USC vs. Stanford final score: 3 things we learned from the Trojans’ stunning win

No. 14 USC has gone into Palo Alto and taken down No. 13 Stanford, defeating the Cardinal for a second straight year. The Trojans have firmly announced their arrival as a potential Pac-12 player, and taken down one of the giants with them 13-10.

USC got on the board first, showing the new up-tempo version of the Trojans’ old-school “we have better athletes than you” offense. The Trojans drove 68 yards in 4:30 of game time, scoring on Justin Davis’s one-yard touchdown run. Stanford scored on a short run of their own in the second half, and took a 10-7 lead into halftime on Jordan Williamson’s field goal (almost prevented by Su’a Cravens acrobatic near-interception the play before).

Tied 10-10 late in the third, USC linebacker Hayes Pullard was ejected for this helmet-to-helmet hit, leaving the Trojans without their four-year starter for the remainder of the game.

GIFs via FOX

USC athletic director (and College Football Playoff selection committee member) Pat Haden went down to the field to complain about the call to referees after receiving a text from Steve Sarkisian.

Stanford’s next drive saw the Cardinal move down the field fairly easily against the Trojan defense, but a chop block negated a play that would have brought them to the goal-line. The play also took Stanford out of field goal range, keeping the game tied with seven minutes to go.

USC took advantage on the next drive. Heidari’s 53-yard field goal was a career-long and took the lead 13-10. Stanford had one last chance to take the game, but a forced fumble ended all hope:

1. USC can be really good, but they’re still raw. The Trojans looked great against Fresno State and started this one on the same note, but quickly fell off against the vaunted Cardinal defense. After that opening 68-yard touchdown drive, USC’s next four drives went for two, 33, four and two yards, respectively. They ended up recovering and dominated on defense in the red zone, but there was a time where it looked like Stanford might run away with this one.

2. Stanford is still here, thanks. USC looked like world-beaters on that first drive, but the Cardinal did not fold. They outplayed the Trojans on offense and defense and could have blown them out early if they had better success in the red zone. Stanford was unable to close throughout the game (especially in the fourth quarter), but don’t write them off just yet.

3. Red zone struggles could come back to haunt the Cardinal again. Of the first six times Stanford made it inside USC’s 25-yard line, they emerged without any points four times. Kicking issues played a big role: Williamson missed two field goals in the game -- crucial points in the 13-10 defeat.