At seven o'clock on Saturday night, the entire city of Los Angeles, along with its surrounding suburbs, will have its eyes fixated on the annual USC vs. UCLA football game. Like previous seasons, the game will feature two teams that vehemently despise one another. However, tomorrow's game marks the first time in recent memory that the highly anticipated crosstown showdown will be each team's final game of the season. Even with a victory, UCLA will not have enough wins to qualify for a bowl game. As for USC, well, you know why…
Don't be fooled, though. The lack of postseason implications takes nothing away from tomorrow's game. In fact, it probably adds something. You've got to figure that each team would like nothing more than to end the other's misery and then spend the next twelve months bragging about it. That said, let me spell out exactly what is at stake tomorrow, explain how each team can win the game, and provide some random and entertaining tidbits about the rivalry that I have collected from around the web. Consider this the 2010 guide to the Battle for Los Angeles--through cardinal and gold lenses, of course.
The Prize
Because neither team has an opportunity to play in a bowl game (I know, I've beaten this horse to death), the Trojans and Bruins are essentially playing for pride and for bragging rights, two things that actually matter a lot in this city. For a Trojan, losing to UCLA is simply unacceptable. For a Bruin, losing to USC is what you sign up for, but there is always hope that you will win "next time." To prove how big the upcoming game is, just look at what past coaches in the rivalry have said:
Henry "Red" Sanders (Hall of Fame coach at UCLA): "Beating 'SC is not a matter of life or death, it's more important than that."
Pete Carroll: "…this is a big game for…everybody that lives in southern California. [The game is] for our fans and our school. [The game is] an opportunity to own something that's really precious here. You get to anticipate it all year long. Then you get to live with the results of it, too, which are a big deal."
So don't buy any of Lane Kiffin's attempts to minimize the importance of tomorrow's game. It's huge.
In terms of a tangible prize, the winner of the game gains possession of the Victory Bell. Because of USC's recent domination over UCLA, fans that are any bit unfamiliar with the symbol may simply think that the bell is just another piece of the Trojan tradition, like Traveler or lighting the Los Angeles Coliseum's torch. But alas, even though one school may lay claim to the bell for a particular time period, it is technically a piece of both USC and UCLA's tradition. USC looks to renew its ownership rights to the bell for a fourth straight season.
Keys to Victory - UCLA
For the Bruins, the game plan will depend on who plays quarterback for USC. According to a report early Friday, Matt Barkley is expected to make his return and start the game. If that is the case, UCLA will have to cross their fingers and hope to win a shootout. The UCLA defense is terrible. They have given up an average of 30.5 points per game, including allowing an eye-popping 55 points to the Arizona State Sun Devils last weekend. In that game, the Bruins made ASU backup quarterback Brock Osweiler look like Auburn's Cam Newton; the sophomore from Kalispell, Montana, threw for 380 yards, 4 touchdowns, and ran for another score. If a no-name like Osweiler can put on some cleats and dismantle the Bruins like he did, just imagine what a seasoned passer like Barkley could do.
If Barkley does not play, and Mitch Mustain takes the snaps for the Trojans, then UCLA can afford to employ a different strategy. In that case, the Bruins would be better suited to play a slower, grind-it-out type of game. Against Mustain, the key for the Bruins defense would be to put pressure on him and rattle him. Last week versus Notre Dame, USC showed that it was not comfortable giving Mustain too loose of a leash; the offensive play-calling was very predictable and static. The Bruins, if Mustain plays quarterback tomorrow, should note that and play aggressive defense to make Mustain beat them.
Offensively, regardless of whether the Bruins need a shootout or a low-scoring game, the Bruins will rely heavily on their talented running backs to carry the load. If there is anything that the Bruins do well, it is run the football; they currently rank 33rd in the nation in rushing yards per game with 179.9, with a bunch of those yards usually supplied by sophomore Johnathan Franklin. Last week, Notre Dame showed that the Trojans, despite being solid up the middle, were vulnerable to a ground attack; the Irish's two-headed monster of Cierre Wood and Robert Hughes rushed 26 times for 158 yards and one touchdown collectively. Once UCLA establishes the run, the Trojans will be forced to put more guys in the box and play more aggressively at the line of scrimmage, giving quarterback Richard Brehaut some chances to take shots downfield. And while Brehaut is no Matt Barkley, Brehaut is coming off the best game of his career last week when he threw for 321 yards and 3 touchdowns. If USC has learned anything this season, it's that they cannot underestimate people.
Keys to Victory - USC
For the Trojans, there are two keys to this game. First, quarterback play. While we expect Barkley to start the game and finish the game, sometimes things happen and we have to alter our plans and expectations. Regardless of who takes the majority of snaps, one thing is clear: the quarterback needs to take care of the football. It all starts with establishing the run game with Marc Tyler. If Barkley starts, the coaches will run early to help ease Barkley back into the swing of things; if Mustain starts, the coaches will run early to help ease Mustain into the swing of things. See a pattern? In order for this to work effectively, the offensive line needs to show up, something that they did not do last week against the Irish. If the run game is able to get going, the quarterback will be able to utilize play fakes and misdirections to create big-play opportunities. Finally, when those opportunities arise, the receivers need to capitalize and make the catches. Last week, countless receivers dropped easy catches. The Trojans need to be in this game mentally as much as they need to be in it physically.
On defense, it's really all up to Monte Kiffin. Last week, the Trojans showed a lot of progress in limiting the Notre Dame passing attack. Sure, they had trouble on the ground, and sure, UCLA is a ground-oriented team. But because UCLA is more run-heavy than Notre Dame, they are more predictable in a sense. Monte should expect and have prepared for plenty of the "pistol" formation. The "pistol" formation is an odd look that only UCLA features in the Pac-10, so main key for the players is to have seen the formation and understand how it works. Beyond that, I think you have to make Brehaut beat you. Yeah, he passed for 321 yards last week, but can he do it again? The Trojans should try to put pressure on him, hit him hard, and hope to take the fight out of him early.
UCLA Jokes
I scanned the internet for the best UCLA jokes/jabs that I could find that were decently creative and not outrageously over the top (e.g. How many light Bruins does it take to…). Here are my top five:
5. A security guard at the Rose Bowl notices two UCLA fans climbing a fence. The guard grabs them by the collars and says "Now just get back in there and watch the game until it finishes."
4. What's the difference between a UCLA football player and a dollar? You can get four quarters out of a dollar.
3. What do medical marijuana and UCLA have in common? They both get smoked in bowls.
2. Do you know why UCLA's football team doesn't have a website? Because they can't string three "Ws" together.
1. What does a UCLA fan do when his team has won the BCS Championship? He turns off the XBox.
NFL Hall of Famers
UCLA (4) - Tom Fears, Jimmy Johnson, Bob Waterfield, Troy Aikman
USC (11*) - Morris Badgro, Frank Gifford, Ronnie Lott, Willie Wood, Ron Yary, Ron Mix, O.J. Simpson, Bruce Matthews, Anthony Munoz, Marcus Allen, Lynn Swann
*Most by any college
Interesting Facts
- Lane Kiffin (35) will be the youngest person to coach his first game in this rivalry.
- The longest winning streak in the series is eight by UCLA from 1991 to 1998; USC's longest win streak is seven from 1999 to 2005.
- The 1967 game is nicknamed the "Game of the Century." Number four USC led by O.J. Simpson defeated the top-ranked Bruins 21-20. USC would go on to win the national championship.
- Staff of the Daily Bruin and Daily Trojan, the schools' respective newspapers, compete yearly in a flag football contest titled the "Blood Bowl," a tradition since at least 1950.
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