USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal: Is it "just another game"?

There was a time where USC had many classes that never won against UCLA Or Notre Dame. I am sure that there are other streaks that I am missing but I am talking within the past 10 years.

Recently, the tables have turned with USC keeping a number of UCLA and ND classes winless.

With USC facing Stanford this week USC could find itself with some of its senior going winless against the Farm.

The late John McKay is famous for his Stanford rants. there were years where USC would just smack them around. Then Jim Harbaugh showed up...there were Harbaugh's comments at his first media day aimed right at Pete Carroll. Then there was horrible loss to when 'furd was a 41-point underdog. USC got the next one but then there was whats your deal, the infamous clock operator game and last years triple overtime thriller.

I stated to wonder if Stanford was taking the place of UCLA as our in conference rival.

I mean its not like UCLA has lived up to its end of the bargain of late. We'll see how they hold up after their fast start this season.

A lot of USC fans want to win this game...bad. Luck is gone, Harbaugh is gone and 'furd got a few of the coveted linemen that we wanted in this past recruiting cycle.

Combine that with 'furd having our number of late and you can see the fans want this team to roll them up this weekend.

That's the fans though...for the players, it is just another game...

"It’s just another game," said quarterback Matt Barkley, who is 0-3 against Stanford. "It’s the next game. It’s Week 3. We’re going up north for an away game. Nothing special about it."

Nothing was ordinary about the way last season’s meeting ended. At the end of regulation, with the score tied, receiver Robert Woods caught a pass and tried to cut across the field. The officials ruled that time expired just before Woods dove out of bounds.

In the third overtime, with USC down by eight, Curtis McNeal took a handoff at the 3-yard line and fumbled the ball into the end zone, ending the game.

Despite playing integral roles in the outcome, Woods and McNeal sang the same tune as Barkley.

"Not really," Woods said when asked if the Stanford game held any profound meaning. "We play to win. Nothing changes."

Maybe...

USC needs to win if they want to stay in the BCS hunt they have to win convincingly to address the drop in the polls over the past two weeks. I know those drops are a joke but the bozo's that vote still have some say that can affect USC's standing later as the season moves on.

For the most part the few Stanford fans that I have direct contact with are pretty cool, they the run won't last forever. But those insufferable 'furd fans that we all have run into over the past few years make want this team to carpet bomb them this weekend.

I just want the team to win so they can get to Miami, how we win won't matter as other teams drop off but smoking the trees this weekend would be a nice thing to see...