SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sporting Alert – After capturing their respective divisions, No. 10 USC and No. 12 Stanford will battle in Friday night’s Pac-12 championship game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
The Cardinal (9-3) won the South division, while the Trojans (10-2) finished atop the North division.
Entering tonight’s game, USC and Stanford have split the last six head-to-head meetings, while in a series that dates back to 1905, the Trojans lead, 61-32-3.
Unlike the championship games taking place on Saturday, the battle for this title will not influence the competition for a College Football Playoff place.
TV CHANNEL AND STREAM
The game, though, will be televised live nationally on ESPN with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline) providing the coverage. A live stream is also available on WatchESPN, starting at 8:00 pm ET.
RADIO AND AUDIO COVERAGE
Live coverage on Stanford’s flagship station — KNBR 1050 AM — with Scott Reiss ’93 (play-by-play), Todd Husak ’00 (analyst) and John Platz ’84 (sideline). The broadcast begins one hour before kickoff with the Cardinal Tailgate Show and concludes with the postgame Cardinal Locker Room Report. The game can be heard on Stanford student radio — KZSU 90.1 FM — and online at kzsulive.stanford.edu.
Both teams last met in Week 2 of the season and when the then-No. 6 USC ran away with a 42-24 victory over Stanford, which was ranked No.14 at the time.
Heisman candidate, running back Bryce Love, who is better again after ankle injuries, is second in the country in rushing yards per game, and he will be hoping to restore his early season form for the Cardinal, who have won three straight and eight of the last nine.
Meanwhile, Love’s teammate, quarterback K.J. Costello, could be the difference-maker on Friday night and he enters this game full of confidence.
Costello, who didn’t play in the Cardinal’s 18 point defeat in September, has been a major standout since taking over the starting role late in the season from Keller Chryst.
The redshirt freshman has helped his team see off two previous Top 10 teams – then-No. 9 Washington and then-No. 8 Notre Dame – in the closing parts of the campaign.
Costello is coming off a four-touchdown and zero interception performance against the Fighting Irish.
“He’s got fire. He’s got passion,” Stanford coach David Shaw said. “He’s got a strong am and he’s accurate.”
