STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Linebacker Will Powers thought it was "a pretty cool thing" that No. 25 Stanford was ranked for the first time in eight years.

Cardinal record-setting running back Toby Gerhart and quarterback Andrew Luck agreed it was nice to be recognized but said there's still work ahead in earning voters' respect.

"We're not too caught up in it," Luck said at Tuesday's weekly press conference. "We have our eyes on beating Southern California."

The Cardinal visit the Los Angeles Coliseum to take on the 11th-ranked Trojans on Saturday with both teams needing a victory to stay in the hunt for the Pac-10 Conference title.

"It's exciting that the program is getting recognition and people are starting to respect us," Gerhart said. "At the same time it doesn't mean much if we lose the next three games. When it's all said and done, then the ranking will be important."

Stanford is ranked for the first time since ending the 2001 season at No. 16, after the Cardinal lost to Georgia Tech in the Seattle Bowl.

Stanford has not had a winning season since Tyrone Willingham left to coach at Notre Dame. Jim Harbaugh is the third coach at Stanford since Willingham left.

"It's certainly great for the team, the program and the university to get a little bit of the respect that hasn't been there," Powers said. "It doesn't change too much for the team. It's more of an after the fact thing. It's sweet when it happens but it's not important until the end of the year."