USC vs. Stanford Football 2018: Prediction, Early Preview For Week 2 Pac-12 Showdown

No. 13 Stanford and No. 15 USC passed their early tests with convincing wins in Week 1. The two rivals will face off in Palo Alto in a rivalry that has produced many intriguing results.

In last year's regular-season matchup, the then-No. 6 USC Trojans got the best of the then-No. 14 Stanford Cardinal in Los Angeles by tallying 307 rushing yards in a rare one-sided win, 42-24. But the rivalry was even more palpable in the Pac-12 Championship, which saw the Trojans earn a tight 31-28 win at Levi's Stadium.

The two wins by USC were a strong rebuke to the three-straight victories by Stanford, which were won by an average margin of 15.3 points.

But it was between 2010 and 2014 that the rivalry deservedly drew increased national attention. In the five games, the Cardinal won three from 2010 to 2012 by a combined total of 17 points, while the Trojans won by a total of six points in 2013 and 2014.

In 2018, the Trojans boast a true freshman at quarterback. The Cardinal, meanwhile, have one of the frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy.

In the season opener, USC quarterback J.T. Daniels overcame some early jitters against UNLV to finish with a respectable 22 completions on 35 pass attempts for 282 yards and a touchdown in a 43-21 win at the Coliseum.

Perhaps most encouraging for Clay Helton's squad was that Daniels appeared to look sharper as the game progressed. On the final drive, the 18-year-old completed 5-of-7 passes for 138 yards, which included 43-yard touchdown throw to Amon-ra St. Brown.

Against Stanford, USC will be looking for the offensive line to step up against a usually aggressive and organized Cardinal defense.

Stanford earned a 31-10 win Friday over San Diego State without much production from star running back Bryce Love. Instead, it was wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside who came up big against the Aztecs, finishing with 226 receiving yards and three touchdowns off some quality throws from quarterback K.J. Costello.

Love finished with just 29 yards on 18 carries against San Diego State, but the senior is coming off a record-setting 2017 season and poses a big problem for USC's defense. The 21-year-old rushed for 2,118 yards and 19 touchdowns last season, which included a total of 285 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Trojans.

Stanford may need a big game from Love to manage the clock and keep the defense rested against a deep and versatile USC attack.

Prediction: The Cardinal appear to have the more polished team in the early part of the season. Stanford head coach David Shaw will likely test a USC rush defense that allowed 308 yards to UNLV by giving the ball to Love early and often. Expect Love to bounce back from his uninspired performance in Week 1 to lead Stanford to a close win.

Stanford over USC, 28-24