It’s more than pride on the line when rivals No. 2 USC and UCLA face off this weekend. While both schools will battle to be the toast of Los Angeles on Saturday night, a national title game appearance is on the line for USC, which has two games left in its regular season.
UCLA (6-5 overall, 4-3 Pac-10) will travel across town to USC (9-1, 6-1) in a fight for the Victory Bell.
USC has claimed ownership of the Victory Bell the last four years and looks to make it five in a row, something it has yet to do in the 74-year rivalry.
A year ago, then-No. 7 USC met No. 25 UCLA, amounting to a 52-21 rout by the Trojans.
UCLA is coming off a humiliating performance at home, courtesy of Oregon. USC rolled Arizona 45-0.
The game has many implications on the line. The conference bowl picture will become clearer when the dust settles.
USC is fighting for a berth in the national title game, the Sugar Bowl. However, USC needs an Ohio State loss to assure a spot in the game. A quirk in the Bowl Championship Series would probably vault Ohio State over USC if the Buckeyes beat Michigan this weekend. It would give Ohio State a quality win, while also improving its strength of schedule, prompting the computers to push it ahead of No. 2 USC, which garners the ranking in both the Associated Press top 25 and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
USC has not lost a game in November under third-year head coach Pete Carroll.
“I don’t mind that it’s different from other weeks” Carroll said. “There is just a special aspect to it that makes it cool. For the players, the one thing that they are reminded that they represent a great deal. They are representing a lot of people who love this university and love this rivalry that have been here before. They are those people. It’s why they call it a rivalry.”
Bruin receiver Craig Bragg became the first player in Bruin history to post two 50-reception seasons. He grabbed 10 passes against Oregon last weekend, a career best.