Stanford @ Oregon State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 10, 2012 ) Oregon State 23, Stanford 27

Oregon State puts its six-game winning streak on the line when it hosts No. 8 Stanford on Saturday in a key Pac-12 contest, and the outcome could come down to whether the Beavers can protect star quarterback Sean Mannion. "(Stanford's) front is the best that we've seen," offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh told Oregonlive.com after practice Monday. Mannion, who leads the nation in touchdown passes (29) and yards (2,992), faces a defense which is tied for 22nd in the nation with 19 sacks.

The Cardinal, the highest-ranked one-loss team in the BCS standings at No. 6, had a pleasant experience Sept. 28 against pass-happy Washington State when they knocked quarterback Connor Halliday out of the game en route to a 55-17 victory. Oregon State also possesses a one-dimensional attack as it averages 73.7 rushing yards per contest - only Washington State (58.4) has a more futile ground attack in the country. Another key could be how Stanford's running game, led by Tyler Gaffney (nine touchdowns, 5.1 yards per carry), stacks up against the Beavers' run defense (131.7 yards per game) - fourth in the Pac-12.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Stanford -3.5

ABOUT STANFORD (6-1, 4-1 Pac-12): The Cardinal have excelled under the steady guidance of quarterback Kevin Hogan (62.9 completion rate, 13 touchdowns, five interceptions), who is 11-1 as a starter. Hogan's top target is wide receiver Ty Montgomery (36 catches, 15.7 yards per reception, five TDs) and the junior is also a major threat on special teams as he has returned two kickoffs for scores. Mannion must especially keep an eye on linebacker Troy Murphy, who is tied for fifth in the nation with seven sacks; linebacker Shayne Skov and his team-leading 59 tackles; and ball-hawking safety Jordan Richards, who has three interceptions.

ABOUT OREGON STATE (6-1, 4-0): Mannion, who has thrown only three interceptions, isn't the only Beaver leading the country in a statistical category as wide receiver Brandin Cooks paces the nation with 1,176 yards and 12 touchdowns. Cooks recorded a career-best 232 yards in Oregon State's 49-17 victory over California last week and is on pace to break the NCAA record for yards in a season (2,060) set by Nevada's Trevor Insley in 1999. The Beavers, who have played only one home game since Sept. 7, are tied with Missouri for the most interceptions with 14 while cornerback Steven Nelson shares the national lead with five.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Stanford is 27-1 under coach David Shaw when outrushing an opponent.

2. The Beavers, whose opponents during their winning streak are a combined 15-25, haven't won seven straight since ending the 2000 season with a 41-9 victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.

3. The Cardinal, who have won three straight over the Beavers while outscoring them 103-36 during that span and lead the series 51-26-3, have won 30 of their last 31 games played in California.

PREDICTION: Stanford 31, Oregon State 21