With Andrew Luck calling signals in the NFL, can Stanford keep its streak going against USC?
The second-ranked Trojans (2-0) visit the No. 21 Cardinal (2-0) today for the latest chapter of what has been one of the country’s most captivating matchups over the past five years.
“It’s kind of a general distaste,” said Stanford quarterback Josh Nunes, who grew up a Cardinal fan in the Los Angeles suburb of Upland.
The Cardinal won the past three with Luck, the top overall pick by the Colts, at quarterback.
Adding spice to the rivalry was the frosty relationship with the previous coaches, which made national news when USC’s Pete Carroll infamously asked Jim Harbaugh, “What’s your deal?” after Harbaugh went for a late two-point conversion with a 48-21 lead against the Trojans in 2009.
The Trojans lead the series 58-28-3, although the Cardinal has won the previous three games and four of the past five. Stanford won at USC in triple overtime last season, 56-48.
And in 2007, Harbaugh’s Cardinal recorded one of the most stunning upsets in college football history, snapping the then-No. 2 Trojans’ conference-record 35-game winning streak with a 24-23 victory as a 41-point underdog.
Clover Park graduate Tavita Pritchard, making his first start for Stanford, threw a 10-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to wide receiver Mark Bradford with 49 seconds remaining to give the Cardinal the win, which many credit for ignited the revival of Stanford football.
“These guys slipped past us the last three years,” USC cornerback Nickell Robey said. “We know this team isn’t a pushover. They’ve got our attention.”
NOTHING FOUND
Investigators found no evidence of child pornography on computers taken from the home of Minnesota State, Mankato coach Todd Hoffner, who was accused of having nude videos of his children on his cellphone.
His attorney and wife have said the charges are ridiculous, saying the videos simply captured the family’s children being silly after taking a bath.
Hoffner’s attorney said he expects prosecutors to proceed, focusing on the videos on the phone.
EXTRA POINTS
Arkansas coach John L. Smith said senior quarterback Tyler Wilson is a game-time decision today against top-ranked Alabama, but reports said the all-Southeastern Conference QB won’t play after getting hit in the head and knocked out in last week’s upset loss to Louisiana-Monroe. “There will be no further update on Tyler Wilson’s status today,” Smith said in a statement. ... Joe Paterno will remain in Brown University’s Athletic Hall of Fame after an independent board that oversees the hall has voted not to remove the late Penn State coach, who graduated from Brown in 1950. ... Central Florida plans to appeal its postseason ban for recruiting violations by Monday’s deadline. If an appeal is filed, UCF would be bowl eligible until the NCAA rules on the appeal.
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