No. 20 Stanford rebounded from an uncharacteristic sub-.500 start to the season to head into its bye week in familiar territory: leading the race for the Pac-12 North division title.
The Cardinal (5-2, 4-1 Pac-12) return to league competition with a clear path to the Pac-12 championship game -- win out, and they are bound for Santa Clara, Calif. Easier said than done, considering Stanford plays fellow Top 20 division counterparts Washington and Washington State.
The Cardinal kick off their final stretch Thursday on the road against a sputtering Oregon State team in Corvallis, Ore., just two weeks after the surprise resignation of Beavers coach Gary Andersen.