FIRST QUARTERStanford 7, USC 0THE SCORING: *...

FIRST QUARTER

Stanford 7, USC 0

THE SCORING: * Stanford 7, USC 0: Kerry Carter, 4-yard run at 7:44. 69-yard drive, six plays. PAT--Mike Biselli (kick).

TURNING POINT: USC’s opportunity to try to tie the score after Troy Polamalu’s blocked punt was wasted late in the quarter when tailback Sultan McCullough tried to lateral to quarterback Carson Palmer. Instead, he tossed the ball toward a Cardinal defender, and Stanford’s Anthony Gabriel recovered the fumble. The Cardinal scored two plays later and took a 14-0 lead eight seconds into the second quarter.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Coach Pete Carroll showed he doesn’t have much faith in the Trojans’ long-range field-goal kickers--and he’s probably justified. So when the Trojans drove to the Stanford 29 on their first possession, instead of attempting a 48-yard field goal, USC tried for a first down on fourth and six and failed.

STAT WATCH: USC was penalized five times for 43 yards. Stanford was penalty-free.

SECOND QUARTER

Stanford 21, USC 0

THE SCORING: * Stanford 14, USC 0: Luke Powell, 34-yard pass from Randy Fasani at 14:52. 35-yard drive, two plays. PAT--Biselli (kick). * Stanford 21, USC 0: Pierce, 2-yard pass from Fasani at 8:53. 40-yard drive, five plays. PAT--Biselli (kick.)

TURNING POINT: Already trailing, 21-0, USC had a first and goal at the Stanford 6 after fullback Charlie Landrigan turned a short third-down pass into a 63-yard gain. But instead of possibly narrowing the margin to 21-7 at halftime, USC came up empty when David Davis missed a field-goal attempt from 26 yards.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: The boos began when USC couldn’t score a touchdown from first and goal--and they accompanied the Trojans into the locker room after Davis missed the field goal.

STAT WATCH: After 15 carries, USC’s rushing total at the half was one yard.

THIRD QUARTER

Stanford 21, USC 10

THE SCORING: * Stanford 21, USC 3: Davis, 41-yard field goal at 9:48. 19-yard drive, 10 plays. * Stanford, 21, USC 10: McCullough, 8-yard run at 6:00. Eight-yard drive, one play. PAT--Davis (kick).

TURNING POINT: With USC sinking low after Palmer’s second interception, Kevin Arbet fielded a Stanford punt and raced 47 yards to the Stanford 8, setting up McCullough’s touchdown run on the next play. The Trojans got more life when DeShaun Hill picked off one of Fasani’s passes. But USC came up empty--partly because of a costly personal foul against center Lenny Vandermade.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Palmer averted the threat of a shutout when he took off on fourth and 10 and ran the distance himself, helping set up Davis’ 41-yard field goal for the Trojans’ first points.

STAT WATCH: The Cardinal didn’t manage a first down in the quarter and had the ball only a little more than five minutes.

FOURTH QUARTER

Stanford 21, USC 16

THE SCORING: * Stanford 21, USC 16: Kris Richard, 65-yard return after Chris Cash blocked Biselli’s field-goal attempt at 6:34. PAT--Pass failed.

TURNING POINT: Stanford got the ball with 4:13 left to protect a five-point lead--and never let USC get the ball back.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Facing second and 10 from his own 38 as Stanford tried to sustain its time-killing final drive, Fasani decided to run for it--and picked up 23 yards and a crucial first down.

STAT WATCH: Stanford has beaten USC three times in a row for the first time since 1954-56.