USC-Stanford: The Avengers Strike…Late But Then Often

All week long the sportscasters and sportswriters had been reminding college football fans up and down the West Coast how a 40-point underdog had stunned then #1 USC last season.

Some have arguably called it the greatest upset of all time in college football.

Despite Pete Carroll’s denial that his Trojans were out for revenge against Jim Harbaugh’s Cardinal, the media continued to hype this as a vengeance game.

Would the Trojan avengers strike at the heart of that Cardinal defense? Or would Jim Harbaugh’s kids weather the Trojan storm and mount another formidable attack of their own.

The oddsmakers favored the former by 23 points. But the oddsmakers have been wrong before. Sometimes by as much as 40 points on the wrong side.

And it certainly looked as though they would be wrong again as Stanford came out just like Oregan State had and smacked the Trojans right in the mouth.

After first down pass to Delano Howell near mid-field, Tavita Pritchard got away on a third-and-eleven scramble down to the Trojan 11. Then Anthony Kimble took it to the four, and Toby Gerhart spun around left end for the score to cap off the surprisingly easy 80-yard drive on the nation’s #1 defensive team.

Shades of Oregon State, Stanford 7 – USC 0.

Striking back, USC’s Ronald Johnson took the kickoff 72 yards to the Stanford 22. But the Trojans could only gain 2 yards on three passes. Not a good sign at all.

David Buehler’s 37-yard field goal made it Stanford 7 – USC 3.

After Stanford pounded out a first down, Josh Pinkard broke up a third-down pass, and the Trojans took over at their own 17 after the punt.

But the Trojans offense, so anemic of late, could do zilch and punted back to the Cardinal after a sack of Mark Sanchez.

Taking a cue from the Oregon State playbook, Stanford ran right at the Trojans and pounded out another first down on Toby Gerhart’s back. Then it was Kimble’s turn to rack up another first down on an end run.

A pass to Doug Baldwin and a Gerhart run netted another first down. It was a Will Harris blitz stopping Gerhart cold that prevented another first down and forced an Aaron Zagary 38-yard field goal.

Stanford 10 – USC 3.

On first down from the 17, Sanchez was fortunate to have a certain TD interception dropped. Unfortunately, Sanchez, unsure where to throw on third down, suffered his second sack and USC punted.

That ended the first quarter. Stanford had compiled 149 yards to a measly 6 for the Trojans and 7 first downs to none for USC.

The Trojan defense finally came up with its first three-and-out with a Brian Cushing sack. But could Sanchez rally the troops on offense? For that matter, could Sanchez rally himself?

C.J. Gable ripped off an 11-yard first down run. On a rollout, Sanchez hit Damian Williams at the Cardinal 45 and came back to Williams for 7 more yards. Joe McKnight was the tailback on a student body right to the 30 and the Trojans third consecutive first down.

On a rollout left, Sanchez threw back to his right to Patrick Turner at the 16. Two Stafon Johnson runs took it to the 4. On a first and goal, no gain for Gable. But Sanchez came back with a play-action fake to Gable and hit Williams over the top to knot the score at 10-10.

Chris Owusu returned the kickoff 35 yards. A Trojan personal foul on second down gave the Cardinal a first down at mid-field. Toby Gerhart, who has had 6 100-yard games so far this season, ripped off 8 yards and then blasted through the entire Trojan defense for 41 yards to the one.

Kimble went over the left side to put Stanford back in the lead 17-10.

But it didn’t take the Trojans long to respond as C.J. Gable lit up the Cardinal special teams for a 93-yard TD run. And just like that the score was knotted again at 17.

So, now the question became could the Trojans somehow slow up the Stanford running game.

It was a 9-yard Pritchard scramble and a Gerhart dive that netted their tenth first down. After a Trojan offsides, Pritchard checked down to Kimble for another first down. But Fili Moala sacked Pritchard to end the drive.

And the half ended all tied up at 17. But Stanford was winning the statistical battle 210 total yards to only 91 for USC and 11 first downs to just 5. 37 plays to 24. TOP: 18:15 to 11:35.

However, the most telling stat of all was the Cardinal’s dominance on the ground, 156 yards to 40. If it had not been for Ronald Johnson’s 72-yard kickoff return and C.J. Gable’s 93-yard TD kickoff return, USC would have been down 17-7.

USC got the ball to start off the second half. This time Ronald Johnson took the kickoff to the Cardinal 46. After two Joe McKnight runs were negated by a false start and a holding penalty, Sanchez, again with unsure feet, took an 11-yard sack.

That wasted the RoJo return, and Stanford took over on the 17. Pritchard promptly threw to Howell for a first down, but the drive fizzled after a couple incompletes.

USC started on their 30. A first down run by Johnson was followed by a 14-yard end around by Damian Williams. Sanchez hit Turner on a short pass. Turner took it to the Stanford 24. Stanley Havili caught another short pass from Sanchez but fumbled on the Cardinal 14, and Stanford recoverd to end the Trojan scoring threat.

The Trojans held the Cardinal to a rare three-and-out and took over on their 48 after the punt with 6:24 left in the third quarter.

After Ronald Johnson fluttered a sure TD pass to Damian Williams that fell way short, the Trojans went three-and-out.

Stanford matched USC with another three-and-out and punted back to the Trojans at mid-field.

Shaun Wiser just managed to trip up Joe McKnight after a 25-yard run or McKnight was gone. Stafon Johnson then picked up a first down at the 15.

Sanchez rolled around end to the Stanford 7, and Stafon Johnson scored on the next play to give USC their first lead, 24-17.

Alex Loukas, replacing Pritchard, threw a first down pass to Gerhart. Then on a second-and-16, Lucas ran the spread, faking to Kimble, and going for 18 yards and a first down.

On the last play of the third quarter, Maualuga sacked Loukas to set up a third-and-19.

After a short pass to Gerhart, Stanford punted to the Trojan 30 to start the final quarter.

Sanchez went to work with an easy pitch and catch to Turner for 6 yards. Gable ran for a first down at the 43. A defensive holding penalty gave the Trojans another first down at the Cardinal 47.

Gable sprinted for 23 yards down the left side then came back on the next play to the right side with a run and a leap down to the Stanford 4. On a second-and-two, Gable carried it in for a 14-point Trojan lead, 31-17.

Would the grind-it-out Stanford offense have enough time to come back?

Gerhart answered ripping off a 10-yard first down run. Pritchard threw to Owusu for 17 yards and another Cardinal first down at the 47.

There the Trojan defense stiffened again, and the offense took over on their 10 with 9:15 left in the game.

Another Trojan personal foul pushed them back to the 7 and a third-and-long. But Stafon Johnson burst right up the middle for 43 yards to mid-field.

Fullback Stanley Havili snuck out of the backfield, and Sanchez found him on the 30. Havili ran it in from there to make up for his previous fumble to up the Trojan lead to 38-17.

Pritchard stayed in the game and threw to Ryan Whalen for 24 yards to the Stanford 44. But picking up only one yard on three plays, Stanford went for it on a fourth-and nine. Brian Cushing intercepted at the Trojan 36.

Joe McKnight took the pitchout down to the Cardinal 44. Then after a two-yard rush, McKnight was carried off the field when he aggravated his turf toe injury.

Stafon Johnson and Gable took over the running chores. Johnson rushed for 13 to the 27 and then picked up 5 more to the 22. C.J. Gable picked up a first down at the 14. Then Gable ground out another first down to the 3 and a first-and-goal. Stafon Johnson took it in from there.

USC 45 – Stanford 17.

Stanford’s Kimble ran the kickoff back to the 44. Loukas came back in and threw to Jeremy Stewart for a first down.

Loukas called his own number and ran down to the Trojan 30. Loukas completed another pass to the 19 with three seconds left.

Jim Harbaugh ran in his place kicker, and USC called timeout to ice him. Then Harbaugh brought back Loukas, who three a TD pass to Austin Gunder.

Final, USC 45 – Stanford 23.

So, maybe it was just another Pac-10 Championship game for Pete Carroll and his Trojans. But for USC fans everywhere it was revenge.

Yet, it was Jim Harbaugh who had the last laugh.

You see, USC was a 23-point favorite. If Pete Carroll hadn’t tried to ice the Cardinal place kicker, USC would have won by 25 points, 45-20.

But when Harbaugh changed his mind and went for the TD and Loukas connected with Gunder, that cut the Trojan point spread to just 22, preventing them from making the spread.

Next week the Trojans have a bye. Then the week after, the Fighting Irish come to the Coliseum. Fight on!