Oct. 9, 1999
Final Stats
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - Freshman running back Deon Burnett rushed for four
touchdowns as Washington State routed Louisiana-Lafayette 44-0 on Saturday.
Washington State (2-4) won its second game in a row after breaking a 12-game
losing streak last weekend. Two years ago, WSU beat this team 77-7.
Louisiana-Lafayette (1-5) managed 285 yards of offense, but rarely
penetrated WSU's territory. The Ragin' Cajuns, who rank last in the nation in
total offense at 209 yards per game, were also shut out at Houston this season.
Steve Birnbaum completed 11 of 19 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns
before giving way to Paul Mencke in the third as WSU had its best offensive
performance of the season.
Burnett, who finished with 110 yards, scored his first touchdown on a
12-yard run with 9:59 left in the first quarter. Nian Taylor caught a 59-yard
touchdown pass from Birnbaum for a 14-0 lead seven minutes later.
Burnett's 73-yard touchdown burst up the middle lifted WSU to a 21-0 lead.
It also allowed Burnett to break Rueben Mayes' team freshman rushing record of
425 yards set in 1982. Burnett now has 488 yards this season.
Cajun punter Chris Shaw fumbled the snap on the ensuing series, with Mory
Banks recovering on the Cajuns' 2-yard line. Burnett punched over on the first
play for a 28-0 lead at halftime.
Washington State had possession for only 6:58 in the first half, compared
with 23:02 for the Cajuns. But three of WSU's touchdown drives lasted less than
a minute, and the fourth only 70 seconds. The Cougars ran just 20 plays but had
224 yards in the half.
Brent Bergeron missed a 32-yard field goal for the Cajuns in the closing
seconds of the first half. The Cajuns' best drive ended on WSU's 19 when Derek
Dyer was intercepted by Grady Emmerson on the first series of the second
quarter.
Dyer completed 15 of 33 passes for 155 yards, and was intercepted twice.
Darren Brister rushed for 113 yards for the Cajuns.
Birnbaum threw a 9-yard scoring pass to Marcus Williams late in the third
for a 35-0 lead. Burnett added a 2-yard scoring run early in the fourth.
By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
Associated Press Writer
