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USC falls to Stanford, 27-10, in Pac-12 opener

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Christian McCaffrey rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown in 30 carries and caught four passes for 73 yards and a touchdown to lead the Cardinal.

Slideshow: USC vs. Stanford in Pac-12 opener

The Trojans stop Christian McCaffrey short of the goal line on this play. Click the photo to see more images.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC is no match for Stanford, losing 27-10 in Pac-12 opener

USC was no match for Stanford.

Christian McCaffrey dazzled and Michael Rector turned on the speed.

The Cardinal defeated the Trojans, 27-10, in a Pac-12 Conference opener Saturday in Palo Alto.

The Trojans fall to 1-2 on the season, 0-1 in the Pac-12, and Stanford improves to 2-0 and 1-0.

McCaffrey, last season’s runner-up in Heisman Trophy voting, caught a 56-yard pass for a touchdown to set the tone in the first quarter and give Stanford a 7-0 lead.

McCaffrey rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown in 30 carries. He caught four passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.

USC’s Ronald Jones rushed for one yard and a touchdown to make it 17-10, Stanford, in the third quarter. It was USC’s first touchdown against a Power Five opponent this season.

But Rector put the game out of reach for the Trojans, 27-10, later in the quarter when he took a reverse and rushed 56 yards for a touchdown.

Max Browne completed 18 of 28 passes for 191 yards. Sam Darnold replaced Browne in the final series of the fourth quarter and completed five of seven passes, with an interception.

Stanford’s Ryan Burns completed nine of 15 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. He had one pass intercepted by Adoree’ Jackson.

USC’s Clay Helton falls to 1-4 since he was named permanent coach last season.

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Sam Darnold intercepted in end zone

Sam Darnold took over at quarterback for Max Browne and had a pass intercepted by Stanford’s Noor Davis in the end zone when the ball deflected off receiver Tyler Petite.

Darnold completed five of seven passes for 45 yards and played well enough during the series to at least raise the question if the quarterback situation should be re-evaluated.

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Stanford in control, 27-10, late in the fourth quarter

Stanford worked the clock, running the ball eight consecutive times before punting.

This one might as well be put in the books, barring a miracle comeback by the Trojans.

Christian McCaffrey has rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown in 30 carries and has caught four passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.

McCaffrey’s backup, Bryce Love, also has been productive. Love has rushed for 48 yards in 10 carries.

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USC can’t convert turnover into points

USC was unable to convert a turnover into any points as the offense continues to stumble.

Max Browne completed a third-down pass to Darreus Rogers for nine yards but then faced third-down again and couldn’t complete a pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Smith-Schuster, USC’s leading receiver last season, has caught just two passes for 25 yards.

The Trojans took possession after Adoree’ Jackson intercepted a pass by Ryan Burns.

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Adoree’ Jackson makes second career interception

Adoree’ Jackson intercepted a pass by Ryan Burns when the Cardinal quarterback aimed deep on third down and underthrew his receiver.

The interception was the second of Jackson’s career.

Stanford took over after the Trojans turned the ball over on downs.

Trojans Coach Clay Helton inserted Sam Darnold at quarterback on third and fourth downs, only to hand the ball off to Ronald Jones on consecutive plays.

Earlier in the series, Max Browne completed short passes to Steven Mitchell and Deontay Burnett,. When facing third and 18 (after a sixth false start by the offensive line), Browne completed a 30-yard pass over the middle to Tyler Petite.

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Stanford leads USC, 27-10, in the third quarter

Michael Rector has been bogged down all night by Adoree’ Jackson, until Cardinal Coach David Shaw called for a reverse and Rector ran 56 yards for a Stanford touchdown.

The Cardinal lead USC, 27-10, in the third quarter.

The scoring drive covered 62 yards in two plays. Christian McCaffrey rushed for four yards.

This is all but over for the Trojans. It’s probable that Clay Helton will be 1-4 as USC’s coach, dating to a loss last season against Stanford in the Pac-12 Conference championship game after his interim coaching title was removed.

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Stanford kicks field goal, leads USC, 20-10, in the third quarter

Stanford kicked a 42-yard field goal to take a 20-10 lead over USC in the third quarter.

USC’s Adoree’ Jackson and Michael Hutchings made outstanding plays on second and third down, respectively, to keep the Cardinal from the end zone.

The Cardinal are trying to limit how many touches Christian McCaffrey gets, so Bryce Love took over for a few carries. Love rushed for 20 yards in consecutive carries to start the series.

Quarterback Ryan Burns then kept the ball for consecutive carries, gaining 13 yards, before he handed off to McCaffrey, twice, for 16 yards.

Jackson broke up a pass in the end zone and Hutchings tackled McCaffrey on third down.

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Ronald Jones scores to pull USC to within 17-10 of Stanford

Ronald Jones rushed for one yard and a USC touchdown. that cut Stanford leads to 17-10 early in the third quarter.

The scoring drive covered 75 yards in nine plays and took 3:36.

Justin Davis did the bulk of the work in the drive. He rushed for 22 yards in four carries.

Darreus Rogers broke a tackle to pick up extra yards on an 11-yard reception. Later in the drive, Browne looked downfield to compelte a 38-yard pass to tight end Tyler Petite, which set up the touchdown run.

That’s the exact start USC needed in the second half to get back into the game.

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Stanford leads USC, 17-3, at halftime

Here’s a few halftime stats.

USC:

Max Browne has completed eight of 12 passes for 90 yards.

Justin Davis has rushed for 40 yards in five carries and Ronald Jones has rushed for 31 yards in six carries.

Steven Mitchell has caught three passes for 49 yards and JuJu Smith-Schuster has caught one pass for 23 yards.

Stanford:

Ryan Burns has completed eight of 12 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown.

Christian McCaffrey has rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown in 20 carries and he has caught three passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.

Dalton Schultz has caught two passes for 20 yards and Trent Irwin has caught a pass for 15 yards.

--

The Trojans have seven penalties for 51 yards -- including five false starts by the offensive line. The Cardinal have one penalty for five yards.

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USC’s offensive line flagged for five false starts

USC’s offensive line has put the Trojans in a hole.

The line was flagged for a fifth false start in the first play of the drive.

On the next play, Tyler Petite caught a short pass and fumbled, but JuJu Smith-Schuster (who has caught only one pass) recovered the ball.

Steven Mitchell Jr. caught a 19-yard pass.

The drive stalled on an incomplete deep throw to Smith-Schuster, a four-yard catch by Justin Davis and then an incomplete pass to Davis as Stanford blitzed.

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Stanford leads USC, 17-3, in the second quarter

USC’s John Houston and Michael Hutchings stopped Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey in the air as he tried to leap over the goal line on third down.

But then came fourth down.

McCaffrey rushed one yard for his second touchdown of the day. The Cardinal lead the Trojans, 17-3, in the second quarter.

The scoring drive covered 57 yards in eight plays and took 4:25.

McCaffrey was a one-man wrecking crew on the drive. He rushed for 48 yards in seven carries.

Bryce Love rushed for nine yards in one carry.

The Trojans need to find the end zone before halftime if they want to have a shot at a second-half comeback.

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Max Browne sacked, Stanford leads USC, 10-3, in the second quarter

USC punted for a second time after Max Browne handed off to Ronald Jones on third and 17 and Jones was tackled far short of a first down.

Jones rushed for eight yards to start the series and Deontay Burnett followed with a seven-yard reception.

But the drive took a big step backward when Browne was sacked on second down with the pass rush coming from the right side of the field.

One must wonder why USC, with so many receivers, would opt to run the football on third and 17.

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Stanford leads USC, 10-3, in the second quarter

Stanford kicked a 31-yard field goal to take a 10-3 lead over USC in the second quarter.

The scoring drive covered 60 yards in 14 plays and ate 5:48 off the clock.

The Trojans haven’t been able to get off the field on third down - the Cardinal have converted five of seven.

And USC hasn’t been able to slow down Christian McCaffrey, who has rushed for 51 yards in 12 carries and has caught two passes for 65 yards and a touchdown.

Ryan Burns completed a 15-yard pass to Trent Irwin and an 11-yard pass to Dalton Schultz in the series.

On third down, Chris Hawkins was able to put pressure on Burns, which forced his pass to fall incomplete and the Cardinal to settle for a field goal.

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Stanford leads USC, 7-3, in the first quarter

USC’s Matt Boermeester kicked a 47-yard field goal to cut Stanford’s lead to 7-3 in the first quarter.

The scoring drive covered 54 yards in eight plays.

Penalties have plagued the Trojans. The offensive line has four false starts.

Max Browne has completed four of six passes for 54 yards.

JuJu Smith-Schuster caught a 23-yard pass in the series, Steven Mitchell caught two passes for 30 yards -- including an impressive 19-yard reception where he broke a tackle to pick up extra yards.

Justin Davis rushed for 12 yards in a carry. He has come out strong against the Cardinal, rushing for 40 yards in five carries.

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Stanford leads USC, 7-0, in the first quarter

Christian McCaffrey caught a 56-yard pass from Ryan Burns for a Stanford touchdown.

The scoring drive covered 80 yards in seven plays and took 4:04 off the clock.

USC has committed Adoree’ Jackson to covering Michael Rector. But which Trojan is responsible for covering McCaffrey? No one was even close to the Heisman Trophy candidate on the play.

Burns also completed a nine-yard pass to Dalton Schultz on the drive and scrambled for a first down in a third-and-short situation.

McCaffrey has rushed for 29 yards in six carries and has caught the one pass.

Burns has competed three of four passes for 63 yards and the touchdown.

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USC’s opening drive stalls and Trojans punt

USC ran the ball effectively in its first series, but the drive stalled after a couple of first downs and the Trojans punted.

Justin Davis rushed for 28 yards in four carries and caught a pass out of the backfield, but was tackled at the line of scrimmage.

The drive went backward on the next to plays when Zach Banner was called for a false start and Ronald Jones, in his first carry, was tackled for a five-yard loss. Jones rushed for 13 yards in the next carry, but couldn’t reach a first down.

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USC’s defense stops Stanford on opening drive

USC’s defense looked sharp on Stanford’ opening drive and forced the Cardinal to punt.

Stanford quarterback Ryan Burns completed one of two passes for a loss of two yards.

Chrisian McCaffrey rushed for 18 yards in two carries.

Chris Hawkins forced McCaffrey to fumble, but Stanford’s Trent Irwin recovered.

Francis Owusu caught a short pass, but Uchenna Nwosu read the play and tackled Owusu for a two-yard loss.

Iman Marshall tackled Bobby Okereke for a three-yard loss.

McCaffrey took a handoff on third and 20 and was tackled far short of the first down.

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Clear skies in Palo Alto for USC vs. Stanford

It’s less than an hour before kickoff on a temperate, mostly cloudless day in Palo Alto, and most of the fans are still tailgating.

The stadium is only about 10% full. Classes at Stanford haven’t begun yet, so many students aren’t yet on campus.

Both bands are here, though, including the Trojan Marching Band, which has just begun playing.

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USC and Stanford kickoff in less than an hour

USC will play seventh-ranked Stanford in less than an hour in Palo Alto.

Here is USC’s announced starting lineup.

Offense: Quarterback Max Browne, tailback Justin Davis, fullback Reuben Peters, receivers Steven Mitchell, Darreus Rogers and JuJu Smith-Schuster, tight end Taylor McNamara and linemen Zach Banner, Viane Talamaivao, Nico Falah, Damien Mama and Chad Wheeler.

Defense: Linemen Malik Dorton, Stevie Tu’ikolovatu and Rasheem Green, linebackers Porter Gustin, Michael Hutchings, Cameron Smith and Uchenna Nwosu, cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson and Iman Marshall and safeties Marvell Tell III and Chris Hawkins.

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Trojans might have a chance if they can keep their cool

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

JuJu Smith-Schuster was sitting just outside USC’s practice field this week when he recalled an aphorism that, he said, USC’s coaching staff has been drilling into the team.

“Our coaches told us that when emotions go high, intelligence goes down,” Smith-Schuster said.

USC is hoping that message has stuck, and that Saturday’s game against Stanforddispenses the image that the team is disorganized or undisciplined. That reputation began to crystallize early, when national commentators criticized the team’s entrance at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before the opener against Alabama. Some players crawled out of the tunnel as if dogs straining against a leash.

Two USC players were ejected in the first two games. One, linebacker Jabari Ruffin, was suspended for an additional half and forced to write an apology letter.

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All eyes will be on this man when it comes to stopping Stanford

Were he not coaching football, Clancy Pendergast says, he’d probably be back in Arizona, running a dairy farm.

His great-grandfather homesteaded land near Phoenix in 1878, and for generations, Pendergasts became farmers and respected members of the community. Pendergast’s father grew alfalfa, maize and cotton, and ran a dairy farm.

Pendergast’s life was headed that way, too. Then, in 1988, while studying agriculture at Arizona, he decided to ask the football coach at the local high school powerhouse, Amphitheater, if he had any openings.

“I just missed the game,” Pendergast explained.

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What to expect when the Trojans and Cardinal line up

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

This, more than USC’s opener against Alabama or an easy recovery against Utah State, is likely to provide the best barometer of Coach Clay Helton’s early efforts.

Stanford has been the class of the Pac-12 Conference in recent seasons, reaching three of the past four Rose Bowls.

A win validates Helton and makes USC a conference favorite. A loss makes next week’s game against Utah critical.

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