Players Mentioned
No. 6 USC Football Begins Pac-12 Play At Home Versus No. 14 Stanford
September 05, 2017 | Football, Features
*For the seventh year in a row, No. 6 USC plays the Pac-12's first conference game of the season, as the Trojans welcome No. 14 Stanford to the Coliseum.
*In fact, this is the fourth consecutive year that USC begins league play versus the Cardinal, and the fifth time in 6 years.
*Stanford, USC's oldest current rival (dating to 1905), has been Troy's nemesis of late, having won 7 of the last 9 meetings, including the last 3.
*Troy owns a 10-game winning streak after a season-opening win over Western Michigan last week, as well as 10 straight home victories and 12 in a row in Greater L.A.
*Head coach Clay Helton's Trojans feature an offense that piled up 521 yards against Western Michigan, behind the running of TBs Ronald Jones II (159 yards, 3 TDs) and freshman Stephen Carr (69 yards, 2 TDs), the receiving of WR Deontay Burnett (142 yards on 7 catches) and the passing of Heisman Trophy candidate QB Sam Darnold (289 yards). Troy's defense is led by the likes of ILB Cameron Smith, DL Rasheem Green (9 tackles versus WMU), OLBs Uchenna Nwosu and Porter Gustin and, among the secondary that limited WMU to 94 passing yards, S Marvell Tell III (scoring interception return), S Chris Hawkins and CB Iman Marshall. And the victory over WMU was punctuated by the inspiring appearance of blind SNP Jake Olson on the final PAT snap.
*Stanford enters the game coming off a bye following its decisive opening victory over Rice in Australia, its seventh straight win. Head coach David Shaw (whose uncle was an All-American at USC) has an offense that piled up 656 total yards against the Owls while his defense allowed just 241 total yards. The offense, behind QB Keller Chryst, features RB Bryce Love (180 rushing yards versus Rice with a 13.8 average per carry). OLB Peter Kalambayi and DT Harrison Phillips highlight the defense.
*The game will be shown live nationally on FOX.
*It is Joint Forces Day at the Coliseum.
*USC's 3-time defending national champ beach volleyball team will be recognized during the game.
*The Trojans also host the Cardinal in men's water polo this Friday.
