The answer to two critical questions is to be determined after Tuesday's press conference with head coach David Shaw.

Junior running back and Heisman candidate Bryce Love is "feeling better" from last week and could be a game-day decision, Shaw said.

And for the second time this season Shaw announced that the quarterback position was open to competition.

"Going forward, we’ll see where we are with the quarterback situation is by the end of the week," Shaw said. "We’re in competition mode, I think as it should be and how we have been. Keller (Chryst) has practiced extremely well. KJ (Costello) has practiced well. We probably won’t wait until game day."

In the press conference the week of the Utah game Shaw said it was likely both Chryst and Costello would play. This time he said: "How much each guy plays, or one guy, we’ll make that decision later this week."

Chryst struggled through the worst performance of his career Thursday in Corvallis and the Cardinal barely escaped a potentially devastating upset. Redshirt freshman Costello -- who earned first-half series against Utah and Oregon -- did not play at Oregon State. The game was Chryst's from start to finish of the 15-14 win.

The decision to stick with Chryst at Oregon State came under scrutiny during the game, especially through a 4-for-18 stretch for only 31 yards against a defense missing its top three cornerbacks.

"I made the executive decision to let Keller play the whole game," Shaw said. "Coming off the best game of his career against Oregon, it was kind of like having a pitcher that still has his stuff but maybe doesn’t have the location. Thankfully it worked out. We got the ball back late in the game -- a great play by Peter Kalambayi, an outstanding play by Harrison Phillips grabbing the ball."

Stanford's defense was stout against an Oregon State offense that recommitted to the run game since the departure of former head coach Gary Andersen. But the Cardinal limited the Beavers to 3.4 yards a rush. And when Oregon State needed to run effectively to finish off the game Philips destroyed the play.

It was the the crowning moment to a spectacular game from Phillips.

Phillips leads the team with 61 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. He's a semi-finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which recognizes the best defensive player in the nation.

Phillips' endurance and tenacity to make plays even when fatigue is a factor at the end of the game goes back to his background as a high school All-American wrestler.

"There is a grit to wrestling that is very, very inescapable," Shaw said. "You can’t be a good wrestler if you don’t have it, because it’s just you. You’re always giving effort. There is no relaxing in a wrestling match. There is that ability to strain, strain, strain for a long period of time and when your opponent gives you a chance, take advantage of that.

"You have to be mentally focused as well. I love guys who are wrestlers. They understand their body mechanics and they understand grappling with another human being. So, especially guys that play offensive and defensive line, tight end and linebacker -- I love guys that have that background both in the physical and mental aspects."

The entire defense will need to embrace that wrestler mindset of gritty determination in cold, forbidding Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington. And the Cardinal will face the pass-happy Cougars offense without top cornerback Alijah Holder, who suffered a season-ending knee injury.

It's a critical loss for Stanford and a tragic development for Holder, whose junior season was cut short by a shoulder injury. The Cardinal will likely call on captain Alameen Murphy and redshirt freshman Malik Antoine to step into greater roles.

Who they're tasked with stopping could change during the game.

Washington State head coach Mike Leach announced that senior Luke Falk will start versus Stanford despite being benched against Arizona for Tyler Hilinski. The sophomore was 45-of-61 for 509 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Shaw evaluated the two quarterbacks:

"(Hilinski) has got a quick release and is very accurate. It’s tough when you’re down and you have to throw that many balls. The interceptions are going to happen if you’re playing against a good defense. His ability to escape and run, it’s noticeable. It’s something you have to account for -- twice in the game everyone was covered and he takes off and scores with his legs. That added dimension is difficult.

"What you have in Luke Falk is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play in this conference. You can’t rattle him. You can’t affect him. He has seen too many defenses. You leave a guy open he is going to find him."