RENTON, Wash. (AP) - Doug Baldwin and Richard Sherman spent the last four years playing for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford, helping to turn around a program that had won just one game in 2006 but became an Orange Bowl winner last season.

Now the duo has helped turn Seattle into a surprise playoff contender while Harbaugh has molded the San Francisco 49ers into one of the NFC's top teams.

The trio will meet again today with the Seahawks hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive.

"It's definitely a very emotional event because it's my old coach," Baldwin said. "We had some fun times at Stanford so I'm very excited to go up against him."

Baldwin will likely finish his rookie campaign as the Seahawks' leader in catches and receiving yards. Baldwin, who wasn't drafted, has 46 catches for 731 yards and three touchdowns through 14 games.

"I should've drafted him," Harbaugh said. "Kicking myself for not doing that."

In the teams' first meeting back in the season opener, Baldwin hauled in four passes for 83 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown reception.

"He just has had a great season for us and just has had a great camp, a terrific preseason and has just been rock-solid throughout," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said.

"To be able to do all that is such a great accomplishment and he's surpassed all kinds of guys that were drafted way higher than where he came in and all. He's got a natural chip on his shoulder, but it's a little bigger because of that (not being drafted), I think."

Baldwin was limited in practice on Wednesday and held out during Thursday's workout with an ankle injury. Baldwin first injured it two weeks ago against the St. Louis Rams, but it's still bothering him. Carroll said the team plans to rest him Friday but that they believe he'll be able to play today.

Sherman took over as a starting corner in Week 8 after Seattle lost Marcus Trufant and Walter Thurmond in consecutive weeks. Since then, he's teamed with Brandon Browner, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor to form an imposing young secondary. The group has intercepted eight passes in the team's last four games, with Sherman nabbing two over that span.

The Seahawks pass defense has improved from 23rd in the league through six weeks to 13th through Week 15. Seattle's defense is ranked eighth in the league and is allowing just 19.5 points per game, good for sixth in the league. The defense is tied for second in the league with the 49ers with 21 interceptions.

All of that wouldn't have been possible if Sherman hadn't changed positions at Stanford.

Sherman sent a text to Harbaugh before spring practice his redshirt junior season in hopes of changing from receiver to cornerback. Sherman decided he wanted to switch to the defensive side of the ball and felt he had the mentality to play the position.

"I like it more because you control your own destiny a lot more than at receiver," Sherman said.

Harbaugh let him make the switch and by fall camp the change was permanent.

"He's blossomed. It doesn't surprise me," Harbaugh said. "He's a talented, talented athlete. He loves football. He's got a real respect for the game and has all the energy and enthusiasm to play this game and the skill as well."

Now Harbaugh is in Seattle's way. The Seahawks need to win their final two games and get some help to make the playoffs for the second straight season. With the connections across the field, Baldwin said it's important to treat it like any other week.

"It's still a game. It's another game," Baldwin said. "I have to make sure that I eliminate those outside distractions, but at the same time it is coach Harbaugh so I'd love to get a win against him."