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FACTS & STATS: Site: Reser Stadium (35,362) -- Corvallis, Oregon. Television:FSN. Home Record: Stanford 3-0, OSU 1-2. Away Record: Stanford 1-1, OSU 2-0. Neutral Record: Stanford 0-0, OSU 0-0. Conference Record: Stanford 3-0, OSU 1-1. Series Record: Stanford leads, 48-24-3.

GAME NOTES: The Stanford Cardinal will try to continue their early season run and remain atop the Pac-10 standings this weekend, as they challenge the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium.

Courtesy of a current three-game win streak, the team's longest since 2005, the Cardinal is off to a 4-1 start, its best beginning to a campaign since 2001. Stanford currently sits alone atop the Pac-10 standings at a perfect 3-0 and that includes a 24-16 victory over UCLA last weekend. It was the first win over UCLA since 2003, and the Cardinal is now just one win away from matching its entire total from last season.

As for OSU, it dropped its league opener at home to Arizona (37-32) before rebounding with a win at Arizona State, 28-17, this past weekend. The triumph put a stop to a two-game slide and pushed the team to 3-2 overall. The Beavers will now try to improve on their play at home, where they have gone just 1-2 thus far.

With respect to the all-time series, Stanford holds a 48-24-3 lead over OSU and that includes a 36-28 triumph in last year's matchup.

The Cardinal has had great success running the ball behind tailback Toby Gerhart, as the team is gaining 221.8 ypg on the ground with a 5.5 yard per carry average. Gerhart ranks among the top rushers and leads the Pac-10 with 650 yards, to go with eight scores. He was sensational in last weekend's win over UCLA, toting a career-high 29 times for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Gerhart's success has helped to take the pressure off redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Luck, who had one of his better games last weekend, converting 14-of-20 pass attempts for 198 yards. On the year, Luck has thrown for 904 yards and four scores and has shown his versatility by adding 139 yards on the ground. Ryan Whalen and Chris Owusu have been Luck's favorite outlets and they have accounted for 38 catches, 625 yards and four scores on the year. Last weekend, Whalen was the main focus, as he hauled in six balls that went for 118 yards.

Stanford has been stingy on the defensive side of the ball and has held four of its five opponents to 17 points or less this season. The defense, which is limiting foes to 324.7 total ypg, held UCLA to only 299 total yards, including just 95 rushing. The unit stepped up its play on third down, allowing UCLA to convert just 2-of-10 chances, and the group also added its 11th sack of the year. The Cardinal, however, didn't force a single turnover and that is a concern for this defense, which has recorded only five takeaways thus far. Thomas Keiser has been a force for Stanford and the sophomore end just continues to get better, leading the team with 4.5 sacks and 7.5 TFLs through five games.

The Beavers didn't turn in their best performance on offense last weekend, but they capitalized on their chances and scored four touchdown despite gaining only 295 total yards against ASU. OSU, which is averaging a much better 372.2 ypg on the year, continued to do an outstanding job protecting the ball with only one turnover. The Beavers have turned the ball over just four times this season and that is certainly something to be proud of. Tailback Jacquizz Rodgers enjoyed a solid game against ASU, carrying the ball 17 times for 81 yards and two scores. The speedy and elusive back now has 508 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, to go with 33 receptions, as he is clearly one of the most dangerous players in the Pac-10. Brother, James Rodgers, is lethal in his own right and he leads the wideouts with 37 receptions, 466 yards and three scores. James certainly made his presence felt last weekend, pulling in 10 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. Getting him the ball was Sean Canfield, who threw for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win over ASU. Canfield has done a terrific job managing this offense and he has completed an efficient 67.7 percent of his pass attempts for 1,115 yards on the season.

OSU gave up 406 total yards, including 338 passing, to ASU last weekend, but the unit stepped up when it needed to and allowed only 17 points in the win. The Beavers came up with a pair of important takeaways and creating turnovers is certainly something this team needs with just six to their credit in five games. The defense continued to shine against the run, limiting ASU to just 68 yards, slightly below the 87.4 ypg the unit is allowing on the season. OSU though, needs to get better against the pass, as the unit is allowing 285.2 ypg through the air. The Beavers have only three picks against nine passing touchdowns allowed and a lot of that has to do with a struggling pass rush that has created only three sacks on the year. Keaton Kristick currently tops the roster with 42 tackles and he paced the defense with eight stops in last weekend's win.

Stanford may be off to a solid start, but it has a tough matchup this weekend considering OSU's success versus the run. The Beavers should be able to move the ball consistently with their weapons, while the defense will give the Cardinal running game all sorts of fits en route to the victory.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Oregon State 31, Stanford 20