USC hopes Pendergast can keep Stanford’s McCaffrey in check

With Stanford consistently boasting one of the best defensive fronts in college football, this year led by Solomon Thomas, expect to see a regular blitz unleashed Saturday. The Cardinal visit Notre Dame on October 15 and then face five more weeks of conference games, culminating with The Big Game at California on November 19, one week before most rivalry games in the conference.

Stanford is the model of consistency in the conference. It’ll be a great chess match between Coach (David) Shaw and Clancy of mixing it back and forth. During that same stretch, I’m certain Shaw hasn’t changed as much as his mind even once. “It’s that whole power football stuff”.

USC pass offense vs. Stanford pass defense: Stanford’s young defense last season yielded 228 passing yards per game, just 71st in the nation.

“They’re going to be disciplined”, Davis said, a prediction similar to forecasting that the ocean will be wet. What makes it real is the fact that they take turns beating each other.

Given the regularity with which McCaffrey went for big yards, the evening’s soundtrack could have come with a Parental Advisory sticker.

“They haven’t had the total dominance like USC in the early 2000’s”, he said.

The first Pac-12 game of the season pits familiar foes Stanford and USC, the North and South representatives in last year’s conference title game. Starting defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (knee) likely will miss Saturday’s contest, while running back Bryce Love (leg) is expected to return after missing the opener but figures to see limited playing time behind McCaffrey, who will receive another heavy workload against the Trojans. USC won the teams’ last matchup at Stanford Stadium in 2014. This is the second primetime game of the season out of only three games for the Trojans. Right tackle Zach Banner has experience on the left side, but moving him over creates a void on the right side. The defense had an easier time bottling up McCaffrey because the offense lacked an additional threat. Still, USC led in the third quarter before losing, 41-31.

USC head coach Clay Helton offered high praise for special teams coordinator John Braxter after the Trojans’ blowout of Utah State, and with good reason. Its backfield features running back Christian McCaffrey, the Heisman Trophy runner-up from last season.

And remember when the possibility of seeing something both brilliant and obscene at a Stanford game meant watching the school’s band?

Stanford: TB Christian McCaffrey.

This would seem to suggest the potential of McCaffrey again producing wildly against the Trojans, producing everything up to and including the pre- and postgame shows. This is being treated as the week All-American wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster returned to the offense after being held to one reception against Alabama. If UCLA can get their running game established, it will take pressure off of their young QB and keep the ball out of Taysom Hill’s hands. What he brings to that team is wonderful. “I’m going to be watching him, too”. The question everyone is asking – will USC suffer the same fate as last time? The guess here: Somewhere between the 52-6 loss to No. 1 Alabama and 45-7 victory over No. An upset of Stanford and the Trojans regain their bravado, become a favorite for the conference title and regain national prestige after being embarrassed by Alabama.

Though FPI gives the Wildcats a 96.1 percent chance to win this game, a big help could come in the form of quarterback Anu Solomon, who could be back this weekend. USC showed that they are still a unsafe contender in their 45-7 smackdown of Utah State, racking up 178 rushing yards and gouging the Aggies’ defense. A loss makes next week’s game against Utah critical.