USC @ Stanford preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 16, 2013 ) Stanford 17, Southern California 20

An early season showdown in the Pac-12 is the featured attraction when No. 10 Stanford hosts No. 14 USC on Saturday. The Trojans defeated the Cardinal last season to halt Stanford’s four-game winning streak in the series and doing so again would give new coach Steve Sarkisian his first big win as USC’s coach. The Cardinal feel unbeatable on their campus as they bring a 17-game home winning streak – the nation’s longest – into the matchup.

Both teams rolled to easy victories in their openers – USC routed Fresno State 52-13 and Stanford blanked UC Davis 45-0. The Trojans made it look easy on offense by rolling up 701 yards and 37 first downs while the Cardinal were dominant on defense, allowing 115 yards and six first downs. The Cardinal have made it a tradition to roll up the victories at home, winning 38 of their past 41 games at Stanford Stadium.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Stanford –2.5

ABOUT USC (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12): Junior quarterback Cody Kessler was Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week in his first game under Sarkisian as he passed for a career-best 394 yards and tied his career high of four touchdown passes. Javorius “Buck” Allen rushed for 133 yards – his fifth career 100-yard game – while Nelson Agholor had five receptions for 57 yards and two scores. The defense is led by defensive end Leonard Williams (seven tackles, one interception versus Fresno State), inside linebacker Hayes Pullard (eight tackles) and safety Su’a Cravens (four interceptions last season).

ABOUT STANFORD (1-0, 0-0): Senior quarterback Kevin Hogan is 17-3 as a starter and opened the campaign with 204 yards and three touchdown passes and also rushed for another score. Kelsey Young and Barry Sanders – son of the former Oklahoma State Heisman winner – will share the rushing duties while Ty Montgomery (77 receiving yards and a 60-yard punt-return touchdown) will again be the Cardinal’s big-play guy. The leaders of the strong defense are defensive end Henry Anderson (9.5 career sacks), inside linebacker A.J. Tarpley (221 career tackles) and strong safety Jordan Richards (six career interceptions).

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Trojans are 33-10-2 when playing at Stanford Stadium.

2. Cardinal senior K Jordan Williamson (294 points) became the school’s all-time leading scorer in the opener.

3. USC has blocked 25 kicks or punts since the start of the 2010 season.

PREDICTION: Stanford 24, USC 21