Stanford football's tough finish starts today

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STANFORD -- Stanford has been pointing to the brutal four-game November stretch as the defining moment for the season ever since arriving at fall camp. The Cardinal end the season with their four toughest games, No. 7 Oregon, No. 12 USC, No. 23 Cal and No. 19 Notre Dame all in succession.

What no one knew at the start of the season was that the toughest game might come first, when the Cardinal (5-3, 4-2 Pac-10) host the Ducks (7-1, 5-0) today.

"This is a huge opportunity for us if we want to take the next step," running back Toby Gerhart said. "We have a chance to beat the best team in the Pac-10."

Oregon earned that title last week with a 47-20 win over USC that put the Ducks in control of the Pac-10 race and in contention for a spot in the Bowl Championship Series title game. Oregon shredded USC for 613 yards, the second most ever allowed by the Trojans.

The Ducks have had few problems of late with one of the country's most dangerous offenses. Freshman running back LaMichael James has replaced suspended star LeGarrette Blount and is the leading rusher in Pac-10 games, averaging 137.6 yards per game.

Stanford will have to stop the Ducks without one of its top defensive players. Middle linebacker Clinton Snyder will miss the remainder of the season with an injured left knee.

GRAMBLING WRECK -- A dozen students and a bus driver are being treated after three buses carrying members of the renowned Grambling State marching band were involved in a traffic crash in southern Arkansas. None of the injuries are life-threatening. Four buses were near Fordyce, Ark., when the second bus sloweda and the third and fourth buses ran into each other.

FRESNO STATE -- The nation's leading rusher -- Ryan Mathews of Fresno Sate -- comes to the Kibbie Dome today. Mathews is averaging 164 yards per game. Idaho (7-2, 4-1 WAC), meanwhile, is enjoying the nation's biggest turnaround, and has already won five more games than it did last year. Fresno State (5-3, 4-1) has won four straight after a slow start that included losses to top 10 teams Boise State and Cincinnati. The teams are tied for third in the WAC, after Nevada and Boise State. Idaho has not beaten Fresno State since 1967, and never since joining the WAC in 2005.