They’ll try again to do favorite thing

You needn’t remind USC, which hasn’t made BCS headway despite three shutouts, that anything can happen in football. But Stanford would like to. Again. Some issues surrounding today’s game:

Leading men: One team has, statistically, one of the top passers in the Pac-10. The other has Tavita Pritchard. Last year, that was enough for 41-point underdog Stanford.

Run for it: USC uses a stable of runners. Stanford depends on Gerhart & Kimble.

Do you remember? You say you can’t erase history? If you’re coaches Carroll and Harbaugh, you can try.

In the zone: USC’s top-rated defense faces a Cardinal offense that usually converts in the red zone.

It’s a match: Even smart players make stupid mistakes. USC believes it. Stanford proves it.

By the numbers: The Trojans, favored by 24 points, lead the Pac-10 in total offense and defense, giving them a big statistical edge over Stanford. Of course, that was true last year too.

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