It’s that week when the fans get a little more rowdy.
When a little more is at stake than just another “W.”
The week when states get divided.
It is the traditional rivalry week in the Pacific-10 Conference — a time when pride means more than anything.
The desert schools get the weekend off, but California, Washington and Oregon will be split as schools fight for bragging rights for the next year.
The Pac-10 includes the oldest and longest football series on the West Coast. This week can make or break each team’s post-season hopes, and with the race heating up, it’s anybody’s game.
USC (8-2, 6-1 Pac-10)
at UCLA (7-3, 4-2),
12:30 p.m.
Bells will be ringing in Pasadena on Saturday afternoon.
Southern Cal and UCLA meet in the Rose Bowl for the 72nd time in the battle for the Victory Bell.
The Bruins must try to erase last year’s painful memories of the 27-0 spanking they took from the Trojans in front of 88,000 at the Coliseum. USC had not shut out UCLA since 1947.
The rivalry dates back to most students’ great-grandparents’ time, as it began in 1929. Since then, the Trojans lead the series 37-27-2 and have won the past three years. The last meeting at the Rose Bowl was in 2000, when the Trojans were victorious. USC ended their losing stint in Pasadena after having lost the four previous matchups.
The Trojans are riding high, as they have won five straight after starting 3-2. USC continues to chase Washington State for a share of the Pac-10 title, and UCLA has to worry that the Trojans have beat their last four opponents by an average of 21 points.
USC is coming off a 34-13 stomping of Arizona State, in which the Trojans rushed for a season-high 201 yards against the Sun Devils. Quarterback Carson Palmer is just 76 yards shy of becoming the Pac-10 career leader in passing yards.
UCLA has had freshmen in the pocket for the past three weeks, and the quarterbacks have yet to throw an interception. The Bruins are coming off a bye week and have won three straight after losing to California on Nov. 19th.
The rushing game is solid for the Bruins, with freshman Tyler Ebell averaging 135 yards per game over the last six contests. Ebell will have his work cut out, as USC has not let any player rush for more than 100 yards this year.
All favors seem to point to USC, but with UCLA’s passing getting better by the day, and with solid rushing, the Victory Bell is within the grasp of both teams.
Stanford (2-8, 1-6) at California (6-5, 3-4), 12:30 p.m.
It’s time again for the Big Game.
Stanford and California will meet for the 105th time, in the oldest college football series on the West Coast, dating to 1892.
Neither team has a chance for bowl eligibility in the last game of the season for both teams.
The Cardinal lead the series overall and have won the last seven, including the last three at Berkeley. But things are not going Stanford’s way this year; they have only put two checks in the win column.
The Golden Bears will look for their first win in the Big Game since 1994 and to establish their first winning season since 1993.
Quarterback Kyle Boller has thrown seven touchdowns in the last two weeks and 26 this season, placing him second on Cal’s history charts. The Bears rank fifth nationally with a +16 turnover margin, leading the Pac-10.
Stanford comes off a depressing week, as they lost 31-21 after blowing a 21-3 lead to Oregon State. Cardinal running back Kerry Carter placed himself higher in the record books last week, reaching 2,000 rushing yards.
The only thing Stanford has on its side is history. The Bears and the Cardinal will head into Memorial Stadium with nothing but pride, which both desperately need, at stake.
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