EUGENE, Ore. — At 5-4 overall, Stanford needs just one more win to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2001 — giving the Cardinal considerable incentive when they visit Oregon this weekend.

"I haven't been in this position since I've been here. I just think about playing the next game because that's what I'm used to thinking," linebacker Clinton Snyder said. "We play three of the top teams in the conference in our next three games. It's a great place to be, when you can control your own destiny."

It won't be easy. Stanford, which is 4-2 in the Pacific-10 Conference, hosts USC and visits California to finish out the season after the trip to Autzen Stadium on Saturday.

Oregon, already bowl eligible at 6-3 overall, is also 4-2 in the league, joining the Cardinal behind three teams with one conference loss: USC, Oregon State and Cal.

Stanford's transformation this season from the bottom dweller of the Pac-10 to bowl hopeful has impressed coach Jim Harbaugh.

"Even in August I knew this team would be better, though I did not know whether that would translate into more wins. What has transpired is this football team has progressed to point where we've gone beyond some Pac-10 teams and we're poised to finish among the top teams," he said. "We are about to face three of the Pac-10's elite team and this is where this football team needs to make the next stride."

Stanford is coming off a 58-0 victory at home over woeful Washington State, the team's first shutout against a conference opponent since 1974 — when they blanked Oregon 17-0.

Both the Cardinal and the Ducks appear to be strongest when they are running the ball.

Cardinal running back Toby Gerhart, who was injured for all but one game last season, has 911 yards rushing this season and is closing in on becoming Stanford's first 1,000-yard rusher since Tommy Vardell in 1991.

Stanford's rushing offense averages 209.2 yards a games, second only to Oregon's 270.7 yard average.

Oregon's running game is supplemented by quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who is third on the team with 424 rushing yards with three touchdowns this season. Jeremiah Johnson has rushed for 690 yards and LeGarrette Blount has 651 this season in the Ducks' spread-option.

But Oregon could be hampered because of injuries. Masoli injured his right ankle in Oregon's 26-16 loss to California last weekend. He missed practice on Monday, but has since returned.

Blount sprained his right wrist against Cal after sitting out the first quarter because he violated team rules. Oregon coach Mike Bellotti seemed unsure at the start of the week whether the suspension issue would carry over to the Stanford game, and Blount was practicing with a well-taped wrist.

Although Masoli will likely start against Stanford if he is healthy, Oregon may also use backup Justin Roper at times given the trouble the Ducks have had with their passing game. Against Cal, Masoli completed seven of 21 attempts for 44 yards. Terrence Scott was the best receiver with three catches for 35 yards.

However, Stanford ranks last in the Pac-10 in pass defense. Oregon is second-worst.

Oregon had its hopes all but dashed for a shot at the conference championship with its loss to California. Nonetheless, the Ducks were hopeful.

"We have three more games to go, and we're still in the thick of this. We can still finish second in the Pac-10, and if by some chance maybe first in the Pac-10," linebacker Spencer Paysinger said. "We're still in the thick of this. We can get it. We just gotta win out.

After Stanford, Oregon hosts Arizona and visits Oregon State for the season-ending Civil War game.

The Ducks have won six straight games against Stanford, and three in a row at Autzen Stadium. Stanford hasn't won in Eugene since a 49-42 victory in 2001.

Last season Dennis Dixon passed for a career-high 374 yards and four touchdowns in Oregon's 55-31 victory in Palo Alto. Dixon ran for a fifth score.