PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Don Bunce, who led Stanford to an upset Rose Bowl victory in 1972 as the Cardinals' starting quarterback, died of a heart attack Monday. He was 54.

Bunce, an orthopedic surgeon at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, was named most valuable player of the 1972 Rose Bowl after Stanford beat the undefeated University of Michigan 13-12.

Bunce completed five consecutive passes during the last one minute and 48 seconds of the game, moves that set Stanford up to score the winning field goal with 12 seconds remaining on the clock, said Bob Vazquez, media relations director for Stanford athletics.

During a 1999 interview with a Palo Alto newspaper, Bunce recalled the pressure he felt as he took the field with his team, then known as the Indians, trailing Michigan 12-10.

"I just remembered telling myself, 'This is it. My college football career comes down to what happens in the next 1:48,' " Bunce said. "It was like a movie and there was a part of me that felt like I was acting out a role.''

Bunce was backup quarterback to teammate Jim Plunkett during the 1969 and 1970 seasons, but led Stanford to its second consecutive Pac-8 conference championship when he became starting quarterback in 1971.

After graduating, Bunce played one year of professional football for the Canadian Football League's British Columbia Lions. He returned to Stanford to attend medical school, and served as a football team doctor for 11 years.