O/NSO: Game 2 – No. 10 USC at Stanford edition
The Obvious: With the Rice University exhibition win now in the rear-view mirror, the No.10 USC Trojans (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) take a giant advancement in competition when they travel to play private school rival Stanford (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) on Saturday afternoon (4:30 p.m. PT) in Palo Alto for the Pac-12 Conference opener for both teams. Saturday's game marks the 101st game in the long rivalry. The Not So Obvious: Okay, USC is back in the AP Top 10, which may have come sooner rather than expected. The nation will get its chance on national television (ABC) to not only see if the Trojans can stay there and whether Lincoln Riley’s team is legit. One thing for sure, while this unranked Stanford Cardinal team is not considered a national power like a decade ago and does not possess the overall talented roster of yesteryear, the Trojans best beware that this bad boy could be a potential trap game, and the key to the game is simply possessions. Stanford wants to limit the vaunted USC offense's time with the ball. In contrast, the Cardinal want to possess the ball themselves, drain the clock to shorten the game, and score while they're at it.
