Kyle Ford is certainly no stranger to the USC-UCLA football rivalry.
The Southern California native spent the first four seasons of his college career at USC. In 2022, he caught a key fourth quarter touchdown pass to help the Trojans to a 48-45 victory over their crosstown foes. But seeking more playing time ahead of the 2023 season, Ford entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, and wound up at, of all places, UCLA.
However, Ford’s time as a Bruin did not go according to plan. With UCLA going through a whirlwind of quarterbacks last season, Ford had just 236 receiving yards last season, and quickly grew unhappy. Following the year, Ford decided to transfer yet again.
Now, the wide receiver is back at USC for his sixth and final season of eligibility. Although he may not be leading the Trojans in any major statistical category, he has still served as a key veteran presence in a relatively young wide receiver room.
Now, with the Trojans set to take on UCLA this week, Ford will have an opportunity to face his former team. Earlier this week, he was asked about such.
“I’m just trying to keep all my emotions at hand like this whole week,” Ford said. “I told someone like right when the whistle blew at the end of the last game that this was the only thing on my mind.
“This is something that you know, when you transfer . . . you dream about, you sleep about.”
With a victory on Saturday, Ford could improve his record in the Crosstown Showdown to 5-1. He won three of four games against UCLA during his first stint as a Trojan, and was with the Bruins for their 38-20 win at the Coliseum last season.
Kickoff between USC and UCLA is set for 7:30 p.m. Pacific time at the Rose Bowl Saturday night.
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