Stanford Football: 5 reasons the Cardinal will beat USC in Pac-12 title

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 05: Ronald Jones II #25 of the USC Trojans scores a touchdown, dragging Dallas Lloyd #29 of the Stanford Cardinal into the endzone during the third quarter of the NCAA Pac-12 Championship game at Levi's Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

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We get one final taste of #Pac12AfterDark action this season as USC and Stanford football meet again. Here are five reasons the Cardinal can knock off the Trojans.

It has been a wild season in the Pac-12. The South went to form, as No. 10 USC found its way to the top of its division. But the North went right down to the wire. Washington’s win over Washington State in the Apple Cup set the stage for No. 12 Stanford to earn a rematch against the Trojans for the Pac-12 championship.

The last time the Cardinal met USC, back in September in Los Angeles, they ran out of steam and suffered a 42-24 defeat. But both teams are playing at a vastly different level than they were at the beginning of the year, and their early-season form offers few indications of what might actually go down on Friday night.

USC comes into the game as the clear favorite. The oddsmakers are positioning Stanford as a one-touchdown underdog in the rematch. David Shaw’s team, however, will be ready for their chance to get revenge for the earlier loss to the Trojans. Here are five reasons why the Cardinal can upset USC on Friday in the final taste of #Pac12AfterDark action for the 2017 season.

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