Stanford vs. USC: Game Grades, Analysis for the Trojans

The Stanford Cardinal upended the No. 6 USC Trojans 41-31 during a prime-time Pac-12 clash Saturday at the Coliseum.

Quarterback Cody Kessler tallied 272 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough for USC. The defense didn't put up much of a fight, allowing 474 yards to QB Kevin Hogan and the Stanford offense.

Positional Unit	1st-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	A-	A-
Run Offense	B+	B
Pass Defense	D-	D
Run Defense	C	D+
Special Teams	B	B+
Coaching	C-	D+

Pass Offense: Kessler had a strong night, completing 25 of 32 passes and connecting with eight different receivers. He led five scoring drives on nine possessions, which would've been an excellent pace against a team that doesn't control the ball like Stanford. JuJu Smith-Schuster finished with eight receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown.

Run Offense: The Trojans waltzed down the field on the opening possession thanks to the running game, and Tre Madden had 64 yards and a touchdown by halftime. Due to coaches turning away from the ground attack, however, USC didn't gain much more in the second half. Nevertheless, the Trojans recorded a respectable 5.5 yards per carry.

Pass Defense: Su'a Cravens, Greg Townsend and Anthony Sarao each notched a sack, but USC failed to consistently pressure Hogan—even on a bum ankle. Additionally, Stanford was 8-of-12 on third down and picked up three 3rd-and-longs on what was ultimately the game-winning touchdown drive. The Trojans had chances to get off the field but regularly failed to execute.

Run Defense: Christian McCaffrey and Remound Wright combined for 156 yards and three touchdowns, and Hogan scrambled for a couple first downs on—once again—3rd-and-long situations. Plus, Stanford possessed the ball more than 21 minutes and 20 seconds in the second half. USC has a glaring weakness to address up front.

Special Teams: Adoree' Jackson had a kickoff return touchdown called back due to a penalty, but fortunately for USC, the offense scored on the drive anyway. Alex Wood hit all four extra points and what could've been a critical 36-yard field goal. Kris Albarado blasted a 52-yard punt.

Coaching: Overall, the offense was solid. However, USC trailed by 10 points with less than two minutes remaining, but instead of kicking a field goal and saving time for an onside kick, head coach Steve Sarkisian essentially bled the clock. Defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox simply couldn't dial up pressure with the base defense, yet he didn't utilize a variety of blitzes. It wasn't a great night for the men wearing headsets.

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.