Crosstown rivals USC and UCLA meet Saturday at the Rose Bowl with the hopes of becoming bowl eligible. Watch live on NBC and Peacock beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Saturday marks the 94th edition of this rivalry that dates back to 1929. Each year, the winner receives the Victory Bell – a 295-pound brass bell that originally hung atop a Southern Pacific freight locomotive. USC officially leads the series 50-34-7 (wins in ’04 and ’05 were vacated). While the Trojans have won six of the last nine meetings, the Bruins won last year’s contest, 38-20.
UCLA must win its final two games against USC and Fresno State to become bowl eligible. USC, on the other hand, needs just one more win, but UCLA is a more realistic opponent to topple than No. 6 Notre Dame next week.
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USC is in its third season under head coach Lincoln Riley (24-13 record). After starting his tenure 11-1, Riley and the Trojans are 13-12 since. At 5-5, this is the second consecutive season the Trojans have had at least five losses (fifth time in the last seven seasons). This year, those losses have been particularly tough to swallow because of how close they’ve been; USC has had seven one-possession games – the most in the Big Ten and tied for second in the FBS – with a 2-5 record in those matchups.
“I don’t handle losing very well,” Riley said of the close losses. “It hasn’t happened very much in my career. That part of it is unacceptable... It’s not like we’re getting our a** kicked. It’s not like I go back to the drawing board like, ‘Gah, we’re doing this terrible, and people are wearing us out on this or that.’ It’s not that.”
The Trojans recently made a change under center, switching from season-long starter Miller Moss to UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava after their loss to Washington. Maiava made his first start against Nebraska and threw a pick-6 on his second possession, but he recovered to lead the team to a 28-20 win, throwing 25/35 for 259 yards and four touchdowns (three pass, one rush) vs. just two turnovers.
The star of the USC offense has been Mississippi State transfer running back Woody Marks. The No. 10 running back in the portal has obliterated his previous career-highs this season, rushing for 1,024 yards (averaging 5.9 yards per carry) and nine rushing touchdowns – USC’s first 1,000-yard rusher in seven years. He’s amassed 1,320 yards from scrimmage, which is second in the Big Ten. Marks is a dual-threat as the team’s leader in receptions (43) as well.
After having one of the worst defenses in the FBS last season, USC is improving in that department thanks to Riley’s hiring of then-UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. While there is still room to improve, the Trojans are in a better spot than this time last year. Their most points allowed in a game this season is 33 (in an OT loss to Penn State). In 2023, they allowed more than 33 points in each of their final eight regular season games.
UCLA is in a similar boat to its rival, with an offense trying to build momentum and consistency and a defense that’s improving but not quite there yet. After losing five of their first six games under first-year head coach DeShaun Foster, the Bruins have won three of their last four (they most recently lost to Washington).
Quarterback Ethan Garbers has made strides in the second half of the season. Garbers is throwing significantly less interceptions and showed poise in fourth quarter scoring drives against Rutgers and Iowa that led to wins. Still, the offensive line hasn’t been able to protect their quarterback, with Garbers being sacked 26 times this season (second most in the Big Ten, tied for 12th most in the FBS), including six times in last week’s loss to Washington). Garbers said after the loss to the Huskies that it’s about doing a “better job communicating before the snap and getting protection dialed in” and he has to do a better job of “getting rid of the football faster.”
2023 was great for UCLA on defense, with the Bruins finishing the season 10th in total defense, but things have dropped off since Lynn left for USC and the core of that unit went to the NFL. A particular pain point: the team has the third-worst scoring defense in the Big Ten, allowing 27.1 points per game. What bodes well for the Bruins is they’re currently tied for seventh in the nation in rush yards allowed per game (100.6), meaning they may be able to slow down Marks. Standouts to watch include lineman Jay Toia, linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo and linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
How to watch USC vs. UCLA college football game:
- When: Saturday, November 23
- Where: Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California
- Time: 10:30 PM ET
- TV Network: NBC
- Live Stream: Peacock
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