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

2. Stanford features a ballhawking secondary

While the offense has been great at keeping possession of the football, the Stanford defense has been equally good at generating turnovers and getting the ball back for that offense. The secondary has been especially adept at picking off opposing quarterbacks.

The defensive backfield has snatched away 16 interceptions so far in 2017, ranking 10th in the country in that mark. They have been led by junior safety Justin Reid, who has five interceptions so far this season. That includes one against Sam Darnold the last time the Cardinal faced off against USC back in September.

Stanford has also generated eight fumble recoveries, in large part because their upperclassman-loaded secondary has taken away opportunities for quarterbacks to get rid of the football. In total, the Cardinal defense averages two turnovers per game. As a result, they rank 11th in the FBS in turnovers gained and fourth nationally in turnover margin.

They are playing a USC team that has been uncharacteristically mediocre at protecting the football. Sam Darnold has thrown 12 interceptions so far this season, and he could be due for another couple picks on Friday night. Should Reid or another of the veteran defensive backfield stars get a couple of interceptions, they will position the Cardinal for yet another Pac-12 title.