USC vs. Stanford: How Trojans' Win Shakes Up CFB Rankings

No. 14 USC went on the road to take on in-state rival No. 13 Stanford on Saturday, and a 13-10 victory was the end result of an exciting, drama-filled, mishap-heavy, defensive battle. Rest assured, the CFB rankings will be shaken up in a big way following this clash of California juggernauts.

The Trojans move to 2-0 on the year, and earning a big road win in Stanford should weigh heavily with the voters—especially taking this statistic from SportsCenter into consideration:

Not only did USC prove it can win in a hostile environment, but it also proved it can win in multiple fashions. During the team's 52-13 victory against Fresno State in Week 1, it used offensive firepower to bulldoze its way to a win with 701 yards of offense.

On Saturday, against a stout Stanford defense, the Trojans only amassed 291 yards of offense, but their defense stepped up in a big way. Despite allowing 413 yards to Kevin Hogan and Co., the team gave up a total of just 10 points.

Bleacher Report tweeted the defense's biggest play of the game:

Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports noted an impressive stat line and his take:

ESPN Stats & Info tweeted yet another telling statistic:

If USC's defense wasn't enough to admire, kicker Andre Heidari appeared to have ice water flowing through his veins, nailing a 53-yard field goal with just 2:30 remaining to give USC the lead for good.

This is a very well-rounded team.

The strength of victory should propel the Trojans up the standings prior to Week 3 should a top-12 team falter on Saturday evening. UCLA didn't look very impressive in Week 1, and if the Bruins don't fare better against Memphis, they could slide below USC—even with a win.

Assuming UCLA doesn't earn a decisive victory, the Trojans will at least move up to No. 11.

As for the Cardinal, it was a three-point home defeat. While the loss is a tough one to swallow, the team remained in contention until the bitter end against a strong opponent. Expect Stanford to slide in the standings—but just slightly. Due to the struggles of No. 19 Nebraska and No. 20 Kansas State on Saturday, there's no way Stanford drops out of the top 20.

On Saturday, the Trojans proved they are for real. With only three ranked teams remaining on their schedule—No. 17 Arizona State, No. 11 UCLA and No. 16 Notre Dame—it would not come as a surprise to see USC finish the season with an undefeated record. If that's the case, the team will warrant a spot in the first-ever College Football Playoff.

USC's win over Stanford applies plenty of pressure on the nation's top teams. The Trojans proved they can compete with the FBS elite—now everyone else must prove the same.