Sept. 16, 2006
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STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Reggie Campbell ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns to help Navy spoil the unveiling of the new Stanford Stadium by beating the Cardinal 37-9 Saturday night.
Brian Hampton also ran for two scored and Adam Ballard rushed 26 times for 122 yards for the Midshipmen (3-0), who started the season with three straight wins for only the second time since 1979.
Instead of an opportunity to celebrate the opening of the renovated stadium, the Cardinal (0-3) were left to wonder about the state of the program in Walt Harris' second year as coach. This is the worst start for Stanford since it lost the first four games in 1987.
Stanford began the renovation project last November, immediately after the team's season-finale against Notre Dame. The venue looks like its old self from the outside, but otherwise there's little resemblance of the former stadium.
The number of seats has been decreased from 85,500 to 50,000 to make for a more intimate setting. With fans closer to the field and the metal seats in the second deck, the noise level is expected to be louder than at the old stadium.
But the 44,022 fans in attendance didn't have much to cheer. Stanford committed three turnovers, including two fumbled kickoffs, and didn't make it into the end zone until Anthony Kimble's 3-yard run with 11:55 to go made it 27-9.
Navy, which relies almost exclusively on the run in its option offense and had only three completions the first two games, actually completed two passes before Trent Edwards had his first for Stanford in the opening minute of the second quarter.
The Midshipmen even had the advantage in yards passing before Stanford put together an 86-yard drive to end the half with a 22-yard field goal by Aaron Zagory that cut Navy's lead to 10-3.
Hampton finished 8-for-11 for 75 yards and ran for 48 more. Navy finished with 367 yards rushing.
Edwards finished 23-for-35 for 226 yards and an interception as Stanford struggled without its starting receivers. Receiver Mark Bradford could miss the rest of the season after tearing ligaments in his right foot and Evan Moore left in the first quarter with an undisclosed injury.
Navy took control at the start of the second half after Campbell returned the opening kick 57 yards to the Stanford 42. He then capped the drive with a 14-yard run off an option play to make it 17-3.
After a 39-yard field goal by Joey Bullen, Stanford's Brandon Harrison fumbled the kickoff and Rashawn King recovered at the 16. Four plays later, Hampton scored on a 2-yard keeper that made it 27-3 and sent many of the fans home early.
Campbell added a 17-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Navy put together a 15-play drive in the first quarter, leading to a 20-yard field goal by Bullen for the first score of the game.
On the ensuing kickoff, Byron McCoy knocked the ball loose from returner Jason Evans and recovered the fumble at the Cardinal 25. The Midshipmen drove down and scored on Hampton's 1-yard run on the first play of the second quarter to make it 10-0.
The game was played without the Stanford marching band. The school said this week the band will not be allowed to perform at any athletic events this month because members vandalized their rehearsal trailer in July with spray paint and sledgehammers.
Navy's band put on the halftime show and even played Stanford's fight song on occasion.