Stanford football team looks to take control of Pac-12 North

STANFORD - The Pac-12 has moved beyond the standard bounds of unpredictability and into the realm of utter chaos.

How else do you describe the Washington schools beating USC and Oregon last weekend, both on the road, both as heavy underdogs? Or Arizona State dominating UCLA one week after getting hammered by USC?

Or Cal and Washington State looking down the standings at Oregon?

“There are a lot of good teams and a lot of playmakers on each team,” Stanford coach David Shaw said. “It’s a week-to-week league.”

But out of the chaos comes a major opportunity for the 15th-ranked Cardinal.

A victory over No. 18 UCLA on Thursday would give Stanford?(4-1, 3-0) control of the North as the stretch run approaches.

The Cardinal would be the only undefeated team in the division (in league games), with three of their last five at home and only one against a team currently ranked (No. 23 Cal).

Stanford would likely be a moderate-to-heavy favorite in every conference game.

“We have a great opportunity continually to assert our dominance in the conference (and) to prove we’re a great team,” safety Kodi Whitfield said. “It’s just another step in the direction toward our goal, which is winning the Pac-12 championship.”

Stanford has won seven in a row over UCLA, its last loss coming midway through the ’08 season. While Shaw did his best to make the series seem competitive, the numbers say otherwise:

The average score during the Cardinal’s winning streak: Stanford 31.6, UCLA 13.7.

“There is a slight sense of confidence, but what we build off more is what we’ve done this year as a unit as opposed to wins in the past,” right guard Johnny Caspers said.

The Bruins are without three of the top players at their positions in the conference: defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes, linebacker Myles Jack and cornerback Fabian Moreau. All three have season-ending injuries.

The attrition could be exacting a toll: In their most recent game, the Bruins yielded 38 points and 465 yards to Arizona State.

The moveable object that is the UCLA defense now faces an irresistible force, at least of late: Stanford has scored more than 40 points in three consecutive games.

T-SHIRT HUMOR FOR SHAW

One of the hottest T-shirts on the Stanford campus is titled “50 Shades of Shaw.” A series of images are labeled with different expressions (excited, sad, bored, proud, confused, etc.), except that all the images are the same expressionless look - a play on Shaw’s even-keeled demeanor.

“My wife gets a great kick out of it,” he said of the T-shirts. “I’m loosening up a little bit.”

LB ANDERSON STILL OUT

Linebacker Kevin Anderson will miss his third consecutive game with an undisclosed injury. But Shaw said Anderson is expected to return this season.

UNDER THE LIGHTS AGAIN

The Oct. 24 Homecoming game against Washington will start at 7:30 p.m. and be televised by ESPN. It will be Stanford’s fourth consecutive night game.