The UCLA Bruins (4-6) prepare to host the USC Trojans (5-5) in their first rivalry game since joining the Big Ten.The Trojans will charge into the Rose Bowl this Saturday to a crowd of proud Bruins echoing the eight-clap through the stands.
In their last showdown, UCLA emerged victorious with an 18-point victory at the Los Angeles Coliseum, but a lot has changed in a year. Both teams have had a rocky start to life in their new conference.
The Trojans have had an underwhelming season after Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams departed as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. USC turned to Miller Moss under center but stumbled to a 4-5 record before replacing him with redshirt sophomore Jayden Maiava last week.
Maiava threw for 259 yards in his first start, a 28-20 win against Nebraska, and the Trojans now head for Pasadena looking to break a near three-month drought: USC hasn’t picked up a victory away from the Coliseum since its season-opening win over LSU in Las Vegas.
The Bruins will counter with their defensive power, which has been growing in confidence in recent weeks. The unit’s heartbeat is captain Carson Schwesinger, who impressed with two interceptions against Iowa in Week 11 and was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker. Despite the loss against Washington last week, the UCLA secondary was stingy, allowing a season-low of 182 yards. If they can continue this progress against the Trojans, the Bruins could restart another winning streak to end the season after snapping their three-game run in Seattle.
“When the game starts, it really comes down to when you’re out there, playing like it’s your last game,” Schwesinger said, “for the guy next to you, for the seniors we got going, for all that’s at stake—just making sure when you’re on the field, you’re giving it your all.”
A rivalry triumph over USC would put an exclamation point on UCLA’s incredible resurgence this year: The Bruins began the season on a five-game losing streak before a breakout victory in New Jersey against Rutgers. UCLA sparked confidence in a 35-32 win, surging to 478 total yards on offense. The game also epitomized Schwesinger’s impact, as he recorded double-digit tackles for the fifth consecutive game with ten.
From there, the Bruins rested up over their bye week before notching back-to-back wins against Nebraska and Iowa to turn the season around.
Under the leadership of first-year head coach DeShaun Foster, the Bruins have found their rhythm: UCLA surpassed Washington in total yards in their encouraging defeat, and quarterback Ethan Garbers had a clean game through the air, recording 267 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Against the Trojans, Garbers will look for support from running back T.J. Harden, who has paced the Bruins’ offense on multiple occasions in 2024. He raced to a season-high 125-yard performance against Iowa and led the offense with 79 receiving yards against Washington.
But in a crosstown rivalry matchup, fundamentals are the name of the game, and no one knows that better than Foster, who played four seasons in blue and gold and spent ten years on the UCLA coaching staff before his promotion to head coach.
“We have to do better, playing well, being smart, being disciplined, being detailed,” Foster said, “and things can go our way.”
In a tradition that dates back to 1942, the Trojans are looking to steal back the Victory Bell while the Bruins will be ringing it all game, reminding their rivals of last season’s loss. There will be a chanting battle of “Fours Up” and “Fight On” in the crowd, but only one team can ring the bell to claim bragging rights for another year.
“I’m ready to go,” Foster said. “I’m in this; this is me. I’ve been in this since ’98.”
How to watch USC vs. UCLA:
- When: Saturday, November 23
- Where: Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
- Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
- Watch: NBC, Peacock
About the Author
Karen Marin is a senior at UCLA majoring in Communications. She is interning at the UCLA Athletic Communications office as a social media intern and a student assistant. Karen has a strong passion for creative content, editing videos and writing. She first started writing sports articles at her local radio station in her hometown, Santa Clarita.
