South tries to end drought in fifth Pac-12 championship game

After emerging from turmoil, USC tries to complete an improbable run to the Rose Bowl in the Pac-12 Conference championship game against Stanford. Times staff writer Gary Klein examines a few story lines:

Northern exposure

This is the fifth Pac-12 championship game, the second at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The North Division champion is 4-0 in title games.

2011: Oregon 49, UCLA 31 — The Bruins represented the South in the game at Oregon’s Autzen Stadium. USC, which had defeated the Ducks two weeks before, was ineligible because of NCAA sanctions.

2012: Stanford 27, UCLA 24 — Six days after defeating the Bruins at the Rose Bowl, the Cardinal did it again at Stanford Stadium.

2013: Stanford 38, Arizona State 14 — The Cardinal earned its second consecutive Rose Bowl appearance with the victory at Sun Devil Stadium.

2014: Oregon 51, Arizona 13 — Quarterback Marcus Mariota led the Ducks to the College Football Playoff and then headed to New York to pick up the Heisman Trophy.

Stadium tour

High-tech Levi’s Stadium is home to the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and will also host Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 6. The $1.2-billion stadium, which opened in 2014, holds about 68,500 for football.

Five for Fighting will perform before the game, Brian McKnight will sing the national anthem and members of the Pac-12 Networks’ All-Century team will be saluted throughout the game.

Former USC players Ronnie Lott, Marcus Allen, Joey Browner and Ron Yary are scheduled to attend, according to the Pac-12.

Bowl situation

If USC defeats No. 7 Stanford, the Trojans advance to the Rose Bowl for the first time since the 2008 season.

If the Trojans lose, there are numerous scenarios that won’t be sorted out until Sunday.

If Stanford makes the playoff, Oregon probably would go to the Rose Bowl, USC to the Alamo Bowl.

If Stanford does not make the playoff, the Cardinal goes to the Rose Bowl and Oregon probably goes to the Alamo Bowl.

USC could go to the Holiday, Sun, Foster Farms or Las Vegas bowls.

USC played in the Holiday Bowl last season. The Trojans did not exactly come off as appreciative Sun Bowl participants in 2012. The Foster Farms Bowl is also played at Levi’s Stadium, and organizers probably would prefer not to bring back a team that recently played there.

So USC might wind up playing Brigham Young in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 19. That early date in the bowl season would give Coach Clay Helton plenty of time to recruit and decide on his staff.

Motivational challenge

The Pac-12 kickoff is at 4:45 on ESPN, and Clemson and North Carolina will begin 15 minutes later in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

That means Stanford’s playoff prospects will unfold in real time while the Cardinal attempts to beat the Trojans.

Stanford coaches and players are certain to be aware of what’s happening at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. How that affects the Cardinal’s performance against the Trojans remains to be seen.

Passing experience

USC quarterback Cody Kessler and Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan are fifth-year seniors, but Hogan has an experience edge in Pac-12 championship games.

Hogan was the most valuable player of the 2012 title game, when he completed 16 of 22 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown and also ran for a touchdown against UCLA.

He completed 12 of 18 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinal’s 2013 victory over Arizona State.

Hogan has completed 68% of his passes this season, 23 for touchdowns, with seven interceptions. Kessler has completed 68% of his passes, 27 for touchdowns, with six interceptions.

gary.klein@latimes.com