A big game in the Pac 12 takes place in college football action Saturday night when the No. 4 Stanford Cardinal hit the road to take on the USC Trojans. The game is scheduled for an 8 (est) p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ABC. Currently the odds for the game have Stanford favored by a field goal.
The Stanford Cardinal are a big, physical team that could probably play with anybody in the country, Alabama included. In this game against USC the Cardinal will see athletes from the Trojans that are equally as big and physical. USC ranks 17th nationally in total defense, so expect a good showing from them tonight against the pro-style offense of the Cardinal, where they line up and run 60 percent of the time.
Stanford got a couple of extra days rest after beating Oregon last Thursday night on the road. Of the teams ranked in the Top 5 of the BCS standings, that's probably the best overall win of the group. The Cardinal have been able to beat Oregon each of the last two seasons by utilizing their ground and pound game where they control the clock, don't make mistakes and play well.
USC has lost four straight games in this series, but they have won three straight games overall. The Trojans fired Lane Kiffin but since have looked like a pretty good football team. USC hung 62 points on California last weekend, but we wouldn't expect that same type of offensive output in this one. Stanford's defense is one of the best units in the country. In fact, they've held many of their opponents well below their seasonal average, including Oregon 36 points below their regular output.
The Trojans have gotten big plays in their special teams this season, including last week when they had multiple punt returns for touchdowns. Ed Orgeron didn't win at Ole Miss (0-23 straight up against .500 or better teams), but that hasn't mattered this season. He's got a great football team and the Trojans are flying high.
But Stanford's defense, along with Kevin Hogan running the offensive show, are going to be too much tonight. The Cardinal are the top one-loss team in the country and they won't take this game lightly or get caught looking ahead. We like Stanford's balance to be the biggest difference in this game.
Free Pick: Stanford 27, USC 21
College Football Free Picks: Stanford at USC Betting
What college football bettors need to know about Stanford Cardinal at USC Trojans on Saturday (11/16/13) - a free pick from Pregame.com's Bryan Leonard, with Ken Thomson and host Marco D'Angelo.
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