It’s Close, but Elway Picks Trojans : Stanford Coach Says Peete Gives USC the Edge Over Irish

Stanford enjoys a unique perspective on Saturday’s battle for No. 1 between top-ranked Notre Dame and second-ranked USC.

The Cardinal lost to both.

In its opener Sept. 10 at Stanford, the Cardinal lost to USC, 24-20, when quarterback Rodney Peete drove the Trojans 80 yards to the game-winning touchdown in the last 3 1/2 minutes.

Three weeks later, Stanford was crushed by Notre Dame, 42-14, at South Bend, Ind., as Irish quarterback Tony Rice passed for 129 yards and 1 touchdown and ran for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.

So, who does Coach Jack Elway like in the game of the year?

Surprisingly, it’s not the team with the leprechaun as its mascot.

“There’s no doubt you’re going to get a tremendous game,” Elway said through the Stanford sports information office. “The teams are comparatively even as far as their offensive lines are concerned, although as pass (blockers), I would say that USC may be a little better.

“If I had to choose from the receivers, I’d give an edge to Notre Dame in quickness, but I’d give an overall edge to USC. I really like (USC’s) Erik Affholter and, as a group, I feel USC’s receivers may be a little more consistent.

“The offensive backfields are pretty even. At tailback, USC has three good ones (in Aaron Emanuel, Scott Lockwood and Ricky Ervins), while Notre Dame has two (in Mark Green and Tony Brooks). The edge at fullback (between Notre Dame’s Braxton Banks and USC’s Leroy Holt) may go to Notre Dame.

“Defensively, I really like both teams. Notre Dame’s linebacker, Mike Stonebreaker, played an outstanding game against us, but you can’t beat USC’s two safeties, Mark Carrier and Cleveland Colter (who is out with a knee injury).

“Ultimately, it is at quarterback where the two teams really differ. With Tony Rice, you really know what you’re going to get--and that’s the option.

“But with Rodney Peete, you don’t know what you’re going to get. Peete is an accurate thrower. He can throw short and he can throw deep. And he is a threat to run the ball if he gets into trouble.

“Speed-wise, I’d say Rice and Peete compare favorably.

“After all is said and done, who would I choose?

“There was only one game in which we played this year that was not close--and that was at Notre Dame. It took a great drive, engineered by Peete in the waning minutes, for USC to beat us.

“But, despite that disparity, I’m picking USC in a close one.”

Linebacker Rob Hinckley said both teams are “big and strong and like to push you around.”

He gives the Irish an edge in team speed, “which is kind of surprising because they’re usually not that fast,” he said.

Hinckley said that, based on USC’s 23-7 victory over Oklahoma, the Trojans probably will be able to defend Notre Dame’s option offense much better than Stanford was able to defend it. USC limited Oklahoma to 89 yards on the ground in 37 attempts.

“We had problems with Notre Dame’s option and everything else they did was opened up because of that,” Hinckley said. “I think that because USC seems to play the option very well--like it did against Oklahoma--that it will do a much better job of containing Rice than we did.

“And I think USC’s offense will be more effective than Notre Dame’s because USC can do a lot of different things.

“Notre Dame relies on having the option work for them.”