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Blogging with the Enemy: USC Trojans

Here we are again, back in the Pac-12 Championship Game and back against a familiar opponent, the USC Trojans. The Cardinal is undefeated in three appearances in this title game, surviving a last-second field goal to squeak past UCLA in 2012, crushing Arizona State in 2013, and riding Christian McCaffrey to big win over USC in 2015.

 

All of those outcomes were expected, but Friday night's game against USC should be a tightly contested game with a likely Fiesta Bowl berth on the line. As unlikely as Stanford's appearance here might be -- this is a team that lost to San Diego State, should've lost to Oregon State, and stumbled in the snow at Washington State -- I don't think there's any doubt that as the conference season came to a close, the Cardinal and the Trojans were the two best teams in the Pac-12.

Pac12 Championship Game: Stanford 41, USC 22

Here's what you do. Fire up the flux capacitor and take a trip back to Palo Alto in the spring of 1991. You'll be able to find me in any of a number of places -- playing softball on the intramural fields, shooting hoops on the courts behind Sterling Quad, or sitting in front of a computer terminal pounding out a paper in LOTS. When you get to me, ask me to sit down, and do your best to explain that a time will come when Stanford will play in three Rose Bowls in four years. You had better bring proof, because there's no way I'll ever believe you.

Even in 2015, sitting in front of another computer as I pound out this recap, I'm having a hard time believing what we've been watching over the past several years. In fact, I'm having a hard time believing what we saw last night as Stanford clinched that third Rose Bowl bid in four years with a dominant win over USC in the Pac-12 Championship game.

Blogging with the Enemy: USC Trojans

When the Stanford players gathered in camp at the beginning of the summer, they set three goals. The first, to win the Pac-12 North, has already been accomplished, and a chance to secure the second awaits on Saturday evening. Standing in the way of the Cardinal as it seeks to win a third conference championship in four years are the USC Trojans.

Prior to Stanford's regular season matchup with the Trojans back in September, I wrote that the annual Stanford-USC game is not only one of the three biggest games on the Stanford schedule each year, but it also serves as an accurate barometer of the Stanford program. This season was no different. After a stunning opening loss to Northwestern and an uninspiring win over what would turn out to be an awful Central Florida team, the Cardinal entered the game against the Trojans as understandable underdogs.

USC hadn't played anyone impressive, but they had outscored Arkansas State and Idaho by a combined score of 114-15, while Stanford hadn't scored its first touchdown until deep into the second game of the season. As I walked into the Coliseum on that September Saturday afternoon, I ran into an ex-Stanford football player who had lived across the hall from me in my freshman dorm. Even though we were both optimistic, we agreed that we wouldn't be surprised by anything that might happen that day.

Pac-12 Championship: Stanford 38, Arizona State 14

Arizona State was favored to win by most experts on Saturday night, and it's not hard to understand why. The Sun Devils had used their high-powered offense to win seven consecutive games, their fan base was foaming at the mouth for a Pac-12 championship, and Stanford had been decidely mediocre on the road leading into this game. Even though Stanford had manhandled ASU back in September, things had changed for the Devils, and they felt they had a plan that woud give them a victory and a trip to Pasadena for the 100th Rose Bowl.

Blogging With the Enemy: Arizona State Sun Devils

In 1992 the SEC came up with the idea to split into two divisions and hold a championship game pitting the division winners, and the college football landscape changed forever. There was money to be made with that extra game, so the Big 12 followed suit four years later, and the ACC instituted their championship game in 2005.

Along with the influx of cash, the championship gives the conference a marquee spot on the national stage, an advantage which surely helped propel Alabama's Mark Ingram to the Heisman when he was playing in the SEC championship as Stanford's Toby Gerhart sat at home in 2009.

So when the Pac-10 expanded to the Pac-12 and split into two divisions, it was a perfect opportunity for the conference to join the 21st century and create its own championship game. While critics might complain that it's simply a money grab, this year's game between Stanford and Arizona State proves that games like this are necessary.

Pac-12 Championship: Stanford 27, UCLA 24

After last week's dominant win over UCLA in the regular season finale, the expectation was for more of the same in Friday night's rematch in the Pac-12 Championship Game. It took about three and a half minutes for that expectation to wash away in the rain.

True Stanford Men

Check out this slick video from the Cardinal Channel. Another great look at last night's game. Goosebumps.

Championship Game Highlights

Courtesy of the Pac-12, here's a thorough video recap of Friday night's Pac-12 Championship Game. Spoiler alert: Stanford wins.