Los Angeles, CA (My Sportsbook) - Toby Gerhart rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns, and redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Luck accounted for three scores, as No. 25 Stanford pulled off another upset at the Coliseum, a 55-21 drubbing of No. 11 USC that essentially ends the Trojans' run atop the Pac-10.

The 55 points marked the most points ever scored against USC.

"It feels great. It's a testament to our offensive line. We feel like we can run power on anybody and get after anybody," said Gerhart. "It's something we'll always remember, to come down here, put up big points on USC and come away with the win."

The Trojans (7-3, 4-3 Pac-10) came in needing plenty of help to pull off their eighth straight conference title, but their second loss in their past 49 home games -- both to Stanford -- crushed those slim hopes. In 2007, the Cardinal pulled out a 24-23 victory despite being 41-point underdogs.

Luck passed for 144 yards and two scores and added 61 yards and a touchdown on the ground for Stanford (7-3, 6-2), which was ranked for the first time since 2001. Owen Marecic and Coby Fleener each caught a TD for the Cardinal, who have won three consecutive games.

Matt Barkley had a forgettable game for USC, losing a fumble and throwing three interceptions, one of which was returned 43 yards for a touchdown by Richard Sherman. Joe McKnight ran for 142 yards and a touchdown, while Brice Butler led the receiving corps with 96 yards and a score on six catches.

USC has lost two of its last three games by a combined score of 102-41. Pete Carroll had never lost in 28 games played in November as head coach of the Trojans, who were without standout wide receiver and punt returner Damian Williams (ankle).

"This is pretty embarrassing. It makes me sick," Barkley said. "I just feel like this isn't USC football."

Ahead 28-21, Luck scrambled 16 yards to the USC 40 on the first play of the fourth quarter. The freshman later threw a 24-yard strike to Fleener, who held on in the end zone despite taking a big hit from All-American Taylor Mays.

Sherman all but sealed the outcome a few plays later, jumping Butler's hook route at the right sideline and picking off a poor Barkley pass for a 43-yard score the other way, extending the margin to 42-21.

USC quickly punted and Gerhart's six-yard jaunt with just under seven minutes left ended the senior's dominant effort.

In a questionable call, Stanford went for two and failed, though Tyler Gaffney's one-yard TD run near the two-minute mark made it even more lopsided.

The mistakes started early for Barkley, who lost a fumble in Stanford territory on USC's first drive. Luck went 6-for-6 on the ensuing march, which Marecic finished off with a four-yard TD reception in the right flat.

The Trojans turned the ball over again on their next touch, as McKnight tipped a high Barkley pass and defensive tackle Matthew Masifilo made a diving pick.

After the change of possession, Gerhart rumbled 17 yards on 3rd-and-9 from the USC 34 and made it 14-0 a few plays later with a one-yard plunge.

Allen Bradford's tough two-yard score on 3rd-and-goal early in the second got USC on the board. The Cardinal answered immediately, as Gerhart scored on a quick snap from three yards out to cap the nine-play, 79-yard drive.

It stayed 21-7 until early in the third, when Butler hauled in a 36-yard touchdown pass from Barkley on the first play after Gerhart lost a fumble.

The Stanford running back made up for the miscue, though, moving the chains on a fourth-down run at the USC 10. Two plays later, Luck faked a draw to Gerhart and took it around the right end untouched for a six-yard score.

McKnight cut the deficit to 28-21 when he broke through the line of scrimmage for a 28-yard TD scamper with 2:21 left in the third frame.

Game Notes

Stanford closes out its Pac-10 schedule next weekend against California, while USC still has UCLA and Arizona on its conference slate...Gerhart came into the week ranked second nationally in rushing at 135.2 yards per game... Luck completed 12-of-22 passes, while Barkley finished 21-of-31 for 196 yards...The Cardinal were successful of 8-of-11 third-down tries and outgained the Trojans, 469-334.