USC at Stanford, Sept. 17 – College Football Matchup

College football matchup 2016

During his first season as permanent coach, Clay Helton led USC to a discouraging, if not anticipated, defeat against the defending national champion, Alabama, in Arlington, Texas. Then, the following week, Helton and the team were met with a Week 3 trip to The Farm. With road games against Arizona, Utah, Washington, and UCLA following their game against Stanford, a 1-2 start will likely lead to concern over Helton’s capabilities.

Related: The History of USC’s Football Uniforms

Last year, Stanford beat USC in a 41-22 Pac-12 championship game, during which Christian McCaffrey amassed 461 all-purpose yards. McCaffrey will now be up for his first Heisman showcase opportunity. The Stanford-USC game may be a cross-division matchup, but it also marks a key stretch for Stanford, who will then travel to UCLA and Washington. If the Cardinals want to prove that they are a contender for the playoffs and the Pac-12 favorites, a win in this game is a must.

As a side note, another key college football matchup and custom football jersey to watch for in 2016 is Florida at Tennesse