The Stanford Cardinal beat the USC Trojans three times straight prior to Southern Cali’s convincing victory over Stanford earlier this 2017 NCAA football season. The Trojans are shooting for a repeat of that key performance when they take on the Cardinal in the Pac-12 championship game Friday night at Levi’s Stadium.
Stanford finished their regular season on a three-game winning streak, which included a 38-20 win over Notre Dame last week. The Cardinal spotted the Irish the game’s first TD and even trailed by 20-17 into the fourth quarter, until Stanford exploded for three TDs in three and a half minutes and cruised from there. It was certainly a sight to see.
On the game, the Cardinal were actually outgained by Notre Dame by a total of 415-328 yards, but won the turnover battle 3-0. That win, combined with Washington’s win in the Apple Cup, sent Stanford to this Pac-12 championship game for the fourth time in the last six seasons.
Betting on the USC Trojans 10-2 (-4)
The USC Trojans finished their regular season on a four-game winning streak, including a 28-23 win over state rival UCLA two weeks ago which was followed by a week off.
The Trojans took an early 7-0 lead and extended that to a 28-17 advantage midway through the fourth quarter. However, USC gave up a late UCLA touchdown, much to the chagrin of those who expected to cash as 14-point favorites. USC had already clinched a spot in this Pac-12 championship game before this game, so the performance certainly speaks to work ethic.
And while it may be farfetched, USC still has a faint chance of making the College Football Playoff. They will be looking for a convincing victory over Stanford (and assistance from elsewhere) to keep the dream alive, so look for them to come out guns blazing.
Writer’s Prediction
The USC Trojans essentially dominated the Stanford Cardinal earlier this season (history be damned), with a message-sending 42-24 win that saw them outgain the Cardinal by a whopping 623-342 total, and covering as a three-point favorite. Friday’s PAC-12 Championship game will be closer than that, but the Trojans are still the smart bet. Pick: Trojans (-4).
