LOS ANGELES — Stepfan Taylor ran for the tying touchdown with 38 seconds left in regulation and the go-ahead score in the third overtime, and Stanford’s defense preserved its 16-game winning streak by forcing Curtis McNeal’s end-zone fumble to end the No. 6 Cardinal’s 56-48 victory over Southern California on Saturday night.
Andrew Luck led four late scoring drives for Stanford (8-0, 6-0 Pacific-12), which rallied after trailing for the first time all season.
But four years after Stanford stunned USC (6-2, 3-2) with a one-point victory as a 41-point underdog, the schools played another classic on a cool Coliseum night - and once again, the Cardinal prevailed.
Both teams scored on the first two overtime possessions. After Taylor’s run in the third overtime, Coby Fleener caught the two point conversion pass.
USC got near the goal line again, but McNeal fumbled into the end zone.
Sports, Pages 40 on 10/30/2011