USC Chances of Beating Stanford Slipped Away



Story by L.T.Willis

USC's #7 Matt Barkley waiting for a play from the sideline. All photos are
by Eric Wade/T.G. Sports.



Another sold out  crowd at the Los Angeles Coliseum witness one of the most exciting rivalries in college football being display  between USC and Stanford not in the first half, but the second half went to a new level of scoring. USC trailed Stanford in the first half 10-6 before things really started to heat up in the third period. USC's Curtis McNeal broke free for a 61 yard touchdown run and now USC took the lead 13-10. Curtis McNeal wasn't finish yet as he broke free for a 25 yard touchdown  with 10:33 left in the third and now the Trojans lead  20-10. Stanford wasn't going to just lay down as Andrew Luck march his team down the field and found Ryan Hewitt open on a  five yard touchdown catch and now trailed USC 17-20.




USC's #22 Curtis McNeal breaks free for a 25 yard
touchdown run.



Stanford's #12 Andrew Luck scores on a 2 yard touchdown run.

Late in the third quarter Stanford's defense did it's job and got the Cardinals the ball with 1:22 left took the lead over the Trojans on a 2 yard run by Andrew Luck and now the score was 24-20 Stanford. Early in the fourth quarter the Trojans regain the lead when Marqise Lee caught a 28 yard touchdown pass from Matt Barkley and the extra point was good and Stanford now trailed 27-24. Stanford got the ball and again march down the field, but USC's defense held them to just a field goal by Eric Whitaker from 29 yards out tied the game 27-27. On the next series for Stanford Andrew Luck was picked off by USC's Nickell Robey who took it to the house to score and now USC led 34-24.



 USC's #9 Marqise Lee
scores and now the
Trojans led 27-24.

USC's #21 Nickell Robey picks off
Stanford's Andrew Luck and

takes it to the house.







The drive of the games was with under a minute left in the game and the Cardinals trailing the Trojans defense got pressure on Luck again and force him to pass earlier than he wanted to a caught a break on a pass play that was incomplete to Ty Montgomery the contact between the first defender cause the Stanford receiver to lose his balance and T.J. McDonald from the Trojans was already coming full speed was flag for a personal foul a hit into the head area. However after several reviews of the play it was not a hit in the head area but it was a hit in the shoulder area and this gave Stanford new life. With 32 seconds left in the game Stanford's Stepfan Taylor tied the game 34-34 and sent the game into overtime.

Stanford's #33 Stepfan Taylor scores and ties the game 34-34 to force the
game into overtime.



USC's #2 Robert Woods ties the game in the first overtime period 41-41.



The overtime fireworks started with Stanford getting the ball and scored  first on a one yard run by Jeremy Stewart and the Cardinals lead 41-34. USC tied the game with a 15 yard touchdown catch by Robert Woods and we are heading into the second over time period tied 41-41. Now in the second overtime period the Trojans got the ball first and Randall Telfer scored from 12 yards out and now the Trojans led 48-41. Stanford bounce back when Levine Toilolo scored on a 11 yard touchdown catch and tied the game 48-48.





USC's #82 Randall Telfer dives in to score and now the Trojans led 48-41.

Stanford's #33 Stepfan Taylor scores in the third overtime and
now the Cardinals led 56-48. 



Stanford got the ball to start the third overtime period and took the lead with a five yard touchdown run from Stepfan Taylor and the two point conversion by Coby Fleener and the Cardinals led 56-48. The Trojans  their next series drove down to Stanford's four yard line and the unthinkable happen on the very next play Trojans' Curtis McNeal  fumble the ball after  Cardinals' Terrence Stephens pulled the ball out and Stan Tarpley recovered the ball and USC chance of beating Stanford slipped away.

USC's #22 Curtis McNeal tried to tie the score 56-56 in the third overtime
period but fumble the ball.



Stanford recovered the fumble and the Cardinals beat the Trojans 56-48
in the third overtime period.

The only thing i didn't understand before we went to overtime is when USC had the ball with a ten point lead why didn't they really put more pressure on Andrew Luck that got them the lead, and second with only seconds left in the fourth period why didn't USC just go to a quick out pattern and if it wasn't there just throw the ball out of bounds and you still have time on the clock to try for a field goal. Can't blame the officials for losing the game and  you had a ten point lead and calling plays for you. It was one heck of a game and to have the buzz back at the Los Angeles Coliseum was even more awesome. Pictures and video was by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports and EW/Gems Images. You can check out the post game interviews with USC's Lane Kiffin, Nickell Robey and Matt Barkley.