Andrew Luck, a Heisman Trophy front-runner, leads Stanford. USC's Matt Barkley could, with a strong performance, raise his NFL draft stock if he chooses to leave school after this season.
 Stanford and Andrew Luck (12) bring the better resume to the Coliseum on Saturday when they face USC and Matt Barkley. (Photos by McClatchy-Tribune and US Presswire) |
By Gary Klein
USC climbed back into the top 25 and attracted national attention after an impressive victory last week against Notre Dame. An upset of No. 4 Stanford on Saturday would truly make the Trojans relevant again. Staff writer Gary Klein examines the game's issues and matchups:
Star power
Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is a Heisman Trophy front-runner and the presumed No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft.
USC's Matt Barkley is regarded as a first-round pick if he leaves after this season, but a dynamic winning performance by the junior in a side-by-side matchup with Luck could boost his stock.
Luck has passed for 20 touchdowns with three interceptions. He has license to call plays at the line of scrimmage and, as USC found out two years ago, can hurt defenses as much running as passing.
Luck faces a USC defense that has gone turnover crazy in the last two games, intercepting four passes and recovering four fumbles.
Barkley has passed for 19 touchdowns with four interceptions. He bounced back from an uneven performance against California with an efficient, well-played game against Notre Dame.
Barkley's performance probably will be affected significantly by receiver Robert Woods' status. The sophomore was limited in practice most of the week because of soreness but is expected to be at full speed against the Cardinal.
Grind it out
With Luck leading the way, it's easy to forget that Stanford relies heavily on a power running game.
Stepfan Taylor has averaged nearly 100 yards rushing, but Tyler Gaffney and Anthony Wilkerson also have been productive.
The Cardinal sometimes deploys seven or eight offensive linemen to pave the way and is not averse to using tight ends Zach Ertz, Coby Fleener and Levine Toilolo at the same time.
USC tailbacks Marc Tyler and Curtis McNeal ran well against Notre Dame as the USC offensive line played its best game of the season.
Local danger
USC would be wise to keep an eye on Chris Owusu, who leads the Cardinal with 30 receptions.
Owusu, a former Westlake Village Oaks Christian High standout, could follow in the footsteps of Mark Bradford and Richard Sherman, Cardinal receivers from the Southland who made huge plays in Stanford's victories at the Coliseum in 2007 and 2009.
Bradford, a former Fremont High star, caught a last-minute touchdown from Tavita Pritchard in 2007 to complete a 24-23 victory over the Trojans, who were 41-point favorites.
Sherman, from Compton Dominguez, set up the winner with a 20-yard reception on a fourth-and-20 play. Two years later, Sherman had switched to cornerback. He intercepted a pass by Barkley and returned it for a touchdown in Stanford's 55-21 rout.
Bradford, 27, is living in Los Angeles and studying for the Graduate Management Admission Test.
Star power
Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is a Heisman Trophy front-runner and the presumed No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft.
USC's Matt Barkley is regarded as a first-round pick if he leaves after this season, but a dynamic winning performance by the junior in a side-by-side matchup with Luck could boost his stock.
Luck has passed for 20 touchdowns with three interceptions. He has license to call plays at the line of scrimmage and, as USC found out two years ago, can hurt defenses as much running as passing.
Luck faces a USC defense that has gone turnover crazy in the last two games, intercepting four passes and recovering four fumbles.
Barkley has passed for 19 touchdowns with four interceptions. He bounced back from an uneven performance against California with an efficient, well-played game against Notre Dame.
Barkley's performance probably will be affected significantly by receiver Robert Woods' status. The sophomore was limited in practice most of the week because of soreness but is expected to be at full speed against the Cardinal.
Grind it out
With Luck leading the way, it's easy to forget that Stanford relies heavily on a power running game.
Stepfan Taylor has averaged nearly 100 yards rushing, but Tyler Gaffney and Anthony Wilkerson also have been productive.
The Cardinal sometimes deploys seven or eight offensive linemen to pave the way and is not averse to using tight ends Zach Ertz, Coby Fleener and Levine Toilolo at the same time.
USC tailbacks Marc Tyler and Curtis McNeal ran well against Notre Dame as the USC offensive line played its best game of the season.
Local danger
USC would be wise to keep an eye on Chris Owusu, who leads the Cardinal with 30 receptions.
Owusu, a former Westlake Village Oaks Christian High standout, could follow in the footsteps of Mark Bradford and Richard Sherman, Cardinal receivers from the Southland who made huge plays in Stanford's victories at the Coliseum in 2007 and 2009.
Bradford, a former Fremont High star, caught a last-minute touchdown from Tavita Pritchard in 2007 to complete a 24-23 victory over the Trojans, who were 41-point favorites.
Sherman, from Compton Dominguez, set up the winner with a 20-yard reception on a fourth-and-20 play. Two years later, Sherman had switched to cornerback. He intercepted a pass by Barkley and returned it for a touchdown in Stanford's 55-21 rout.
Bradford, 27, is living in Los Angeles and studying for the Graduate Management Admission Test.
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