play. That gave the Aztecs a first down at the 4, and a free play for Nate Tandberg's 22-yard field goal.
Tandberg added a 25-yarder in the fourth quarter for the Aztecs' final points.
Hawley capped San Diego State's first possession with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Damon Gourdine, and Ned's 1-yard run made it 14-0 later in the first. Hawley capped a 94-yard drive with a 22-yard scoring pass to Sean Pierce in the second quarter, then finished a 90-yard drive with a 62-yard throw to Derrick Lewis for a 28-0 lead with 2:25 left in the half.
Kansas starter Zac Wegner played only the first two series of each half. He was 3-for-7 for 24 yards and was intercepted once.
His backup, Dylen Smith, broke up the shutout with a 43-yard scoring pass to Harrison Hill with 3 seconds left in the third quarter. Smith finished 10-for-18 for 157 yards.
Ned's 4-yard run, set up by Jonas Lewis' 64-yard carry, gave San Diego State a 38-7 lead on the third play of the fourth quarter. David Winbush answered with a 5-yard TD run on Kansas' ensuing possession.
San Diego State defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila recorded his 27th career sack on Smith in the second quarter, setting a new school record.