Kevin Hogan set to make first start at QB for No. 16 Stanford against No. 13 Oregon State

STANFORD, Calif. – Even though Kevin Hogan grew up the son of a lobbyist and attended high school six blocks from the Capitol building, nobody had to do any politicking for him to be Stanford's starting quarterback.

The way Hogan has played made him a nearly unanimous choice.

In one of the smoothest and least controversial changes any major program will ever have, Hogan has quietly supplanted Josh Nunes under center. Stanford coach David Shaw says the redshirt freshman will make his first start for the No. 16 Cardinal (7-2, 5-1) on Saturday against No. 13 Oregon State (7-1, 5-1) in what is essentially a Pac-12 North semifinal.

The winner will face Oregon with a chance — assuming neither loses it's only other league game left — to advance to the conference championship.