Japan Bowl : Santos Passes, Runs West All-Stars to a 17-3 Victory

Todd Santos of San Diego State passed for one touchdown and ran for another Sunday, leading the West college football all-stars to a 17-3 victory over the East in the Japan Bowl.

Santos hit Guy Liggins on a 39-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. In the first quarter, Santos sneaked one yard for a first down on the East one-yard line and then scored on another run.

A crowd of nearly 30,000 watched the West shut down the East offense that included Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown of Notre Dame. Brown caught his first pass in the fourth quarter, a six-yard throw from Kerwin Bell of Florida.

The West won for the 10th time in 13 Japan Bowls. It also was the second victory in 10 days for West Coach Jackie Sherrill of Texas A&M; against East Coach Lou Holtz of Notre Dame. Texas A&M; beat Notre Dame, 35-10, in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1.

The East scored the first time it had the ball--and never again. A 50-yard pass from Don McPherson of Syracuse to Darren Flutie of Boston College moved the ball to the West 12 and four plays later Tim Vesling of Syracuse kicked a 28-yard field goal.

Jethro Franklin of Fresno State recovered a fumble by McPherson at the East 29 to set up Santos’s touchdown run and a 22-yard run by Keith Woodside of Texas A&M; led to a 24-yard field by Barry Belli of Fresno State to give the West a 10-3 lead.

On the West’s 60-yard drive to the final touchdown, Santos hit Kevin Harmon of Iowa for nine yards, sneaked one yard for another first down and then passed 39 yards to Liggins for the score.