Ryan Whalen News

Stanford's football team has had some pretty impressive wins in 2009. There's the 51-42 take-that win over Pac-10 champion and seventh-ranked Oregon, as well as a 34-14 thumping of Washington.

Oklahoma vs. Stanford WHEN: 1 p.m. on Thursday. TV: CBS . THE LINE: Oklahoma by 9.5. RECORDS VS.

Stanford will meet Oklahoma in the Brut Sun Bowl on New Year's Eve at 11 a.m. on CBS, Sun Bowl Association football committee chairman John H. Folmer announced Sunday.

Toby Gerhart #7 of the Stanford Cardinal runs with the ball during their game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Stanford Stadium on November 28, 2009 in Palo Alto, California.

Stanford 's Toby Gerhart isn't merely the nation's most physical runner. He also is a pretty good passer.

Toby Gerhart rushed for four yards with a minute left in the fourth quarter to score the game- winning touchdown as Stanford University beat Notre Dame 45-38 in their season-ending college football game.

Toby Gerhart turned what could be Charlie Weis' final game as Notre Dame coach into his own Heisman Trophy infomercial.

That is what Stanford is feeling after its gut-wrenching loss to those annoying little Golden Bears, losing out on a possible Rose Bowl trip.

In the Pac-10, only USC and UCLA had higher rated classes. When the class was announced in February, coach Jim Harbaugh called it "a cornerstone" of his plans to build the program.

For more college football predictions and analysis go to WhatIfSports.com The heck with the original blueprint.

Alex Lagemanna ' The redshirt sophomore receiver may only have eight catches for 108 yards this season, but seven of them have been for first downsa 'including two crucial ones during the comeback drive against Arizona State.

One night this week, a handful of sweaty receivers played catch in nearly empty Stanford Stadium.

Greg Papa on the set of Chronicle Live. Greg Papa is bringing his show "Chronicle Live" to Stanford on Friday to help promote the 112th playing of the Big Game on Saturday.

The 14th-ranked Stanford Cardinal are one of the hottest teams in college football, and they will play host to the California Golden Bears this weekend in a Pac-10 Conference rivalry bout referred to as the "Big Game".The Golden Bears have won four of their last five games to move to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in conference play.

One was containing the running game. USC rushed for 138 yards, but most of that came on an early 51-yard run by Joe McKnight and his 28-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Stanford offense vs. USC defense USC DEs Everson Griffen and Nick Perry have combined for 17 sacks through nine games.

An Oregon fan buries his head in frustration Saturday. STANFORD, Calif. - It's not so much that seventh-ranked Oregon lost Saturday, or that Stanford tailback Toby Gerhart chewed up the Ducks' slender hopes of reaching the national title game with every bullish carry.

Stanford started fast and never let up, as the offense pounded Oregon all day and the Cardinal upset the Ducks 51-42 Saturday at Stanford Stadium.

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.

The ordeal for Stanford left tackle Allen Smith continues. Smith went down again last weekend against Arizona State, his second game back as a starter after being sidelined for two years because of left knee surgeries.