No. 3-ranked Stanford plays what may be the biggest football game in its history when it hosts No. 6 Oregon on Nov. 12.     It may not be quite as big as the Nov. 5 game between Alabama and LSU, but it’s as close as it gets on the West Coast this season.

It is the first time in history two top 10 teams have played a game at Stanford, and the postseason implications for Stanford and Oregon are huge.   Both teams are in the national championship picture, and Stanford could put itself in prime contention for a spot in the national title game with a win.

Even though Stanford has two games after this one, a victory over Oregon would clinch a berth in the Pac-12 title for Stanford, and it would also assure Stanford of having the home field in that conference title contest.  If Oregon beats Stanford, it would need to win only one of its final two games against Oregon State and USC to get a berth in the Pac-12 title game.

The game will also go a long way toward determining whether Stanford QB Andrew Luck will win the Heisman Trophy.  The star on the opposing team, Oregon TB LaMichael James, leads the nation in rushing and is healthy again after missing two games with a dislocated elbow. James had a big game against Stanford last season, rushing for 257 yards in the Ducks win, and he could re-enter the Heisman picture with a big game in a Ducks victory.

He and the Ducks’ ground game, which leads the nation in yards per rushing attempt, will be a major challenge for a Stanford defense that ranks fourth nationally against the run but has yielded some long runs in recent games.   Long runs are the Ducks’ specialty, and teams with speed have had success getting to the perimeter against Stanford’s defense.  No team has more speed than the Ducks, and no team gets to the perimeter as well as the Ducks.

Oregon QB Darron Thomas also had a big game against Stanford last year, and he too is healthy again after missing one game and parts of two others with a knee injury.  He is the kind of mobile quarterback that has given the Cardinal problems.

Stanford’s defense could not hold up against Oregon last season, and it remains to be seen whether the Cardinal’s vulnerability against quick, athletic offensive teams continues to haunt Stanford.

Although both teams average better than 46 points a game and rank among the top five scoring teams in the country, the game will be a sharp contrast in offensive styles. Oregon looking for the big play on every snap and pushes the pace of its offense to a frenetic level to take advantage of its speed and finesse.   Stanford relies on a power offense that uses a fullback and two or three tight ends to try to overpower and wear down opponents with long drives.

Stanford will have to establish the running game it prefers to control the ball, slow the pace of the game and counter the speed of Oregon’s offense.  And, of course, Stanford needs Luck to control the game.   He will be without two prime receivers – TE Zach Ertz (knee) and WR Chris Owusu (concussion) — so he will have to find alternatives.

The one similarity of both offenses is that they have dominated play in the second half.   Close games involving both teams have become blowouts in the third quarter.  The team that can establish control in the third quarter will have the upper hand.

Stanford is riding a 17-game winning streak, and its last loss was to Oregon last season.   Oregon is riding an 18-game conference winning streak, and its last conference loss was to Stanford in 2009, the last time the teams met at Stanford.

NOTES

– Washington State coach Paul Wulff mentioned this week that the fact that game is being played on grass (at Stanford) instead of artificial turf (at Oregon) will be a distinct advantage for the Cardinal, because Oregon’s speed is enhanced on its fast artificial field.

– Stanford remained No. 4 in the BCS standings released Nov. 6 and was behind Alabama even though the Tide lost to LSU.  The Cardinal is No. 2 in the USA Today poll and No, 3 in the Harris poll, which are the two human polls used in the BCS formula, but Stanford is only ranked No. 7 by the BCS computers.    If Stanford beats Oregon, however, it is expected that Stanford would move to No. 3 in the BCS on Nov. 13, based primarily on the boost it would give Stanford’s computer ranking but also on the influence it would have on pollsters.

— Andrew Luck’s Heisman Trophy chances will probably be determined in the game against Oregon.   Typically,  a player’s performance in a big, nationally televised game late in the season has the biggest influence on his Heisman chances.  He also needs to be on a team that finishes ranked among the top five to have a decent shot at winning it.   Luck is the solid front-runner in virtually every Heisman poll out there at the moment, but if Stanford loses and Luck does not play well, he may drop out.

— Stanford is riding a 17-game winning streak, the longest in the country, and its last loss was to Oregon last season.   The Cardinal led last season’s game 21-3, but got overwhelmed by the Ducks in the second half of Oregon’s 52-31 victory.   Oregon is riding an 18-game conference winning streak, and its last conference loss was to Stanford in 2009, the last time the teams met at Stanford.   Oregon was coming off an emotion win over USC the week before it lost to Stanford two years ago.

— Oregon is averaging 6.99 yards per rushing attempt this season.   No one else in the country is averaging as much as 6.0 yards a carry.

— The absence of TE Zach Ertz could reduce the Cardinal’s use of its three-tight-end offense that has been so successful.   The Cardinal could plug in other players at those spots, but they are not the receiving threats that Ertz is.  Coby Fleener and Levine Toilolo still provide good targets, but the three-tight-end alignment, which provided so many option for the Cardinal and so many problems for defenses, will not be the weapon it was before Ertz’s injury.

— ESPN’s “College Gameday” will set up shop on the Stanford campus on Nov. 12, with its live preview of the day’s games starting at 6 a.m.

SCOUTING THE STANFORD OFFENSE: Stanford is third in the nation in scoring (48.2 ppg) and it is eighth in total offense.   It relies on the balance of its power running game and the play-action passing of Andrew Luck, who is fifth nationally in pass efficiency.   The team’s identity is as a run-first team and is led by Stepfan Taylor, who averages 99 yards per game, although three other backs get significant playing time.  The tight ends had been the Cardinal’s strength this season, and despite the absence of Zach Ertz, Stanford still has two other topflight tight ends — Coby Fleener and Levine Toilolo.   WR Griff Whalen has become the top receiving threat, and he will be a bigger factor with Chris Owusu out for the Oregon game and perhaps longer.   The Cardinal’s offensive line has played well this season and continues to improve.

SCOUTING THE STANFORD DEFENSE: The Cardinal’s defense has been generally dominant, but it showed some vulnerability against the run the past few games even though it ranks third nationally in run defense.   The absence of ILB Shayne Skov and SS Delano Howell has hurt the Cardinal’s run defense, which has yielded some long runs.   Skov is out for the season, but there is a chance Howell will play against Oregon.     Fast teams have had success getting to the perimeter on Stanford, and that is Oregon’s forte.    OLB Chase Thomas has 12.5 tackles for losses, and is the team’s big-play defender along with SS Michael Thomas, who has played both safety positions this season and has two of the team’s three interceptions.   The team’s defensive strength is its pass rush, which has accounted for 28 sacks.

QUOTE: “They’re constantly watching, and if you’re out of position, they’ll find it.” – Stanford coach David Shaw, on Oregon’s ability to find and exploit flaws in an opponent’s defense.

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Oregon at Stanford, Nov. 12 – Stanford is 9-0 overall and 7-0 in the conference, coming off a 38-3 victory over Oregon State,  while Oregon State is 8-1 overall and 6-0 in the Pac-12,  coming off a 34-17 victory over Washington.  Stanford has not lost at home since the 2009 season.  The Cardinal would clinch a berth in the Pac-12 title game with a win and would also clinch home-field advantage in that championship game.

SERIES HISTORY: Stanford leads 44-29-1.   Last meeting 2010 (52-31 Oregon).

KEYS TO THE GAME: Stanford must try slow the pace of the game as much as possible by controlling the ball for long stretches.  That means Stanford’s offensive line must dominate the game and Andrew Luck must be nearly flawless.   The Cardinal has yielded just four sacks, tied for the fewest in the nation, but USC had success putting pressure on Luck, and the Ducks have 29 sacks.   Stanford must be able to withstand the fast pace Oregon will try to use, especially in the third quarter.    If the Ducks get their offense going at a fast pace and can move the ball down the field in a hurry, the Cardinal may not be able to keep up.   The Cardinal must limit the number of long runs by Oregon running backs – whether it be LaMichael James (who averages 8.0 yards a carry)  or Kenjon Barner (6.8 yards a carry) or De’Anthony Thomas (8.5 yards per carry).  Any of the three is capable of a 50-yard touchdown run, and Stanford has yielded a number of long runs recently.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

QB Andrew Luck – Luck’s Heisman Trophy status will be determined by the game against Oregon.    He played OK against Oregon last season, but not great, and he threw two interceptions that hurt the Cardinal’s chances.  He was outplayed by Oregon QB Darron Thomas in that game, and  Luck needs to outplay his Oregon counterpart for the Cardinal to win.

TE Coby Fleener – Fleener has eight touchdown catches and is Andrew Luck’s prime target when the Cardinal gets into the red zone.   He becomes even more important with TE Zach Ertz sidelined with an injury.

OLB Chase Thomas – The most publicized member of the Stanford defense, Thomas has 12.5 tackles for losses and 6.5 sacks.  He needs to at least bother Oregon QB Darron Thomas.

TB Stepfan Taylor – The versatile back is averaging 99 yards per game, and the Cardinal needs him to get consistent gains for Stanford to sustain long drives and slow the game’s pace.  He had 113 yards against Oregon last season, but 44 came on one touchdown run in the first half.

ROSTER REPORT:

— WR Chris Owusu sustained his third concussion in 13 months in the Oregon State game, and though he seems to be fine and passed all the tests required for him to play, he will not play against Oregon as a precaution.   Whether he will play again this season is uncertain.

– SS Delano Howell missed the past three games with a hand injury, but he might play in the Oregon game, which would be a significant boost because defensive back have to make a lot of tackles against the Ducks.

— TE Zach Ertz sustained a knee injury against USC, missed the Oregon State game and is expected to miss the Nov. 12 Oregon game as well.

— OT Cameron Fleming missed the Oregon State game with a knee injury and is questionable for the Oregon game.

— TE Levine Toilolo injured his shoulder in the Oregon State game, but he is expected to play in the Oregon game.

— K Jordan Williams missed the USC game and the Oregon State game after sustaining a pulled muscle in pregame warmup of the USC game, and he is questionable for the Oregon game.

Tara VanDerveer and Amy Tucker provided more food for thought than answers in the Cardinal women’s 100-54 victory over Vanguard in their second and final exhvition game Saturday night.

Two true freshmen — forward Taylor Greenfield and guard Amber Orrange — were in the starting lineup for this game, which does not necessarily mean they will be starters when the season begins officially with a key game against No. 24-ranked Texas in Austin.

The only certainty is that the Ogwumike sisters — Nneka and Chiney — will be the starting post players against the Longhorns.    The only other player who started both exhibitions was Lindy La Rocque, so it’s a pretty good guess she will be starting against Texas, especially after she hit 5 of 10 three-pointers against Vanguard.   She did not commit a turnover in either exhibition game, and the Cardinal need her outside threat.

The need for perimeter scorers is also a reason freshman Bonnie Samuelson may be a bigger factor this season than anticipated.  She made 5 of 10 three-pointers against Vanguard, suggesting her 5-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc in the first exhibition against UC San Diego was no fluke.    Whether she can do that against quicker, bigger Division I defenders is another question, but VanDerveer may be willing to give her significantly playing time early in the season to find out.

She is unlikely to be a starter, though.    It’s not even clear what alignment the Cardinal will use — whether it will use a three-guard set as it used in the first exhibition or a two-guard attack as it started in the second.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Orrange will become a starter at some point this season, and may be the Cardinal’s starting point guard against Texas.  She has not shot well, going 2-for-8 in the two exhibitions, including 0-for-4 Saturday, but more significant is that she had six assists without a turnover on Saturday, giving her 13 assists with just two turnovers in the two exhibitions.   Again, doing it against the likes of UC San Diego and Vanguard is a lot different from dishing off against the likes of Texas, but she provides the kind of quick, athletic playmaker the Cardinal has not had in recent years.  She could be a major boost for the Ogwumikes, who would benefit from someobdy who can drive and dish.

Junior Joslyn Tinkle did not started either exhibition, but got as much playing time as anyone, so she figures to play a lot, although whether it is as a starter or coming off the bench is unclear.  She can play both a small forward or post position, so VanDerveer may like the flexibility she provides off the bench.

Toni Kokenis did not play on Saturday, and she is likely to be a starter, so it’s hard to say who will be in the starting lineup.   Last season, VanDerveer used a variety of starting lineups in the exhibitions, and continued to tinker with it for the first month of the season before she settled on La Rocque as the fifth starter.   That was when only one starting spot was in question.   Now it’s three, and you may see several combinations early in the season.

Did we learn anything from Stanford’s 100-47 victory over Ryerson in its men’s exhibition basketball game on Saturday?

Not much, except that Johnny Dawkins has a lot of options for lineups, and may be juggling his starting five as the season moves along, much like he did last season.

It would be nice if the Cardinal could establish a rotation and stick with it, because that lends consistency and stability, but it remains to be seen whether that can happen.

It is becoming increasing clear that freshman Chasson Randle will be the team’s starting point guard, though.    He was in the starting lineup against Ryerson, and you don’t start a true freshman in an exhibition game unless you plan for him to be your starter when the games count.   He was just 3-for-7 from the field, but he had three assists and no turnovers.   And he proved his value during the team’s tour of Spain.

Perhaps more significant is that Aaron Bright, not Jarrett Mann, was the other starting guard.   Dawkins has said Bright might be the most improved player on the team, so we may see him in the starting lineup.  He provides the Cardinal with an outside threat that Mann does not.   It also gives Stanford two combo guards on the floor together, and there has been a trend of late to have two players on the floo at the same time who can run the offense.

Besides Randle, Josh Owens seems to be the only other player set as a starter, although it appears sophomore Dwight Powell is a good bet to be a starter.  He had 16 points and seven boards in the exhibition.

Sophomore Anthony Brown came off the bench in the exhibition, which is somewhat of a surprise, while Andrew Zimmermann was in the starting lineup.

Zimmermann is a complementary player, and if the Dawkins thinks he has enough scoring on the floor elsewhere, he may use Zimmermann for his hustle and defense.   However, as the season goes on, you may see Zimmermann phased out.

Brown was not a starter at the beginning of last season, but he was by season’s end, and the same thing could happen this year.  He was 5-for-6 from the field and made his only three-point attempt in the exhibition.   Even if he is not in the starting lineup, he figures to get starter minutes and probably will play more than Zimmermann.

Stanford’s 38-13 road victory over Oregon State on Nov. 5 probably didn’t impress the pollsters, and the head injury that put WR Chris Owusu in the hospital put a pall over the  Cardinal afterward and put Owusu’s football career in jeopardy.

But the result got the Cardinal to where it needs to be, which is undefeated headed into its big game against Oregon on Nov. 12 at Stanford.

The game against the Ducks will be the first game ever played at Stanford between two top-10 teams, and it will define the Cardinal’s 2011 season and will shape Andrew Luck’s Heisman status.

Concerns about the Cardinal’s secondary and defensive speed continued against the Beavers, who were very much in the game midway through the third quarter.    And those concerns will be a focal point against the speedy Ducks, who took advantage of their speed last season in the Ducks’ victory over Stanford and no doubt will try to do it again.

If the Cardinal beats Oregon, it will clinch a berth in the Pac-12 championship game, and that title game probably would be at Stanford.

But the Cardinal has loftier goals in mind, and a victory over the Ducks would keep Stanford very much in the national title picture.

Stanford QB Andrew Luck will need to play better than he did against Oregon State for the Cardinal to beat Oregon.   Luck threw a bad interception for the second week in a row, tossing a pick early in the game, and though he was 20-for-30 and threw three touchdown passes, he was not as sharp as usual.

Plus, he may not have his full complement of receivers available for the Oregon game.   Owusu was taken off the field on stretcher and taken to the hospital.  He sustained a concussion that presumably will prevent him from playing against the Ducks.

Levine Toilolo, one of the Cardinal’s three talented tight ends, also missed much of the game with a leg injury, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be available for the Oregon game.    Another important tight end, Zach Ertz, was already sidelined with a leg injury and he is not expected to play against the Ducks either.

That limits some of the offensive options for the Cardinal, which loves to have three tight ends in the game simultaneously for its power attack.

Oregon State QB Sean Mannion had some success against the Cardinal defense, completing 18 of 30 passes for 252 yards without an interception, and Stanford’s offense was not as dominant as it usually is, although the rainy weather in Corvallis, Ore., may have had something to do with it.

The Cardinal eventually took control of the game in the second half, but midway through the third quarter, Stanford led by just 17-13.  And a controversial call that interrupted the Beavers’ next drive was the turning point.

At that point, Luck and the Cardinal running game took over, and the Cardinal made it look like a rout.

NOTES

— WR Chris Owusu sustained at least his third concussion in 13 months when he took a blow to the head from Oregon State defensive back Jordan Poyer.   He was on the ground for an extended period, and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.   With so many concussions in a relatively brief period, you have to wonder whether Owusu’s football career can continue.

Owusu is second on the team in receptions with 35 (one off the team lead) and second in receiving yardage with 376.  Drew Terrell or Ty Montgomery figures to replace Owusu as the starter if Owusu can’t play.

The reaction of some of the Oregon State fans angered Stanford LB Chase Thomas, who said, “They were yelling things that shouldn’t be said” when a player is injured.

– Two controversial penalties against Oregon State played a major part in taking Oregon State out of the game.   With Oregon State trailing 14-7 in the second quarter, Jordan Poyer laid a big hit on Stanford WR Chris Owusu that caused Owusu to fumble.  Poyer scooped up the ball and returned it for an apparent touchdown to tie the game.  However, Poyer was called for a personal foul on a helmet-to-helmet hit on Owusu, although replays left some doubt whether the call was appropriate.    Stanford kept possession and wound up with a field goal to get a 10-point lead.

In the third quarter, with Stanford leading 17-13, Sean Mannion completed a 30-yard pass to Brandin Cooks on a 3^rd-and-10 play that would have put the ball at the Stanford 36-yard line.  But WR Markus Wheaton was called for a holding penalty that, on second look, was a very debatable call.   Oregon State was forced to punt, and Stanford went on a long drive to take a 24-13 lead.

— Stanford has won its 17^th straight game, the longest winning streak in the country.   It is 9-0 for the first time since 1952.

— Stanford scored in all five trips to the red zone, including four touchdowns.  For the season, Stanford has scored on 51 of the 52 times it’s been to the red zone, and it has scored touchdowns on 41 of those red zone trips.  Its 98.1 percent scoring rate on red zone possessions leads the country.

—Stanford had scored in the first quarter in 28 straight games before being shut out in the opening period by Oregon State.  The Cardinal scored on the first play of the second quarter,  though.

KEEP AN EYE ON: WR Griff Whalen – Whalen has increased his production in recent games, and with WR Chris Owusu probably out for the Oregon game (and perhaps the season)  and the Cardinal tight ends banged up, Whalen will be critical against the Ducks.  Whalen had six receptions for 87 yards, and made a few difficult catches.  He had no more than 31 receiving yards in any of the first four games of the season, but has had more than 75 receiving yards in each of the last five contests.

LOOKING GOOD: Stanford running backs – The Cardinal rushed for 300 yards, yet no Cardinal player exceeded 100 yards.  That shows their depth at running back.  Six players rushed for at least 28 years.  Stepfan Taylor led the team with 95 yards (as well as two receptions), Tyler Gaffney had 56 yards, and Anthony Wilkerson got back in the rotation with 37 yards.  The Cardinal’s short-yardage man is fifth-year senior Jeremy Stewart, who had 47 yards and a touchdown.  The wild card is QB Andrew Luck, who seems to get his most important runs on third down, almost always converting it into a first down.

NOT LOOKING SO GOOD: The Cardinal secondary wasn’t bad against Oregon State, but it made Oregon State redshirt freshman QB Sean Mannion look pretty good.   Mannion completed 18 of 30 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown.   The Cardinal applied pretty good pressure on Mannion, sacking him three times and hurrying him on several other occasions.  But the Cardinal did not have any interceptions, even though Mannion had thrown 13 picks in the previous six games, and at least one in each of the those six contests.   The Cardinal has only three interceptions for the season, and teams have had success getting to the perimeter against Stanford in recent games.  That does not bode well for the game against Oregon.

QUOTE: “Every single road game you can credit our defense.  Every single road game we started slow on offense.  That’s just the way it’s been all year.” – Stanford coach David Shaw.

PLAYER NOTES

— QB Andrew Luck started the game 1-for-4 with an interception, but was 19-for-26 with three TDs and no picks after that.   He was not as sharp as usual, but produced two TD passes when they were needed in the second half to break the game open.

—WR Griff Whalen led the team in receiving yards with 87 on six catches.  He now leads the team in catches, with 36, and receiving yards, with 534.

—TE Coby Fleener had just two catches, but one was for a touchdown.  He now has eight touchdown catches for the season, even though he has just 20 receptions.   He also had a chance for another touchdown catch early in the game, but it slipped through his hands.

—TB Stepfan Taylor had 95 rushing yards, giving him 891 for the season, and he also had two catches, one of which was for a touchdown.  He has scored 10 touchdowns this season, including two on receptions.

— Erik Whitaker did the place-kicking for the Cardinal again with Jordan Williamson sidelined with an injury, and Whitaker has yet to miss a field goal.   He made a 31-yarder against Oregon State and is 3-for-3 or the season, although none was longer than 33 yards.

ROSTER NOTES:

— SS Delano Howell missed his third straight game when he sat out the Oregon State game with a hand injury, but there is a chance he could play against Oregon.

— WR Chris Owusu sustained a concussion in the first half and was taken to the hospital.  It’s uncertain whether he will play again this season.

—OT Cameron Fleming sat out the Oregon State game with a knee injury, and he is questionable for the Nov. 12 game against Oregon..

—K Jordan Williamson missed Oregon State game with a pulled muscle.   It was the second straight game he missed, and he is questionable for the Oregon game on Nov. 12.

— TE Zach Ertz missed the Oregon State game with a lower leg injury, and he is not expected to play in the Nov. 12 game against Oregon either.

— P David Green missed much of the Oct. 29 game against USC after receiving a blow to the head, but he played against Oregon State.

Stanford began to prove its worthiness as a top 10 team with its 65-21 pounding of then-No. 25 Washington at Stanford, but the Cardinal can cement that status with a win on Oct. 29 against USC, which will pose a more difficult obstacle than Washington.
There are five reasons USC will be the Cardinal’s biggest challenge yet, considerably bigger than Washington.

— The Trojans are the highest ranked team the Cardinal has faced.   USC is No. 20 in the Associated Press poll, five spots higher than Washington was before it faced Stanford.  Quite simply, USC is more talented than Washington, and seems to be getting better based on its road win over Notre Dame on Oct. 22.

— USC can play defense; Washington can’t.  The Cardinal can’t expect to run up and down the field with the ease it did against the Huskies’ mediocre defense.  The Trojans have one of the best run defenses in the country, so the Cardinal may not be able to overpower the Trojans on the ground as it has all past opponents, including Washington.   Stanford QB Andrew Luck will have to throw the ball for Stanford to move the ball, and this game, which is on ABC in prime time, will either solidify or weaken Luck’s status as the Heisman Trophy front-runner.

— The game against USC is in Los Angeles, and it represents the toughest road game Stanford will play all season.  USC is 4-0 at home this season, and, like most teams, Stanford has not been as dominant on the road as it’s been at home this season.

— Stanford’s one apparent vulnerability is its pass defense, and USC is equipped to take advantage of that with QB Matt Barkley and WR Robert Woods.

— USC knows it has the goods to beat Stanford, because the Trojans had Stanford all but beaten on Stanford’s home field last season.   USC scored with 1:08 left to take a one-point lead, but the Cardinal kicked a field goal on the game’s final play to win it.

Stanford is a considered a national title contender now, and this is the kind of game it must win to show it deserves to be listed with LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma State and the like.

This is Stanford’s last difficult road game, with its toughest two remaining foes – Oregon and Notre Dame – both coming to Stanford.
If Stanford can get by USC, it will set the stage for its Nov. 12 showdown with Oregon at Stanford.   The Cardinal must play Oregon State on the road in the meantime, but if Stanford is good enough to take care of USC on the road, it’s hard to imagine the Beavers being a major obstacle.

NOTES
—- Stanford is No. 4 in both the AP and Harris polls, and No. 3 in the USA Today coaches poll heading into the game against USC.   Stanford has been ranked as high as No. 2 only once, the final week of the 1940 season in the AP poll.    Despite its high ranking in the USA Today and Harris polls (the two that count in the BCS formula), Stanford is only sixth in the BCS standings.  That’s because Stanford’s soft early-season schedule leaves then ranked only ninth in the BCS computers.

—- Two of three quarterbacks expected to be taken in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft are facing off in Stanford’s Andrew Luck and USC’s Matt Barkley (Oklahoma’s Landry Jones is the other quarterback expected to be taken early).
Barkley had a big game against Stanford last season, passing for 390 yards.  He had particularly success with swing passes to the perimeter or simple hitch passes to wide receivers at the line of scrimmage, enabling the USC receivers to use their speed to make big plays against the Cardinal secondary on the outside.

—– Robert Woods had 12 catches for 224 yards against the Cardinal last season.
“He’s a guy that can take over a game, and you don’t say that about a receiver,” Stanford coach David Shaw said.

— USC TB Dillon Baxter will not be part of the team against Stanford, as he focuses on academic issues.

— Stanford has won 15 straight games, the longest active streak in the country.  The Cardinal has won each of the last 10 games by 25 points or more, the nation’s longest such streak since 1936, according to ESPN.   The Cardinal does not have any experience with tight games in the fourth quarter this season, although Stanford did fine in that category against USC last season, when Andrew Luck drove the team from the Stanford 26 to the USC 13 in the final 1:08 to set up the game-winning field goall.

SERIES HISTORY: USC leads 59-27-3 (although the 2005 USC win was vacated by the NCA)).   Last meeting 2010 (37-35 Stanford).

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Stanford is second in the country in scoring (48.6 ppg) and third in total offense, and even though the opposition has not been as stiff as that faced by most top-25 teams, that’s an indication of how good the Cardinal offense is.   Andrew Luck is generally considered the best quarterback in the country, yet Stanford’s offensive identity is that off a physical, run-first team, an identity it strengthened with its school-record 446 rushing yards against Washington.   The Cardinal offensive line has been improving every game, and it is close to as good as the Cardinal’s line of a year ago.  Stepfan Taylor and Tyler Gaffney give the Cardinal two quality runners, and Levin Toilolo, Coby Fleener and Zach Ertz make up the best tight end trio in the country.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The Cardinal’s defense has outstanding numbers against the run, ranking third nationally in run defense, and it’s been pretty good against the pass. It is against the pass the Cardinal is most vulnerable, although it did a good job against Washington QB Keith Price.   The Cardinal run defense was not as dominant against Washington, giving up two long touchdown runs to Huskies’ TB Chris Polk.    But even without its best all-around defender, ILB Syane Skov, who is out for the season with a knee injury, Stanford’s defense has been awfully good, ranking fourth in the country in scoring defense, yielding just 12.6 points a game.  If SS Delano Howell (hand) can’t play against USC, that will hurt the Cardinal against both the pass and the run.   OLB Chase Thomas is the team’s defensive star, with 10 tackles for losses, tied for the most in the Pac-12.

QUOTE: “Every single play we run has multiple options, and it’s up to Andrew (Luck) to get us in the right play with the defensive look we get.   I’d say he’s been about 98 to 99 percent in getting it right.” – Stanford coach David Shaw, on the presnap reads Luck must make.

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Stanford at USC, Saturday, Oct. 29, 5 p.m., ABC TV – Stanford is 7-0 overall, 5-0 in the Pac-12, while USC is 6-1, 3-1 in the conference. Stanford is in the North Division and USC in the South, but they cannot meet in the conference championship game, because USC is ineligible.  Stanford has won three of the last four games against USC, including the 2007 game in which Stanford pulled off one of the biggest upsets in history.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Stanford must prevent USC’s offense from marching up and down the field on quick passes to the perimeter as it did last season.  The Trojans were able to take advantage of their speed and athleticism in space by just dumping the ball quickly to the perimeter, and letting its players outrun or overpower Stanford’s defensive backs.   The Cardinal secondary will have to tackle better than it did against Washington last week.   Offensively, Stanford will have to prove it can match USC’s strength (run defense) with its strength (run offense).   Whichever team wins that battle up front should be the winner.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB Andrew Luck – Luck dropped from third to fifth nationally in pass efficiency, but he is the front-runner on every credible Heisman poll being released.  He has thrown three interceptions this season, but two were on balls that were deflected.

TEs Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo – They had a quiet day by their standards, combining for just 3 receptions for 30 yards against Washington.   Nonetheless, it is these three, not the wide receivers, who represent the big-play threats in Stanford’s offense.

S Michael Thomas – He leads the team in tackles with 33, and has become a big-play defender with three tackles for losses and two interceptions.  He also has six passes defended (knocked down).  With Delano Howell out against Washington, Thomas was switched from free safety to strong safety and made the adjustment without a problem.   He may have to do that again, because Howell is questionable.

ROSTER NOTES:
– SS Delano Howell missed the Washington game with a hand injury, and he is questionable for the USC game on Oct. 29.
— ILB Shayne Sjov is out for the season with a knee injury.
—Former Stanford TB Cory Booker is now the mayor of Neward, N.J., and he gave the team a pep talk before the Washington game.
–QB Brett Nottingham leads the team in pass efficiency with a rating of 196.69, nearly 17 points better than Andrew Luck.   Nottingham is 4-for-7 with a touchdown pass.
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For all practical purposes, Stanford’s season starts with the Oct. 22 home game against Washington.   The Cardinal’s first six games – all against overmatched opponents Stanford dominated – merely served as a warmup for the second half of the Stanford season, which includes games against USC, Oregon and Notre Dame as well as the Huskies, who come into the Stanford game ranked No. 22.

Those games will determine whether Stanford is the top-10 team many believe it is and whether QB Andrew Luck is the top Heisman Trophy candidate many believe he is.

Most of all, though, the Washington game will indicate whether the Cardinal defense is as good as it seemed to be in the first half of the season.

While Cardinal offense has been effective, scoring at least 37 points in every game, it has had segments of inefficiency in games.   That has not happened with the Stanford defense, which ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense, yielding just 11.5 points a game and being a virtual stone wall against the run.

But that was against mediocre teams, and none of its conference games has been against title contenders.   Washington is a different animal, and it has the weapons to exploit Stanford biggest weakness – pass defense.

The Cardinal’s pass defense has not been poor, and the passing numbers opponents have put up against the Cardinal result in large part from the fact that Stanford gets so far ahead early in games that teams are forced to throw to try to catch up.   The fact that Stanford ranks second nationally in rushing defense has something to do with teams’ preference for the pass as well.

Nonetheless, Stanford’s pass defense is not as good as its run defense, and Washington QB Keith Price is very capable of exploiting it.   He has been surprisingly effective as Jake Locker’s successor, and his numbers are much better than Locker’s were.

Price ranks fifth nationally in pass efficiency, and his 21 touchdown passes are just one off the national lead.    And he throws well on the move, which may negate Stanford’s best weapon against the pass – its pass rush.

Washington TB Chris Polk is the best running back Stanford has faced this season, but the bigger threat for Stanford is Price.
The Cardinal defense does not have to be perfect, because Stanford should be able to score points on the Huskies, who have yielded quite a few points and a lot of yards, especially against the pass.

Stanford will try to wear down the Huskies defense with its ground game, as it does every week, but Luck could have a monster game passing.

NOTES

– Despite being No. 5 in the USA Today poll and No. 7 in the Harris poll, the Cardinal is just eighth in the first BCS standings released Oct. 16.    That’s because Stanford’s weak opposition in its first six games lowered its computer ranking.   Although Stanford ranks second in the nation in margin of victory (34.6 points per game) that does not matter, because the BCS computers are not allowed to factor in margin of victory.
– Stanford has won 14 straight games, which is the nation’s longest winning streak, and the longest winning streak in school history.
– The Stanford-Washington game features two of the nation’s top five rated passers.  Stanford QB Andrew Luck ranks third in pass efficiency, and Washington QB Keith Price is fifth.
– Washington is ranked for the first time this season, coming it at No. 22 in the AP poll and No., 24 in the USA Today poll.   Not only is Washington the first ranked opponent Stanford has faced this season, but none of the Cardinal’s first six opponents currently has a winning record.
– Stanford beat Washington 41-0 last season in Seattle, and that was the Huskies first shutout at home since 1976.

SCOUTING STANFORD’S OFFENSE: Stanford has scored at least 37 points in every game this season, and no team has been able to effectively slow Stanford’s ground game or its passing attack.   That was against mediocre defenses, though, although Washington has had trouble holding opponents down as well.  QB Andrew Luck is the centerpiece of the offense, ranking third nationally in pass efficiency, although he had just a so-so game against Washington State in his previous game.    His best receivers are his three tight ends – Levin Toilolo, Zach Ertz and Coby Fleener.  They are often in the game simultaneously, giving Stanford the option to run power football or pass effectively with the same personnel.  All three have more than enough speed to get deep.  Stepfan Taylor is the top rusher, and despite its passing weapons, Stanford’s offensive identity is as a power running team.  If WR Chris Owusu can’t play, that will hurt a bit, because the Cardinal don’t have a lot of experienced talent at wide receiver.

SCOUTING STANFORD’S DEFENSE: The Cardinal’s defense has outstanding numbers against the run, ranking second nationally in run defense, yielding 59.5 rushing yards a game and just 2.08 yards an attempt.   The loss of ILB Shayne Skov has not hurt the Stanford defense yet, but Washington may be the first team that might be able to expose that weakness over the middle.   OLB Chase Thomas gets the bulk of the publicity, because he has 7.5 tackles for losses and 5.5 sacks, but the biggest reason for the Cardinal’s defensive success is the work of their front three – Ben Gardner, Matt Masifilo and Terrence Stephens.  The Cardinal started the game against Washington State with just defensive linemen, four linebackers and five defensive backs.  They may do that again against Washington, although the Huskies have more of a running threat than Washington State did.

QUOTE: “We don’t discriminate.  Whoever makes plays gets the ball.  It’s all production-based.” – Stanford coach Davis Shaw, on the fact that the Cardinal tight ends play a larger role in the passing game than its wide receivers.

SATURDAY’S GAME: Washington at Stanford, Oct. 22 – Washington is 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the conference after beating Colorado 52-24 on Oct. 15.   Stanford is 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Pac-12 after beating Washington State 44-14 on Oct. 15.  Stanford has won the past three games against Washington and five of the past six.  Washington is ranked No. 22 in the AP poll, making it the first ranked opponent Stanford has faced this season.

SERIES HISTORY: Washington leads 40-37-4.  Last meeting 2010 (41-0 Stanford).

KEYS TO THE GAME: Stanford must prevent Washington WB Keith Price from having a big game, and that means applying pressure to Price and keeping him in the pocket.   When he is allowed to move around in the pocket or scramble outside, he effectively finds receivers for big gains.  Even though Washington TB Chris Polk is seventh nationally in rushing, at 121.3 yards a game, the key to Washington’s offense is Price’s passing.  Offensively, Stanford just needs to have a typical game with run-pass balance, because the Huskies defense is not particularly good. The Cardinal should be able to sustain drives if it avoids turnovers, something it has done well all season until the game against Washington State, when it turned the ball over twice in the first half and nearly had a few other turnovers.

STANFORD PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB Andrew Luck – Lucks ranks third in the nation in pass efficiency, and although he did not have a particularly good game against Washington State, he still earned Pac-12 offensive player of the week honors.   He should have a big game against Washington’s suspect pass defense.
TEs Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo – Stanford’s offense took off in the second half against Washington State when these three became involved in the Cardinal’s passing game.  Fleener has 6 touchdown receptions and is particularly effective in the red zone.  All three may be in the game at the same time, which gives the Cardinal all kinds of play-calling options.
TB Stepfan Taylor – A good runner (93.2 yards a game) and good receiver (11 catches), Taylor’s best asset may be his pass-blocking.   He’s a big reason Stanford has yielded just two sacks, the fewest in the country.  He’s not as spectacular as some backs, but he’s as well-rounded a back as you’ll find.  He also has excellent ball security, although he lost a fumble for the first time this season in the Oct. 15 game against Washington State.

ROSTER NOTES:
– WR Chris Owusu missed nearly all the Washington State game after taking a hard hit to the upper body and head.  He has had concussion issues in the past, so the Cardinal will be conservative with him, making him questionable for the game against Washington.
–TB Tyler Gaffney, who had been getting increased playing time as his production increased, left the Washington State game with a side injury, and it’s unclear whether he will play against Washington.

We’ll see

Let’s take a moment following Stanford’s first official day of basketball practice to commemorate a historic moment: Andy Brown made it through an entire practice without getting hurt.

The Cardinal men held their first official practice Friday, and Brown, a junior acaedmically, participated to a limited extent.  He still is not participating in full-contact drills, but the fact that he came out of the session no worse off is an accomplishment, because it was the first official practice Brown has completed since he has been at Stanford.

You may recall that late in January 2009, soon after committing to Stanford  during his senior season at Mater Dei, Brown tore his anterior-cruciate ligament.   He was able to recover to be ready to participate in Stanford’s first official practice his freshman season.  However, he did not complete that first pracctice because he tore the anterior-cruciate ligament in the same knee midway through that practice session.

He sat out the season, and again rehabilitated to the point where, by mid-summer, he was on track to be ready to participate in the opening practice last season.   But several weeks before that practice, Brown tore the same ACL on the same knee.   Again he was out for the season, and there was some thought that he might not consider undergoing the long arduous rehabilitation and might just give up basketball.

But he is giving it another try.  He’s back with the team pacticing, which is a testament to his will in itself.  However, it remains to be seen whether Brown, a 6-7 small forward, can contribute with his lingering knee issues and the fact that he hasn’t played in an official game or participated in an official practice since January of 2009.

The soft part of Stanford’s early-season schedule did not completely end with its 48-7 victory over Colorado on Oct. 8, but the competition will get progressively more challenging over the next several games leading up to the Nov. 12 showdown against  Oregon.

The Cardinal has not been challenged so far this season, partly because Stanford is so talented and so efficient, but also because the teams it has faced have not been very good.  Colorado was the latest example. The Buffaloes are 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12, and they blew any chance of jumping on top of the Cardinal when it had a 29-yard field goal attempt blocked and returned for a Stanford touchdown early in the game.

QB Andrew Luck had another nearly flawless game, going 26-for-33 for 370 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on a tipped ball, but this was against a Colorado secondary that was riddled with injuries and isn’t that good when everyone is healthy.

“The way Luck checks off at the line of scrimmage, reads everything that’s going on, makes it so tough,” Colorado coach John Embree told the San Francisco Chronicle. “You put too much pressure on him, it exposes your corner. If you’re loaded against the run, he’ll pass. Set up for the pass, he’ll run the ball. You can’t disguise it. He’s just the best quarterback, no doubt.”

The Cardinal’s road to a Rose Bowl or perhaps a national championship gets a little tougher in its next game, a road game against an improved Washington State team that is more than a mere pushover in Pullman, Wash., which is the site of that Oct. 15 game against Stanford.  However, the Cougars lost to UCLA on Oct. 8, and the Cardinal should be able to handle them.

Then come games against Washington, which is better than Washington State, followed by a game against USC, which may be better than Washington.

All three have good passing attacks, and pass defense has been the Cardinal’s only perceptible weakness so far. Buffaloes QB Tyler Hansen had 202 yards passing, which is a pretty good showing for the Cardinal defense against a decent passing team.  However, the Buffaloes were without their top receiving threat, because Paul Richardson was a game-time scratch with a sore knee.

The Buffaloes managed just 60 yards on the ground, demonstrating again how good Stanford’s rushing defense is, even if it has been against weak opposition.  The Cardinal is yielding just 61.8 yards per game on the ground, which ranks second in the country as of Oct. 9.

Rodney Stewart, who entered the game averaging 82 rushing yards per game, managed just 21 yards on 11 carries against the Cardinal, less than two yards a carry.

Stanford gave Colorado a chance to make a game of it by fumbling the opening kickoff, giving Colorado possession at the Stanford 35-yard line.   But the Buffaloes could not push it across for a touchdown, and when their 29-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Cardinal linebacker Max Bergen, who picked up the loose ball on a bounce and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown, that essentially ended the game less than four minutes into the contest .

After that, the game was merely a showcase for Luck and Stanford’s group of talented tight ends.

NOTES

– Stanford has won 13 consecutive games, the longest winning streak in the country and tied for the longest winning streak in school history. The Cardinal also has won 10 straight home games, dating back to a loss to Cal near the end of the 2009 season.

–For the first time this season, none of Stanford’s talented tight end trio of Levine Toilolo, Zach Ertz and Coby Fleener caught a touchdown pass.  However, Ryan Hewitt caught two touchdown passes, and, for all practical purposes, Hewitt is a tight end too.  Officially, he is listed as a fullback and lines up in the backfield much of the time, but he wears No. 85 and is used much like the other tight ends.  Fleener and Toilolo each caught a pass that ended at the 1-yard line.

–Stanford is 5-0 for the first time since 1951.

–Stanford’s margin of victory of victory has not been less than 27 points in any of its last eight games, including all five this year.

KEEP WATCHING THIS GUY: QB Andrew Luck – He seems to be getting better as the season goes on.  His numbers through five games this year are better than his statistics after five games a year ago, although the competition has been mediocre for Stanford so far in 2011.  Teams try to put pressure on him, but he finds ways to subtly move away from the rush and find open receivers with his quick release.  He threw an interception against Colorado, but it was a ball that went right through the hands of Stanford receiver Chris Owusu, deflecting to a Colorado defender.  He was not sacked by the Buffaloes and Cardinal quarterbacks have been sacked just twice all season, tied with three other teams for the fewest in the country.  He ranks third nationally in pass efficiency as of Oct. 9, behind only Baylor’s Robert Griffin III and Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson.

LOOKING GOOD: TB Tyler Gaffney had 61 rushing yards on 9 carries, the first time this season someone other than Stepfan Taylor led the team in rushing. Gaffney is not about to replace Taylor as the starter and primary ball-carrier, but he has been progressively more effective and his playing time is increasing.  He has been particularly effective running out of the wildcat formation, recording runs of 15 and 21 yards when taking a direct snap after producing a 16-yard touchdown run out of the wildcat formation in the previous game against UCLA.

NOT LOOKING SO GOOD: The Cardinal special teams looked ragged. Although the blocked Colorado field goal attempt Max Bergen  returned for a Stanford touchdown was a high point for the special teams, the rest was not so good.  Stanford’s Jeremy Stewart fumbled the opening kickoff, giving Colorado the ball at the Stanford 35, and Drew Terrell muffed a punt when a teammate bumped into him when he was about to field the ball.   K Jordan Williamson missed an extra point for the first time this season, and he missed his only field-goal attempt, a 47-yarder, which was his first miss of the season.

QUOTE: “Every game he does something that not many humans can do.” – Stanford coach Davis Shaw on Andrew Luck.

PLAYER NOTES

– QB Andrew Luck threw for 370 yards against Colorado, the second highest total of his career. He threw his second interception of the season, but it came on a perfectly thrown ball to Chris Owusu, who let the ball slip through his hands and into the arms of a Colorado defender. Both of Luck’s interceptions this season have come on tipped balls.

– WR Griff Whalen had a season-high four catches for a career-high 92 yards. He also had his first touchdown catch of the season, which was only the third touchdown reception by a Stanford wide receiver this year.

– TB Tyler Gaffney had 61 rushing yards on 9 carried and a touchdown and had a pass reception for another 11 yards.

–FB/H-Back Ryan Hewitt had four receptions against Colorado, two of which were for touchdowns.

–S Michael Thomas had Stanford first interception of the season on Oct. 8 against Colorado, and it came in the fourth quarter, well after the outcome had been determined.

ROSTER NOTES:

–CB Barry Browning, who missed the Oct. 1 game against UCLA because of back spasms, was back in the starting lineup against Colorado.

–Redshirt freshman K Jordan Williams missed an extra point for the first time this season, when his boot after the Cardinal’s second touchdown bounced off the right upright. He also had his first missed field goal, missing on a 47-yarder. He had made his first 7 field goals.

–ILB Shayne Skov, who is out for the season after tearing his medial collateral ligament and his anterior cruciate ligament, had one surgery soon after sustaining the injury Sept. 17, and he will have another surgery on the knee near the end of October.  He expects to be ready to play for Stanford next season.

–Junior TB Stepfan Taylor scored his 22^nd touchdown against Colorado, moving him into sole possession of sixth place on the Stanford career list.

__________________________

There seems to be only one factor that could prevent Stanford from blowing out Colorado: The Buffaloes’ passing game. Colorado relies heavily on the passing of QB Tyler Hansen to move the ball, and he has been decent, if not great. More significant is the fact that Stanford’s biggest weakness this season has been its pass defense. Even UCLA, which typically gets most of its yardage on the ground and has had shaky quarterback play all season, was able to move the ball through the air against the Cardinal.

Stanford still beat the Bruins handily 45-19, but if UCLA’s Richard Brehaut can have success throwing the ball, it stands to reason that Hansen, a better passer than Brehaut, can have success as well.

However, it would require Hansen to have a spectacular day for the Buffs to challenge the Cardinal, which seems superior in every other category.

Stanford’s offense was consistently effective against UCLA, demonstrating the run-pass balance it had been seeking earlier in the season. QB Andrew Luck had an efficient game, completing 23 of 27 passes, and it’s hard to imagine him making enough mistakes to allow Colorado to stay in the game. Luck even called his own plays on a number of occasions against UCLA, adding a dimension to his NFL stock and to Stanford’s offense.

The biggest difference between the two teams could be the offensive line. Stanford’s front five – which is often a front seven or eight with two or three tight ends in the game together – has been getting better each week. Although it is not as proficient as last year’s offensive line, which may have been the best in the country, it is pretty good now.

That line is part of the reason Stanford has yielded only two sacks this season, although Luck’s decision-making, strength and mobility have played a part as well. That line will be tested because Colorado has the best pass rush Stanford has seen. But if Luck has any time at all, he should be able to carve up a Colorado secondary that is beset with injuries.

Colorado’s offensive line, on the other hand, has been unable to promote a running game and has yielded 13 sacks. With Stanford owning a strong pass rush, it hopes to shut down Hansen and the Buffaloes passing attack by applying pressure.

Stanford faces another passing team in Washington State on Oct. 15, so the next two games should indicate whether Stanford’s pass defense is ready for the likes of Washington and USC, which are Stanford’s opponents after the Cougars.

NOTES

– Much of the attention leading up to the Colorado game is the fact that Stanford QB Andrew Luck called his own plays on a number of occasions against UCLA on Oct. 1. He called many of the plays in the Cardinal’s opening 99-yard drive that ended with the game’s first touchdown, and he was given that responsibility several other times throughout the game.

Stanford coach Davis Shaw said having the quarterback call plays was  something Jon Gruden incorporated into the Raiders offense when he was Oakland’s head coach. Shaw, a Raiders assistant under Gruden from 1998 to 2001, said it’s been in the Cardinal’s repertoire for some time.

“We used it two years ago against SC (USC), but it’s been on the shelf since then,” Shaw said.  “We have one of the few quarterbacks who can truly do it, and we want to take advantage of it.”

Shaw said Stanford will continue to let Luck call plays periodically.

Colorado coach John Embree was impressed that Luck knew how to utilize that play-calling power.

“He did not go crazy with it,” Embree said.  “I’m sure if you give every kid the option to call their own plays, there would be a lot of deep balls.”

– Stanford’s 12-game winning streak is the longest in the country. The Cardinal also has won nine home games in a row, although that streak is not among the nation’s leaders.

– Stanford’s Associated Press ranking has fallen the past two weeks even though it remained unbeaten and has not yet had a close game.  The Cardinal was as high as No. 5, but dropped to No. 6 on the Sept. 26 AP poll following a bye and fell to No. 7 on Oct. 2 following a 45-19 victory over UCLA. It says something about the Cardinal’s schedule.  Duke, at 3-2, is the only one of Stanford’s first four opponents that has a winning record as of Oct. 6.

– Stanford probably will have starting CB Barry Browning back after he missed the UCLA game with a back problem. If he can’t play, Stanford will go with Terrence Brown, who had a team-high seven solo tackles against UCLA.

STATUS OS STANFORD’S OFFENSE: The Cardinal attack was as effective as it’s been all season against UCLA, showing the run-pass balance it seeks. The Cardinal is averaging 45.8 points, which ranks seventh in the country. QB Andrew Luck ranks sixth nationally in pass efficiency, TB Stepfan Taylor is averaging just over 100 yards a game, the offensive line is improving and the Cardinal tight ends have been exceptional. The only mitigating factor is that Stanford has done it against weak defenses, so it remains to be seen whether Stanford’s offense can be as dominant against teams with good defenses. The Cardinal would also like to get more production from its wide receivers.

STATUS OF STANFORD’S DEFENSE: The Cardinal’s defense has been good overall, but the Cardinal has shown some weakness against the pass. Although UCLA ran the ball fairly effectively against Stanford, the Bruins have a strong running game, and the Cardinal still ranks No. 4 in the country against the run. The Cardinal also has had a strong pass rush.   However, despite that pass rush, opponents have been effective passing the ball, allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 63.2 percent of their passes. Stanford has been vulnerable over the middle, particularly since ILB Shayne Skov went down with a season-ending knee injury.
QUOTE: “I told our kids, the ones who won’t play professionally, ‘You’ll get an opportunity to see what it’s like to go against Peyton Manning.’” – Colorado coach John Embree, on facing Stanford QB Andrew Luck.

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Colorado at Stanford, Oct. 7 – Stanford is 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the conference, while Colorado is 1-4 overall and 0-1 in its first season in the Pac-12. Colorado has played two conference opponents, although its loss to California was a nonconference game.  This will be the teams’ first meeting in 18 years.

SERIES HISTORY: Series tied 3-3 (last meeting, 1993, 41-37 Stanford).

KEYS TO THE GAME: The pass rush is the critical factor. If Stanford can give QB Andrew Luck time and pressure Colorado QB Tyler Hansen, the Cardinal should be in good shape. Stanford has yielded only two sacks, but Colorado has a strong pass rush, having record 17 or 18 sacks (Colorado has the Buffs with 18 sacks, but the official NCAA stats have them with 17). Keeping the Buffaloes at bay will be key, because Colorado’s banged-up secondary should be easy pickings for Luck if he has time. Hansen has been sacked 13 times this season, and if Stanford can get to him and control Colorado’s big-play receiver, Paul Richardson, the Buffaloes don’t have any way to beat the Cardinal. One concern for the Cardinal is the pass-catching ability of Colorado TB Rodney Stewart, who might be able to exploit the Cardinal’s weakness on short passes over the middle with ILB Shayne Skov no longer in the lineup.

STANFORD PLAYERS TO WATCH:

TB Stepfan Taylor – Taylor has had over 100 yards rushing in each of his past two games, even though he shares ball-carrying duties with Taylor Gaffney and Anthony Wilkerson.

TEs Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo – The Cardinal probably has the best threesome of tight ends in the country, and Stanford uses them well, often having all three in the game at the same time.   All three are deep threats, and they have combined for 9 of the team’s 12 touchdown receptions this season.

QB Andrew Luck  — Luck probably won’t put up breathtaking yardage numbers, because the Cardinal will try to pound Colorado. But he has been remarkably efficient, and he makes a lot of on-field decisions to get the Cardinal into the right play.  It will be interesting to see whether he is allowed to call his own plays on some series as he was against UCLA.  His ability to avoid the pass rush – either by stepping up in the pocket or scrambling or finding secondary receivers and getting rid of the ball quickly – is something to behold.

OLB Chase Thomas – Thomas is the team’s best pass-rusher with 4.5 sacks, and his 1.13 sacks per game lead the Pac-12 and are fourth nationally.  He has 6.5 tackles for loss, and he should be able to get to Colorado QB Tyler Hansen. However, with Shayne Skov sidelined, tams have been able to focus more on containing Thomas.

ROSTER NOTES

– Sophomore CB Brian Browning missed the UCLA game after experiencing back spasms in pregame warmup. There is a pretty good chance he will be ready for the Oct. 7 Colorado game.

– Junior ILB Shayne Skov is out for the season with a knee injury.

–ILB Max Bergen probably will start the game against Colorado despite being knocked woozy on a play against Colorado.

–Redshirt freshman K Jordan Williamson is 7-for-7 on field-goal attempts, with his longest being 45 yards.