Stanford University NCAA News

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller Stanford's Toby Gerhart and Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers are among the 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to the nation's best running back.

This time nobody is saying that a Stanford victory at USC is impossible. Coach Jim Harbaugh hasn't remarked that some people think his team could lose 1,000 to zero.

LAST SEASON: 20-14, 6-12 COACH: Johnny Dawkins, second season, 20-14 KEY PLAYER: Senior guard/forward Landry Fields .

In other words, they chose to play nice in their conference call interviews because the fairer the fight, the less whimsical, impish or antagonistic either coach behaves.

This autumn, college football in the Bay Area has been one nutty ride. Ever think Stanford would still be in the Rose Bowl hunt come November? Or that Cal would be clawing to finish in the top half of the Pac-10? Or that San Jose State would be desperate to win three games? Yet some things don't change.

And I guess there's a football game too. A 12:30 p.m. kickoff may be somewhat of a buzzkill for most USC fans, but the Trojans are probably just happy to be returning home.

After the last four weeks, and especially after last week's blowout of USC, I thought we were invincible.

Stanford made one thing clear with its upset victory over Pac-10 leader Oregon: There will be a full-fledged scramble for the conference title over a chaotic final four weeks.

Over the past decade, Oklahoma has rarely been out of the AP Top 25 and Stanford has rarely been in.

Four nominees for the AT&T All-America Player of the Week award have been announced after the tenth week of college football action, and AT&T* is relying on fans to determine who rules the gridiron.

THIRD QUARTER: The Ducks have outscored opponents 105-46 in the third quarter this season... Jamere Holland again - TD, 39 yards.

They're the young and the relentless. A handful of first-year players have begun asserting themselves as Stanford prepares for a make-or-break month of football, starting Saturday against No.

Redshirt freshman QB Andrew Luck has thrown nine TD passes and just three interceptions.

Oregon freshman running back LaMichael James has been named the Pac-10's offensive player of the week after he had 24 carries for 183 yards and a touchdown in Oregon's 47-20 victory over USC on Halloween.

The Oregon Ducks have ascended all the way up to the seventh spot in the latest national poll, and they will put that lofty ranking on the line, when they take on the Stanford Cardinal this weekend in Pac-10 action.

As one of his best friends, Oregon tight end Ed Dickson can't wait to welcome back LeGarrette Blount into the Ducks' offense.

Back at the start of the season, some wondered where the Pac-10's quarterbacks had gone.

Stanford is back on the brink, which hasn't been a warm and welcoming place over the years.

Owusu sparks Stanford to rout of San Jose St. WERE YOU THERE? Did you attend this game? If so, start chronicling your sports memories today with ESPN's Sports Passport.

He got off the phone and told his coach, Jeff Hulme, what had happened. "Notre Dame - that's pretty big stuff," Hulme told him.