USC - Stanford

NCAA F (college football)

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REASON FOR PICK: There’s been a lot of talk about the USC revenge angle this week as the Trojans travel to Palo Alto to take on Jim Harbaugh’s Cardinal. After all, Stanford thoroughly embarrassed USC on the Trojans home field last year, handing former head coach Pete Carroll his single worst home loss in his tenure with the team.

The Cardinal’s physicality was too much for the Trojans to handle, and Stanford wasn’t shy about running up the score, even going for a two point conversion leading 48-21 in the fourth quarter. Stanford covered the spread by 44.5 points, winning big as 10.5 point underdogs.

USC cornerback Shareece Wright, talking about the loss. “It shows the lack of respect that they had for us. That's all that is. A lack of respect for our team. You have to remember things like that. ”

This year, the roles are reversed. Stanford is the big home favorite; USC is the revenge minded dog. But, as last week’s home loss to Washington clearly indicated, the 2010 Trojans are declining; a program headed in the wrong direction.

Five players transferred this offseason, thanks to the NCAA’s two year postseason ban on the Trojans. Four players left early for the NFL draft. Two 2010 recruits were released from their commitment to the program. With injuries and attrition this fall, the Trojans have fewer than 70 scholarship players on the roster right now.

Kiffin made it clear that his fan base has unrealistic expectations right now. “This is not your old 'SC.” He also said that it will take “probably a good five years, maybe six" until the program is restocked with the depth and talent they had before he got here.

Wright agreed with his coach’s assessment. “It's a big difference from when we first came in to now. Everybody still expects us to throw teams out like we used to. We're not the same team we were five years ago. We have to accept that.”

Stanford is coming off a tough loss of their own. Leading 21-3 at Oregon last Saturday Night, the Cardinal were stunned by the Ducks skill position speed, outscored 49-10 the rest of the way.

Cardinal head coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t sound too worried about a potential hangover. “I think they were stung. It wasn't a good feeling, having lost the game, but they came back very focused. Probably had our best Monday practice since I've been around here.