USC, UCLA, and the rest of Los Angeles prepare as the two powerhouse football program play their annual crosstown clash. Ted Chen reports for the NBC4 News at 3 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2024.
An old rivalry begins a new chapter Saturday when USC and UCLA meet for the first time as members of the Big Ten Conference.
Both teams are struggling through disappointing seasons as they enter the rivalry game with city bragging rights, the Victory Bell and postseason aspirations at stake. All of it will be decided under the lights at one of college football's most revered venues.
Here's what to know about the Trojans-Bruins matchup.
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When is the USC-UCLA game?
The Trojans (5-5, 3-5 Big Ten), who lead the series record 52-34-7, and Bruins (4-6, 3-5) meet at 7:30 p.m. PT Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
How to watch USC-UCLA
The game will air on NBC and stream on Peacock.
What’s at stake?
Something resembling a salvaged season.
The teams are far from the college football playoff conversation, but that will be set aside for one night in this heated and storied rivalry game between two former Pac 12 rivals in their first season after Big Ten alignment.
The Victory Bell, bragging rights and a postseason game are still there for the taking -- all in the spectacle of the famed Rose Bowl under the lights.
USC got a lift from a quarterback switch to redshirt sophomore Jayden Maiava in a 28-20 win over Nebraska, but the UCLA game might be the Trojans' best shot at a sixth win with No. 6 Notre Dame up next. UCLA was on a three-game roll, but had that streak snapped last week with a 31-19 loss at Washington.
Key matchup
USC RB Woody Marks vs. UCLA’s run defense. Marks rushed for a career-high 146 yards against a strong Cornhuskers defense, giving him his first 1,000-yard season as a fifth-year senior. The stout Bruins’ front, which ranks seventh in the FBS at stopping the run, represents an even tougher challenge. They shut down Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson, holding him to 49 yards on Nov. 8.
Players to watch
USC: Maiava shook off a poor start, including a pick-six, to throw for 259 yards and three touchdowns and rush for another score against Nebraska. Maiava showed a greater willingness to attack down the field as a passer, and his mobility to extend plays opened up some of the big shots that had been lacking under former starter Miller Moss.
UCLA: QB Ethan Garbers put up decent statistics versus the Huskies, passing for 267 yards and two touchdowns and running for 49 yards, but just wasn’t as sharp as he had been during the winning streak. The Bruins have tended to go as Garbers fares this season, so he will have to be better against a USC defense much improved from the unit he shredded for three touchdown throws in a 38-20 triumph last season.
Facts and figures
The game could be decided on third down, where the Trojans’ offense has been strong while the Bruins’ defense has struggled. USC is converting 46.8%, which ranks 17th nationally. UCLA is allowing opponents to convert 52% of their attempts, which ranks last among 134 teams. … The road team has won each of the past four meetings, something which hasn’t happened since 1959-1962 when the Trojans and Bruins still shared the LA Memorial Coliseum. … USC is still dealing with a flu outbreak that limited several key players against Nebraska.
