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Stanford-Washington Preview

Oct 27, 2010 - 1:40 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

No. 13 Stanford (6-1) at Washington (3-4), 7:00 p.m. EDT

This weekend's matchup of marquee quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Jake Locker features one who appears to be in fine form. The other is entering at less than full strength.

Luck looks for another strong performance for No. 13 Stanford when it travels to face a banged-up Locker and Washington on Saturday.

Luck has turned in an outstanding campaign for the Cardinal, and was named a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's top quarterback on Monday. He leads the Pac-10 in total offense (283.0) and ranks second in both touchdown passes (19) and passing efficiency (165.4).

With five regular-season games and a bowl remaining, Luck is in good position to surpass the school record for TD passes in a single season of 27, shared by John Elway (1980) and Steve Stenstrom (1993).

Locker - a dual threat running and passing like Luck - has 14 touchdown passes to four interceptions, but has endured an injury-plagued season. A bruised thigh and an illness slowed him against Arizona State on Oct. 9. The following week, he took a shot to his ribs that left them bruised in a win over then-No. 24 Oregon State.

That caused Washington (3-4, 2-2 Pac-10) to alter its play calling in last Saturday's 44-14 loss at No. 15 Arizona, and it showed. Locker was sacked a season-high four times, getting credited with minus-24 rushing yards on six carries after gaining 276 yards on the ground through the Huskies' first six games.

"Hopefully, I get to run around a little bit this week and get feeling a little bit better, and then we're able to do what we're accustomed to doing," Locker said.

The senior insists he will play Saturday against the Cardinal (6-1, 3-1), although it remains to be seen whether he will run the ball as effectively as he usually does.

"Ultimately, as much as I want them to perform and to play well, I want them to be healthy. I want to make sure that I don't expose them to things that could further injure them," coach Steve Sarkisian said. "I wasn't going to do that last week with Jake. I wasn't going to put him out there and run him between the tackles to take hits that he didn't need to take."

The Cardinal will no doubt try to go after Locker after they let up last week in a 38-28 win over Washington State. Stanford led 31-7 after three quarters before allowing Jeff Tuel to throw three touchdowns passes in the fourth.

"Some things we're going to have to address and get better at," coach Jim Harbaugh said. "It really comes down to some guys just not doing what they were supposed to be doing and at times it looked atrocious. We have to address it and I will."

Luck completed 20 of 28 passes for 198 yards and three scores, but was not happy that Stanford finished with 439 yards of total offense - its worst total in the last three games.

"I didn't feel like we ever got in a rhythm," Luck said. "I think that sentiment is shared by the guys on the offense. Just a little frustrated that we couldn't do better."

Luck was without a major weapon in junior receiver Chris Owusu, who is out with an undisclosed injury and whose return remains uncertain. Owusu led the team with five touchdown receptions last year, and ran back the opening kickoff 91 yards for a score in last season's 34-14 home victory over then-No. 24 Washington.

That was Stanford's third win in the last four games in this series. It was also the lone previous meeting between these quarterbacks as Luck threw for 103 yards and rushed for 59 and a score, while Locker was limited to 20 yards on the ground and completed 16 of 31 passes for 191 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Stanford could be without starting safety Delano Howell for the second straight game due to a wrist injury.

The Cardinal are bowl-eligible in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1995-96, but are clearly looking for more.

"Coach Harbaugh set a standard here," Luck said. "That standard certainly isn't just being bowl eligible."