STANFORD, Calif. - The rematch is set: Stanford will face USC on Friday at 5 p.m. PT at Levi's Stadium for the Pac-12 title.
Let that sink in.
When they met in Los Angeles on Sept. 9, the Trojans rolled to a 42-24 victory. USC played a near-flawless game and proved unstoppable on offense.
"Walking off the field, I remember Dalton Schultz grabbing up the whole team and saying, 'We're going to see those guys again. Get to work,' " outside linebacker Peter Kalambayi said of the senior tight end. "It's happening now."
The following week, Stanford lost a 20-17 heartbreaker at San Diego State, falling to 1-2. Soul searching followed, but no finger pointing or pouting. That's not the culture of this program.
"When things are going badly, we don't fight each other and complain," said Kalambayi. "We just acknowledge that we all have things to work on, and we work on those things."
The team regrouped and won eight of its last nine games, punctuated by Saturday night's 38-20 regular-season finale against No. 9 Notre Dame.
Coupled with Washington's 41-14 triumph over Washington State, Stanford (9-3, 7-2) advances to the conference title game for the fourth time in six years on a tiebreaker for beating Washington.
"For us to get back to the Pac-12 Championship Game says a lot about who these players are," said David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football. "Proud of the fact that these guys believed in each other, never stopped working, never stopped fighting."
Most Stanford players didn't know what was happening in Seattle.
"No idea," said running back Bryce Love.
Added quarterback K.J. Costello, "Not until after our game."
It wasn't discussed during the week much, either.
"Nobody talked about Washington," said Kalambayi. "All we were thinking about was Notre Dame."
After getting burned for two long touchdown passes, the Stanford defense rose up in the fourth quarter, pitching a shutout. The unit also forced three turnovers.
"Our guys are great at bouncing back and trusting our scheme and trusting each other," Shaw said.
Linebacker Curtis Robinson picked off a Brandon Wimbush pass to set up a 12-yard scoring pass from Costello to Schultz.
"We saw it on film and I just took my drop," said Robinson. "Right place at the right time."
On the ensuing kickoff, linebacker Jordan Fox caused a fumble by blasting return man C.J. Sanders, and Antoine Malik recovered at the Notre Dame 18.
"Coach (Pete) Alamar talked all week about getting the ball out," Fox said. "I put my head on the ball and knocked one loose."
Four plays later, Cameron Scarlett bulled his way into the end zone from three yards and the Cardinal broke it open, 38-20.
Containing the multi-talented Wimbush was the top priority. He completed only 11 of 28 passes and ran for 61 yards, but his longest gain was 13.
"We had to keep him inside," said Shaw. "It was a huge key. He's such a great athlete outside the pocket."
Stanford accomplished this despite losing starting defensive end Eric Cotton and outside linebacker Joey Alfieri to injuries in the first quarter. Jovan Swann, Mike Tyler, Robinson and many others stepped up.
"Every time one of our guys goes down, we take it personally," Kalambayi said. "Our defense is very tight."
Costello continues to improve with every snap. He threw four touchdown passes, the most by a Stanford quarterback since Kevin Hogan collected four against the Fighting Irish in 2015.
"The competitor he is, he'll tell you he should have had five touchdown passes," Shaw said. "You can't say enough about the ceiling this kid has."
Costello is becoming more proficient managing the game, earning trust from Shaw. Costello called three plays in the huddle, then audibled at the line of scrimmage about 90 percent of the time.
"He's been doing a great job," Schultz said. "Sometimes we didn't have a play. He would diagnose what the defense was doing and tell us where to go."
Costello admitted it was a challenge early in the game adjusting to the different looks Notre Dame presented. It was essentially a chess match.
"It was a long game and took us a while to find our rhythm," he said.
Costello was poised and patient. He stepped up in the pocket and drilled a 29-yard scoring pass to Trenton Irwin, lobbed a 4-yard touchdown toss to JJ Arcega-Whiteside, who came back for the underthrown pass, fired a bullet to Smith, then waited until the last instant before lobbing a 12-yard score to Schultz, getting crushed after he threw.
"Watching him become more confident in the huddle has been really cool," said Schultz. "He's shown that he's able to stand in the pocket and deliver throws like that. He's been doing that for as long as he's been here."
Costello completed passes to seven receivers, but Smith has become one of his favorite targets. He caught three for 65 yards, and has produced a catch of 20 or more yards in six straight games.
"Even though I was about the third option, he said to be ready," Smith said of his touchdown reception.
Not coincidentally, they are roommates.
"Every night when I come home, he's watching film," said Smith.
Not surprisingly, Love started and finished with a game-high 125 yards on 20 carries. Limited by an injury for more than a month, and operating against a stacked Fighting Irish defense that often had seven to nine players in the box, the Heisman Trophy contender pounded for 94 second-half yards.
"You run out of words," said Shaw, who spotted him with Scarlett and Trevor Speights. "It's not about winning awards, it's not about being on national television. He just loves to play. He just loves his teammates. If he can be out there, he wants to be out there."
Asked when he knew he could play against Notre Dame, Love smiled, "After the Cal game."
Love surpassed 100 yards rushing for the 10th time this season, the most of any player in the FBS.
Love now ranks second nationally in rushing yards (1,848) behind Rashaad Perry of San Diego State (2,027). Love is also second in rushing yards per game (168.0) behind Perry (168.9) and third in yards per carry (8.60).
No. 11 USC (10-2, 8-1) had a bye last week, while No. 14 Stanford has only four days to prepare for the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Trojans' losses were at Washington State (30-27) and at Notre Dame (49-14).
"They survived (played) 12 straight games and won the South," said Shaw. "So there's no issue with that whatsoever."
Asked how his team will prepare given the short week, Shaw said, "We've got to be smart. We've got to get our legs back and still have a chance to game plan and practice and get good at some things in order to have a chance to be successful."
Junior Jake Bailey continues to be a weapon. In what may have been the best-ever performance by a Stanford punter, six of his seven boots traveled 50-plus yards with great hang time, he averaged 50.4, and three were downed inside the 20. His last effort in the fourth quarter traveled 65 yards.
"He has a rocket leg," said special teams ace Brandon Simmons.
Bailey ranks eighth nationally in punting average at 45.1. He also has 50 touchbacks in 72 kickoffs this season.
Stanford recognized the following seniors prior to the game: Terrence Alexander, David Bright, Ryan Burns, Keller Chryst, Eric Cotton, Brandon Fanaika, Denzel Franklin, C.J. Keller, Daniel Marx, Alameen Murphy, Kevin Palma, Harrison Phillips, Isaiah Brandt-Sims, Mike Tyler, Peter Kalambayi, Dalton Schultz, Casey Tucker, Mike Tyler and Lane Veach.
"Obviously, there was a lot of emotion, and that wave hits you pretty quick," said Schultz. "You think you're good and go out through the tunnel with everybody else, and it hits you. It's been a helluva ride."
Kalamabyi said the seniors made a point of soaking everything in, from the pre-game meal, to the walk to the stadium, to singing the alma mater afterward.
"It was definitely surreal," he said. "Especially to hear everybody cheering when I ran out there. To go out with a W and a sack, for me and Mike Tyler, it was big for us. We'll remember this day for the rest of our lives."
Retaining the Legends Trophy for the third consecutive year made it more memorable.
"It's my favorite game to play," said Schultz. "(They) play the hardest and are some of the best guys we face all season."
Extra Points … Stanford has now beaten six consecutive AP top-10 teams at home, the best streak in the nation … The Cardinal has held 10 straight opponents under its scoring average … Stanford finished 6-0 at home … The Cardinal had six sacks and 10 tackles for loss against Notre Dame … Bobby Okereke and S Justin Reid shared game-high tackle honors with nine … Harrison Phillips had three tackles for loss and two sacks. Phillips is tied for 14th nationally with 16.5 tackles for loss, the most of any defensive tackle … Jessica Mendoza '02, a four-time All-American softball player and Olympic golf medalist, served as honorary captain. She now works as a baseball analyst for ESPN.
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Quotable ... "He is a gunslinger. He's got the 'it' factor." - Dalton Schultz on K.J. Costello
