On September 19, Stanford entered the Coliseum as heavy underdogs, and left as contenders to win the PAC 12 title after their impressive 41-31 win over USC.
Stanford had struggled mightily on offense the first few games, and were facing a Trojans squad that many considered to be a contender for the College Football Playoff.
This game changed the directions of both programs; Stanford went on an offensive roll en route to a 10-2 record and their 3rd PAC 12 North title in 4 years. The Trojans lost their coach and their way for a few weeks, and had to struggle to get back to the top of the PAC 12 South.