USC Trojans Weaknesses Exposed In Loss To Stanford
USC was outplayed Saturday night at the Coliseum, as Stanford dominated the No. 14 ranked Trojans from kickoff. The Cardinal were unstoppable, winning their first game of the season, beating the Trojans 42-28.
Kicker Parker Lewis got ejected for targeting on the first play of the game, and things only got worse there. Stanford running back Nathaniel Peat would then run wild for an 87-yard touchdown early in the first quarter.
Everything was difficult for the Trojans, whether it be on offense, defense or special teams.
Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee threw for 234 yards and totaled three touchdowns in his first collegiate start, while the Cardinal backfield continuously bullied Todd Orlando's defense en route to a blowout win. Stanford head coach David Shaw's game plan was executed to perfection, as the Cardinal offense and defense ran like a well-oiled machine.
Meanwhile, the Trojans struggled to step on the gas at any point of the contest. Quarterback Kedon Slovis finished 22-for-35 while throwing for 223 yards, with one touchdown (late in the 4th quarter) and one interception, which was returned for a TD. The run game fared a little better, as the team rushed for 185 yards on 33 attempts in the loss.
The Trojans third-down efficiency, red zone offense and penalties were big problem on Saturday night. USC only converted 4-of-12 third down attempts, and the offense settled for field goals inside the red zone for the second straight week. To add, the Trojans finished with eight penalties for 104 yards. There were several pass interference calls that allowed Stanford's offense to keep drives moving.
The defense, which was the strong point for USC last week, did not perform to the level of expectations. They allowed several big plays, and failed to hold the Cardinal to field goals in the red zone.
Despite being 17-point favorites, the Trojans fell in a brutal loss to Pac-12 foe Stanford. Now it's back to the drawing board for USC, as they travel to Pullman next week to take on the Washington State Cougars.
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[READ: USC vs. Stanford: 10 Things To Know]
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