1. Which USC running back will the coaches choose to complement Chauncey Washington?
With C.J. Gable out for the season with a groin injury and Stafon Johnson sidelined this week with an injured foot, look for one of the Trojans' seldom-used backup running backs to have an expanded role.
The question is which back Carroll will give the carries to. Fans might get a better look at the youngsters, like freshman Joe McKnight or sophomore Allen Bradford, or we may see familiar veterans in seniors Desmond Reed and Hershel Dennis.
McKnight has been less than spectacular so far, and although Bradford has found the end zone twice this season, the majority of his playing time has come late in games against opponents' second-string defenses.
Reed has the most game experience of the bunch by far, handling regular punt- and kick-returning duties. Dennis, who showed flashes of brilliance as a starter in 2003, has never fully recovered from knee surgery.
2. How will USC's defensive backfield fare against Stanford's physical receiving corps?
Be aware of how the Trojans' undersized (and depleated) defensive backs match up against Stanford's big, physical receivers in Evan Moore (6-foot-7, 236 lbs.), Richard Sherman (6-3, 195 lbs.) and Mark Bradford (6-2, 215 lbs.).
They allow the Trojans an opportunity to preview similarly-sized receivers at Oregon and Cal. Both Top 25 schools have trios of physical receivers with and without size.
The defense's ability to shut down the pass will be key to the Trojan's national title hopes. With the exception of safety Taylor Mays, none of USC's starting defensive backs are listed over 6-1.
3. Which team's halftime performance will be more entertaining?
USC and Stanford's bands annually face off against one another in a halftime battle for supremacy. The performances never lack theatrics or calculated low blows at the opposition.
Adding to the tension, the USC Rugby squad is scheduled to reenact Cal's last-second kickoff return in the 1982 Big Game between the Cardinal and Golden Bears, when the Stanford band ran onto the field in premature celebration as Cal crossed the goal line.
Banned from playing at Notre Dame and Oregon, the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band enjoys living up to its notorious reputation. There is no telling what to expect this Saturday (expect, of course, multiple mentions of USC alumnus O.J. Simpson).
