• For the fourth straight year the Stanford Cardinal defeated the USC Trojans (21-14), although unlike the past couple years where Stanford was led by superstar QB Andrew Luck and USC was in the midst of a two year bowl ban, this season #2 USC was highly favored, only to lose anyway.
• Led by a stingy defense that got to USC QB Matt Barkley a number of times, Stanford has been able to beat the Heisman hopeful every time they’ve played in his four year career. The only shot Barkley has at revenge is in the Pac 12’s conference championship in December. The Cardinal defense sacked Barkley four times, including twice on the last drive as USC desperately tried to tie the game.
• After scoring a touchdown with 11:19 left in the second quarter USC took a 14-7 lead and looked to be in charge of the game but the Cardinal defense cracked down and held the Trojans scoreless for the last 41 minutes of the game.
• Barkley, the favorite for the Heisman trophy and the player on the inside track for the #1 overall draft pick, and the Trojans were favorites to be in the National Championship game this year before this week. But now, it looks to be a much tougher road to hoe.
• USC dropped all the way to 13th in the polls while Stanford and Notre Dame (who beat then-#10 Michigan State on the road 20-3, both passed them. Both ND and Stanford had been ranked 20th or lower.
First Win for Luck, monster day for Eli
• While his Alma Matter was just pulling off your (oxymoronic) average, every-year upset, Andrew Luck was winning his first game as a NFL quarterback. Luck was good, but not great in his second game, but unlike many players as young as he is, he played well enough to avoid hurting his team and that was enough to secure victory.
• The Colts defeated the Minnesota Vikings 23-20 on a field goal by veteran kicker Adam Vinatieri with only 8 seconds left in the game.
• Luck threw the ball 41 times, with 20 of them connecting with a receiver, two of those for touchdowns. He threw for 224 yards. His counterpart, Christian Ponder, himself only a second year player, also played solidly completing 27 of his 35 attempts for 245 yards and two touchdowns.
• The big star of the day, however, was Eli Manning who threw for a mind-boggling 510 yards and willed his New York Giants to victory over the Tampa Bay Bucs after having a terrible first half with three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown with just seconds left in the half.
• The yardage total was the 8th highest in NFL history and also led to career high yardage games from receivers Hakeem Nicks (199 yards) and Victor Cruz (179 yards).
• The defending super bowl champions are now a much more comfortable 1-1 and go to play at Carolina Thursday night.
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