updated 9:01 p.m. ET Oct. 5, 2007

LOS ANGELES - Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh is sticking to his preseason assessment that No. 2 Southern California might just be the greatest college football team ever.

“There is no question in my mind that USC is the best team in the country and may be the best team in the history of college football,” Harbaugh said this week. “As a sort of college football historian, there’s no question that this SC team ranks right up there.”

Chances are good that his opinion won’t change Saturday, when the struggling Cardinal (1-3, 0-3 Pac-10) meet the Trojans (4-0, 2-0) at Los Angeles Coliseum, where USC hasn’t lost since a 21-16 defeat by Stanford in 2001.

That’s a string of 35 consecutive victories by the Trojans in Los Angeles, and they’re favored by 41 points over the Cardinal.

If things weren’t bleak enough for injury-riddled Stanford, which has won just two of its last 18 games, the Cardinal will have a new quarterback — Tavita Pritchard, who has thrown only three college passes.

T.C. Ostrander had a seizure and was hospitalized last Sunday and, although test results were normal and he was released the same day, he will not play against USC.

The Trojans, meanwhile, may play with more fire than usual, since they barely held on for a 27-24 victory over underdog Washington last weekend and dropped to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 behind LSU.

Some of Harbaugh’s comments have left USC coach Pete Carroll shaking his head, including the first-year Stanford coach’s remarks at the preseason Pac-10 media day. Carroll responded then by saying, “You’ve gotta love Jim, huh? I’m glad he thinks that. There’s no way I would have any way of understanding what that’s all about.”

Even before that, Harbaugh had predicted that Carroll would be headed back to the NFL after this season.

Carroll quipped this week: “He has not checked in with me about any of my career moves. I expect a call late in the week.”

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Although there’s been a bit of bantering, both coaches said they have a cordial relationship.

“I’m tremendously impressed by Pete Carroll and the job that he and his coaches have done,” Harbaugh said. “They have built one of the true dynasties in college football.”

Carroll obviously has a lot of respect for Harbaugh.

“I don’t think there’s any question that Jim is a unique competitor,” the USC coach said. “He proved that, most visibly seen in the NFL as a quarterback. He brings that attitude with him.

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“He was successful (coaching the University of San Diego), he turned that program around, and brings that same energy and juice to this job.”

And, Carroll added, Harbaugh says what he thinks.

“Jimmy never did make himself into a statesman,” the USC coach said. “He’s going to say what he’s going to say, and he’s not real politically correct all the time, and I don’t think he cares.

“I’m going to take what he says with a grain of salt about stuff, but I like the heck out of him. He’s a battler and I respect that. He’s going to be good for the university.”

Stanford is coming off a 41-3 loss to No. 18 Arizona State. The game at the Coliseum will be the Cardinal’s first road game of the season. Despite playing at home, they were outscored by a total of 141-51 in their three conference games.

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“I think in classic fashion of a new program, they’re finding themselves and putting it together and they’ve had some real bright spots,” Carroll said. “I expect they’re going to win some games and have some big games this year.

“I just hope it isn’t this week.”

Trojans quarterback John David Booty, who had an off day against Washington, will try to get back on track. He went 20-of-37 for 236 yards, but threw two interceptions and was way off the mark on several throws.

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