How the USC Trojans match up with Stanford in a big early-season game

No. 6 USC (1-0) vs. No. 14 Stanford (1-0)

Saturday, 5:30 p.m., Coliseum. TV: FOX. Radio: 710

Marquee matchup

Sam Darnold vs. Stanford’s secondary: Darnold did not start against Stanford a season ago, and it was the one moment his frustration showed. After the game, he publicly called out the team for giving up at halftime. Stanford’s defense, anchored by cornerbacks Quenton Meeks and Alijah Holder, will be the best defense Darnold has seen other than Washington last season. Darnold has been a big-game performer. Against Washington, UCLA, Notre Dame and Penn State, he averaged a 66% completion rate, 303 yards, almost three touchdowns and a bit more than one interception.

Getting offensive

USC (521.0 ypg/49.0 ppg): USC’s opening-game rushing performance — Ronald Jones averaged 8.8 yards per carry; Stephen Carr 9.9 — should scare the rest of the conference. But the Trojans must find more receiving options than Deontay Burnett, who caught seven passes for 142 yards against Western Michigan. Help might be coming in the form of tight end Daniel Imatorbhbebhe. He played sparingly last week because of a hip flexor injury, but should see more action.

Stanford (656.0 ypg/62.0 ppg): No Christian McCaffrey? No problem. Stanford’s Bryce Love, “a kid with tremendous explosion,” USC Coach Clay Helton said, rushed for 115 yards last year in Stanford’s bowl game, which McCaffrey missed, and for 180 yards in the opener this season. Cameron Scarlett also rushed for three touchdowns against Rice. Last season, USC didn’t face quarterback Keller Chryst. Since Stanford installed him as the starter in its eighth game last season, the Cardinal hasn’t lost.

Getting defensive

USC (357.0 ypg/31.0 ppg): The biggest concern for USC is its front seven, which gave up 263 rushing yards to Western Michigan. The team that wins the ground game has won eight of the last 10 games in the series.

Stanford (241.0 ypg/7.0 ppg): Who provides the pass rush without Solomon Thomas (eight sacks, 15 tackles for loss a season ago)? That’s Stanford’s major question; it has an experienced linebacking unit, but an excellent secondary.

Something special

USC’s Chase McGrath, a freshman walk-on, didn’t miss an extra point last week, but has yet to attempt a field goal. Stanford has its own novice kicker, Jet Toner. USC’s kickoff coverage yielded a touchdown last week.

Of note

USC’s 10-game winning streak is its longest since the Trojans won 12 straight in 2008-09. ... At least seven languages are spoken by Stanford players: English, Spanish, French, Samoan, Japanese, German and Austrian German.

Local ties

Five of Stanford’s regular contributors are offensive lineman David Bright from Yorba Linda, receiver Trent Irwin from Valencia, fullback Daniel Marx from Trabuco Canyon, linebacker Bobby Okereke from Santa Ana and tight end Colby Parkinson from Simi Valley. The brother of USC outside linebacker Connor Murphy, Trent, was an All-American linebacker at Stanford.

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