LEADING OFF

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PHOTOGRAPH BY MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ AP

Nerd Herd The Stanford football program is taking the school's geek reputation and running with it. When Oregon visited last Thursday, the band, fans in the student section and even a few players wore fake black-framed glasses with tape on the bridge. And linebacker Jarek Lancaster (near left) seemed to try a classic nerd-against-jock tactic during a group sack of Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota in the third quarter: the eye poke. It was all academic at that point for the Cardinal: Stanford led 23--0 going into the fourth quarter and held on for a 26--20 win that bumped them up to fourth in the BCS rankings. The Ducks fell from No. 3 to No. 6.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY BUTCH DILL AP

Rammer Jammer Yellow-and-Purple Hammered The Alabama defense, which leads the nation in scoring D, crushed LSU running back Terrence Magee under a Tidal wave of defenders led by defensive back Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (6) and linebacker C.J. Mosley (32). Undefeated, No. 1 Alabama kept rolling, allowing the visiting Tigers just a field goal in the second half last Saturday on the way to a 38--17 win over its SEC rival.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY TODD KIRKLAND ICON SMI

Man Of the Mismatch With Stanford-Oregon and Alabama-LSU, last week saw two great rivalries renewed. The other end of the college football spectrum was on display in Georgia, where the Bulldogs hosted Appalachian State. The Mountaineers were playing up from the FCS, and it showed: Wideout Reggie Davis (left) and the rest of the Georgia offense ran up 568 total yards in a 45--6 win. Life gets more difficult for the Bulldogs this weekend. They must travel to face No. 7 Auburn (page 42).