9. Stanford reasserted itself as a Pac-12 contender vs. USCÂ
The Cardinal laid an egg in Week 1 to Northwestern, losing a spot in the national rankings. After bouncing back in Week 2 with a big win over UCF, nobody knew what to expect this week against USC (No. 6).
From the opening snap, it was apparent this Stanford team was ready for battle. Winning the game in the trenches on both sides of the ball, the Cardinal dictated the pace of play and the tenacity in which the game would be contested.
While the Trojans put up an admirable fight, Stanford would not be stopped.
Much-maligned quarterback Kevin Hogan put together his finest performance since last year, completing 18-of-23 passes for 279 yards with two touchdowns and most importantly no interceptions. He made big throw after big throw when his team needed him the most, leading the Cardinal to a 41-31 victory over Pac-12 rival USC with the help of a punishing rushing attack.
The 10-point underdog rose to the occasion, and after Week 3 it’s quite clear Stanford is still a team to be reckoned with. The real challenge for this program is to carry the positive momentum into the weeks to come, with contests against Arizona and UCLA upcoming.