USC Linebacker Chris Galippo and the Trojan defense had no answer for the Stanford
Cardinal offense.

Game Recap: The Stanford Cardinal (7-3) embarrassed the No.9 USC Trojans (7-3) at the Los Angeles Coliseum Saturday afternoon with an emphatic 55-21 victory and proved their surprising upset of USC in 2007 was not an aberration.

Saturday's loss was the worst during the Pete Carroll era, and also the widest margin of victory for a road team at the Coliseum since Notre Dame throttled Southern Cal. 51-0 in 1966.

Key Moment: In a game that saw the Cardinal offense complete eight of 11 third down attempts, while also amassing six plays of over 15 yards, the biggest scoring play of the game came from of all places, the defense. With 11:41 left to go in the game, freshman quarterback Matt Barkley attempted to complete a short out route to redshirt freshman wide receiver Brice Butler on third down. The ball was thrown short of Butler, and intercepted by defensive back Richard Sherman, who promptly ran it back 42 yards for a Stanford touchdown, giving Stanford a 21 point lead. Sherman's interception, the first of his collegiate career, ended any chance of a late game comeback by the USC offense.

Game Changer: Only a week removed from his Stanford record 223 yards and three touchdowns performance in an upset victory over then No.8 Oregon, Toby Gerhart continued his dominance during Pac-10 play this season, with 178 yards and three touchdowns against an over-matched Trojans' defense. Gerhart's performance marks the second time in three weeks Rocky Soto's unit has allowed an opposing running back to gain over 170 yards in a game, with the other being against Oregon RB Lamichael James' 183 yards on Halloween Night.

Fast Facts:

The 55 points allowed by the Trojans on Saturday, were the most ever in the program's history.

Saturday's loss virtually guarantees that for the first time in the past eight seasons, USC will not win at least a share of the Pac-10 Championship.

Stanford's blowout win at the Coliseum gives Jim Harbaugh his first winning season as head coach of the Cardinal.

Saturday's loss was the first for the Trojans in the month of November during coach Pete Carroll's tenure at USC.

Quotes of the Game:

Exactly two months removed from the horrific weight room accident that claimed his junior season, running back Stefon Johnson treated media members to a highly uplifting pre-game press conference. For the first time since the Oct.14 incident, Johnson was able to speak in a whisper. Although he could only muster up the energy to say, "God has a plan. Run, Stafon, run," those seven words were the only form of silver lining on a day that had very few bright spots.

"It's almost sickening. To be a senior and leave a legacy like this, it's sickening."- senior captain Taylor Mays

"This isn't what we grew up watching. I'm not used to this."- quarterback Matt Barkley

"We have fallen apart and given our opponents the opportunity to do whatever they want."- coach Pete Carroll on the unexpected decline of his team this season

"We got our butt kicked on defense and they out-executed us. There were no surprises. And It was a humbling day."- Carroll on his overall impressions of why Stanford was so successful

"I don't know what they were thinking with that, but in that situation, they get to do whatever they want."- Carroll on Stanford's decision to go for two up 27 in the 4th quarter

"It's hard to bring it all the time. It's hard to be that successful, year-in and year-out. That's why so few programs do it,"- senior captain Taylor Mays explaining how rare USC's run the last seven years has been

Game Notes:

Redshirt freshman Brice Butler had a career day filling in for injured flanker Damian Williams (ankle), finishing with 6 catches for 96 yards, and a 36-yard touchdown.

Quarterback Matt Barkley continued to struggle for the third straight week, throwing three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and fumbling inside the red zone on the Trojans' first drive of the day.

In a losing effort, Joe McKnight ran for over 140 yards for the third time in his career, and likely secured his spot as a repeat recipient of USC's "Rise and Shine" Award given to the offensive player with the longest run from scrimmage during the season. McKnight set up the Trojans' first touchdown with a 51 yard in the second quarter, his second carry of over 50 yards this season (55 yard run vs. SJSU).