Coming into the weekend, a lot of eyes throughout the nation were on the huge match up in the Pac-12 between the Stanford Cardinal and the USC Trojans, and the game itself definitely delivered. When it was all said and done, the Trojans relied on the leg of Andre Heidari, who hit a career-long 53-yard field goal to give USC the win and get the Steve Sarkisian era off to a 2-0 start.
With the game all knotted up at 10, USC quarterback Cody Kessler, who finished the game with 135 yards on 15-of-22 passing led the Trojans on a nine-play, 58-yard drive that finished with the field goal. Stanford did get the ball back with some significant time on the clock, however a sack and forced fumble from the USC defense with under a minute to go sealed the deal. USC got the scoring started in this one late in the first quarter with a one-yard touchdown run from running back Justin Davis, following a 12-play 68 yard drive.
The Trojans would hold that lead until about seven minutes left in the second quarter, where Stanford running back Patrick Skov would plow one in to tie the game all up at seven.
The two teams would then trade field goal attempts throughout the second half, right up until Heidari had the last say in this one.
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With this one, Sarkisian has made the statement that he intends to have the Trojans right back in the hunt for the Pac-12 title immediately, as he dethroned the reigning conference champs in their home stadium.
USC now moves to 2-0 on the season and will take a trip east next Saturday to take on the Boston College Eagles. Stanford falls to 1-1 on the year and faces off against Army next weekend at home.