One thing is for sure: USC was not prepared to play Alabama. The Trojans were embarrassed by the reigning national champs on the big stage, getting blown out 52-6 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex. during the Week 1 opener.

Beating Utah State 45-7 in Week 2 did not erase that memory, but as USC turns its focus to No. 7 Stanford this weekend, it seems as if players are taking a much more humbling approach to this one, for lack of a better term.

According to defensive tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, USC simply did not take the Crimson Tide all that seriously. Your guess is as good as mine on why that would ever happen, considering Alabama entered the 2016 season with a 98-12 record and four national title rings since the beginning of the 2008 season. (For what it’s worth, the Trojans are 73-32 with no championships during that span.)

“This is our redemption game,” Tu’ikolovatu told the Los Angeles Daily News. “The players are taking this game a lot more serious, knowing we are beatable. It was a big stage (against) Alabama. Maybe some of our guys mindsets weren’t there.”

Moral of the story? Take Alabama seriously.