AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron

No. 20 Stanford at Oregon State

When: Thursday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m. PST (ESPN)

Where: Reser Stadium

Records: Oregon State 1-6 (0-4 Pac-12), Stanford 5-2 (4-1)

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Cardinal this season: After a slow start to the season, in recent weeks Stanford has looked like the best team in the Pac-12. The Cardinal has struggled to throw the ball, ranking 11th in the league in passing yards per game while using three different quarterbacks (Keller Chryst, K.J. Costello and Ryan Burns). Yet the Stanford offense has gotten plenty of production thanks to running back Bryce Love, who is putting together one of the top seasons in recent college football history. The defense has not been as strong compared to prior years, but does have elite defensive backs and leads the conference with a plus-8 turnover margin.

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AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Star power

Bryce Love – The former sprinter from North Carolina is the nation's leading rusher by a wide margin. Equipped with a 4.3 40-yard dash time, Love is the ultimate home run hitter. He has 18 carries of 30 yards or more, nearly twice as many as each player in second place (10), and his lowest rushing output of the season was a 147-yard performance on Oct. 14 against Oregon when an injury forced him out of the game early.

Quenton Meeks – The junior cornerback has started ever since stepping foot on campus, entered this year with preseason All-America hype and is living up to that billing with three interceptions.

Justin Reid – The junior safety started the year alongside Meeks on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list and has responded by tallying the most interceptions in the Pac-12 (five).

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Did you know: Oregon State's last Thursday night win came against No. 1 USC on Sept. 25, 2008.

Point spread: Stanford by 23

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Threat level (1-5 scale): 5. The Cardinal is coming off a bye week and has won four consecutive games after losses at USC and San Diego State. Stanford has remarkably replaced former Heisman finalist and top 10 NFL draft pick Christian McCaffrey with Bryce Love. Only the slightest crease is needed for Love to break a monster game-changing run and he also among the top tackle-breakers in Division I football.

Stanford does, however, miss former defensive end Solomon Thomas (now with the San Francisco 49ers) and has seen drop offs in rushing defense and sacks. Unfortunately for the Beavers, the two teams are at opposite ends of the turnover margin spectrum (OSU is minus-eight for the year).

What's working in Oregon State’s favor? The Beavers found their run game against Colorado, Stanford must play a mid-week road night game – often upset terrain – and is gearing up for critical consecutive matchups with Pac-12 North foes Washington State and Washington.

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Early prediction: Stanford 41, Oregon State 20