No. 14 USC hosts Stanford in early Pac-12 showdown

By The Associated Press

The Cardinal and Trojans open the Pac-12 schedule by resuming their longstanding rivalry after not playing during last season’s pandemic-shortened campaign. USC got a flattering 30-7 win over San José State thanks to a tenacious defense. But with one touchdown scored in four red-zone visits, the offense will need to show significant improvement for them to contend for the conference title. After being manhandled 24-7 by Kansas State, Stanford needs a victory to keep its season from unraveling. A third straight game away from home is on deck next week at Vanderbilt, followed by tough tests from UCLA and Oregon.