Stanford Defeats USC at Home

Stanford RB Toby Gerhart rushed for 178 yards and 3 touchdowns as No. 25 Stanford followed up its '07 Pac-10 upset, back in Los Angeles by beating No. 11 Southern California Saturday afternoon, 55-21, the most points ever allowed by the Trojans.

The loss became the worse by the Trojans’ since a 51-0 defeat at home against Notre Dame in 1966 and has likely ended their run as Pac-10 Champs.

Stanford's Freshman QB Andrew Luck threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score for the Cardinal (7-3, PAC10 6-2), which followed its surprising rout of Oregon last week with a strong start and a big finish at the Coliseum, where the Trojans (7-3, 4-3) have not lost to any other opponent since 2001, going 47-2.

R. Sherman returned an interception 42 yards for a score with 11 minutes 41 seconds to play, part of a 27-point fourth quarter for the Cardinal.

For the second time in just a few weeks, USC Coach Carroll endured the worst defeat of his nine seasons at USC.

“I’m not sure I have the right words to describe being humbled like this,” Carroll said.

Back in 2007 Stanford’s 24-23 victory as a 41-point underdog was a shocker, yet this win barely even qualified as an upset.

Stanford piled on the points late in the game, scoring four touchdowns in the fourth quarter after leading 28-21 entering the quarter.

And the Cardinal did it on USC's homecoming, right before 90,071 very quiet hometown fans.

Just two weeks after a 47-20 loss at Oregon — previously the worst of Carroll’s tenure — the Trojans again struggled on offense. When Sherman jumped on Matt Barkley’s short pass and returned it down the USC sideline to put the Cardinal up, 42-21, Coliseum fans began the long walk toward the exits.

Author Daniel Kablack is editor of mySportsChat.com