USC might not be getting as much College Football Playoff hype as its Los Angeles neighbor right now, but after two blowouts of cupcakes to start the regular season, it’s time to see whether the Trojans are one of the top four teams in the country. By all means, this team looks capable, but it has failed to live up to the hype since the Pete Carroll era.
How to watch Stanford vs. USC on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
Which program will get its mojo back?
The first test comes from Stanford. Ironically, it was this game that marked the change in direction of both programs. Stanford beat 40-point favorite and No. 1 USC, 24-23, at the Coliseum in 2007, beginning an upward trend for the Cardinal and a swift decline for the Trojans. Now, as USC appears to be on the verge of greatness (or, at least pretty-greatness) again, Stanford is trying to avoid a decline.
The Cardinal went a disappointing 7-5 in 2014, but were considered a sleeper by many to make the Playoff in 2015. Then they went out and got stomped by Northwestern in the opener. The defense is still solid, but the offense really struggled, and it didn’t look particularly inspiring against Central Florida.
Is this the game where USC asserts its dominance, or is it the one where Stanford gets back on track?
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Online streaming: N/A
Spread: USC is a 10-point favorite over Stanford.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Rule Of Tree for Stanford fans and Conquest Chronicles for USC fans.
Three big things to know
1. Offense. Stanford’s offense really needs to get back on track against a power conference opponent. The gameplan against Northwestern was blander than bland, and the offense had no explosiveness. Kevin Hogan is going to need to take some shots if Stanford is to pull the upset.
2. Cody Kessler’s unnoticed potential. Kessler has Heisman potential at quarterback, but he has never really gotten the full national spotlight. If he is to launch a late Heisman campaign, a blowout of a solid Stanford defense would be a good place to start.
3. Skepticism for Steve Sarkisian. It wasn’t the finest offseason for Sarkisian. Can he actually make USC a national powerhouse again? This is the year he has to start bringing the Trojans back to prominence. That means not losing to Stanford.
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