Stanford vs. USC: Early point spread released on Cardinal, Trojans

For the last time as Pac-12 opponents, Stanford and USC will face off against one another. The Trojans will be heading to the Big Ten ahead of the 2024 season, while the Cardinal joined the ACC. Conference realignment has taken away a few rivalries in college football and this will be one of them.

Tradition states the Stanford-USC game is played early in the year. Week 2 will be the date this year, despite Lincoln Riley already having two games under his belt. Luckily for those in Los Angeles, the Trojans have been impressive throughout and it’s expected to continue on Saturday.

According to Fan Duel, USC is an 30.5-point favorite against Stanford. Already having some massive numbers against San Jose State and Nevada, this one is against a Pac-12 opponent. At the very least, the oddsmakers expect another big night from Caleb Williams.

As mentioned, USC has begun the season 2-0 with two wins at the LA Memorial Coliseum. Trojan fans will have another home game coming to them on Saturday. There has not been a true test for them yet, with both games being a breezy victory.

Stanford kicked their 2023 season off on Friday, flying across the Pacific Ocean to play Hawaii. Troy Taylor got his tenure started in an impressive fashion, taking care of business against the Rainbow Warriors.

Saturday will also mark the Pac-12 opener for both schools. In fact, it will be the first game between conference opponents for the Pac-12 in the 2023 season. An entertaining matchup should be on our hands, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PST.

Stanford, USC potentially ending longstanding rivalry

At least in the near future, Stanford and USC are not likely to see each other on a football field. With how scheduling works in college football, games have been planned years in advance. Both programs have nonconference matchups booked for the foreseeable future.

There was not a game between the two during the 2020 season due to COVID-19. Prior, the last year Stanford and USC did not play — you would have to go back to World War II. A great rivalry in the state of California is likely on pause.

Over the last 10, the wins are split right down the middle with five. Riley got a double-digit victory in his first year of the rivalry last year. Now, he will be looking for another big win in the potential final bout.