FACTS & STATS: Site: Autzen Stadium (54,000) -- Eugene, Oregon. Television:FSN. Home Record: Stanford 4-0, Oregon 3-1. Away Record: Stanford 1-4, Oregon 3-2. Neutral Record: Stanford 0-0, Oregon 0-0. Conference Record: Stanford 4-2, Oregon 4-2. Series Record: Stanford leads, 43-27-1.

GAME NOTES: The Stanford Cardinal will try to become bowl eligible this weekend, as they visit Eugene to take on the Oregon Ducks in a Pac-10 clash at Autzen Stadium. The Cardinal enter the contest fresh off its most impressive win of the season, a 58-0 blanking of hapless Washington State last weekend. It was the program's largest margin of victory since pounding Idaho 63-0 in 1949 and its first shutout of a Pac-10 opponent since a 17-0 defeat of Oregon in 1974. Now at 5-4 overall, Stanford is just one win shy of securing its first bowl berth since 2001. As for Oregon, it had its sights set on a Pac-10 title before falling at California, 26-16, this past weekend. The loss snapped the club's two-game win streak and dropped its out of the Top 25. With a 6-3 overall mark and a 4-2 league ledger, the Ducks still have a lot to play for, but must avoid a poor ending to the season like past years. As for the all-time series, Stanford holds a 43-27-1 edge over Oregon, but the Ducks have won six straight and seven of the last eight encounters.

The Cardinal really has its ground game working for it, churning out a hardy 209.2 rushing ypg this season. Of the team's 29 offensive touchdowns, 21 have come via the run, display how successful this attack has been. Last weekend, Stanford turned in its third highest rushing total in school history, gaining 344 yards in a 58-0 defeat of WSU. Toby Gerhart led the charge, as he rushed for 132 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries. It was a stout performance by Gerhart, who has enjoyed a terrific campaign and leads the team with 911 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. Anthony Kimble, who has rushed for 544 yards this season, also got involved with 92 yards and a score on just five carries last weekend. With the success on the ground, quarterback Tavita Pritchard wasn't needed much last weekend and he threw for just 41 yards and a score in the win over WSU. Pritchard hasn't exactly flourished this season either and has passed for eight touchdowns against nine interceptions, clearly a negative ratio. However, he will be needed this weekend with the Ducks surely focusing on Stanford's ground game.

Defensively, Stanford has done a decent job this season in limiting the opposition to 23.6 ppg and 366.4 total ypg. The unit had fared well against the run (106.6 ypg), but has been exploited through the air, giving up 259.9 ypg. The Cardinal, though, has flourished in its attempts to get into the backfield, registering an impressive 30 sacks. In clearly its best effort of the season, Stanford held WSU to a mere 225 total yards, while recording four sacks last weekend. The defense permitted just 73 yards on the ground and forced five turnovers. Tom Keiser had a pair of sacks in the win, bringing his total to a team-best six for the season. Pat Maynor wasn't much of factor last weekend, but he paces the Cardinal with 60 stops and eight TFLs on the year.

Stanford isn't the only team in the Pac-10 that can run the ball successfully, as Oregon enters the contest producing an even better 270.7 rushing ypg. The unit has racked up an incredible 32 touchdowns on the ground, helping the team to average a healthy 38.7 ppg. Last weekend, the Ducks rolled up 206 yards on the ground, but they passed for just 84 yards and committed three turnovers in a 26-16 loss at Cal. Jeremiah Johnson guided Oregon in defeat with 117 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. LeGarrette Blount however, was limited to just one yard on four carries. With those efforts, Johnson now leads the team with 690 rushing yards, while Blount ranks second with 651 yards. Both players also have a nose for the end zone, with Blount pacing the team with 12 touchdowns and Johnson trailing him at 10. Last weekend, Jeremiah Masoli ran for 97 yards and a score on 21 carries, but threw for just 44 yards and two interceptions on 7-of-21 tosses. Masoli has had his up and downs this season, but has fared well overall, rushing for 424 yards and three scores and throwing for 770 yards and six touchdowns. He, however, could give way to Justin Roper, who saw time for the second straight weekend after missing several weeks with an injury. Roper was the starter prior to his injury.

On defense, the Ducks have put forth several solid efforts this season, but they have also been exploited on some occasions. Overall, the team is giving up 364.6 total ypg, while combating some of those yards by forcing 21 turnovers and recording 29 sacks. Despite the loss last weekend, Oregon played rather well on defense, as it limited Cal to just 348 total yards. More impressively, the unit forced five turnovers, four of which came on fumbles. T.J. Ward had 10 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles, while Nick Reed notched a sack and three fumbles recoveries. Reed has been a beast this season and leads the team with nine sacks and five fumbles recoveries, while ranking second with 13 TFLs.

Oregon has the edge in this one, as its ground game is a little more potent and its defense a little more athletic. Look for the Ducks to continue their dominance of Stanford with a home victory this weekend.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Oregon 34, Stanford 19

Saturday, November 8th, 3:30 p.m. (et)