Tag: usc athletics

USC’s victory over UCLA reminds us there are no style points in a rivalry game

Many parts of USC’s win over UCLA did not feel satisfying, but beating the Bruins is always delicious and should never be taken for granted. Job done.

On Saturday night, the USC Trojans defeated crosstown rival UCLA 19-13 at the Rose Bowl. USC football survived when it could have dominated.

To say that the game was not exactly pretty would be a massive understatement. The two teams traded field goals and punts for much of the night, with each team mustering just one offensive touchdown. Add in the two teams’ poor records, damp weather, a relatively sparse crowd, and it was a far cry from the instant classic the two teams played on the same exact field two years prior.

Despite the ugly showing, somehow, some way, the Trojans were able to emerge with a victory over their crosstown foes.

Had this exact game come against pretty much any other opponent, there would have been very little satisfaction among the USC fan base. But this game was not against just any opponent.

There are no style points in a rivalry game. When USC and UCLA take the field, records largely get thrown out the window. For those 3-4 hours, all that matters is beating the other team and claiming ownership of the city of Los Angeles.

After being embarrassed by the Bruins in the Coliseum last year, the Trojans desperately wanted to win this one. And although it was far from pretty, they were able to do just enough in order to do so.

There will be plenty of time down the road to scrutinize all of the mistakes that the Trojans made in this game. But for now, USC fans can enjoy the fact that even in this frustrating season, the Victory Bell will once again be painted Cardinal.

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Former USC football players react to victory over UCLA

Former USC football players reacted with a genuine and clear sense of relief when the Trojans were finally able to finish off UCLA.

On Saturday night, USC football defeated crosstown rival UCLA, 19-13. at the Rose Bowl. Following the game, numerous former USC players took to social media to celebrate the victory. This was a tense, tight game which had USC fans nervous, agitated, and uncomfortable the whole night. USC never led by more than six points at any stage of the game. The Trojans didn’t seal the win until the final two minutes. Nothing about this game was easy, which meant a lot of relief poured out when this win over the Bruins went final.

Here is what some of the more notable figures in the USC football universe had to say about the win:

Matt Barkley

“Fight On boys!!! It ain’t always pretty, but a win’s a win! #BeatthebRuins ✌️”

Jake Olson

“Ahh man this is the sweetest ugliest win. No matter how bad a season is… it gets a whole lot better when you can hear that victory bell ringing in the Coli! Bust out that paint boys and let’s beat the Irish!”

Matt Leinart

“Win is a win!”

Rey Maualuga

“USC owns the #RoseBowl”

Calen Bullock

“Fight On ✌️❤️”

The Trojans won at the Rose Bowl for the third straight game, going back to 2020’s win over UCLA. USC won in 2022 as well and then made it three in a row on Saturday night in Pasadena.

Kyle Ford doesn’t hold back emotions before facing UCLA

Kyle Ford played for USC, then for UCLA, and now he’s back at USC. No player will pour more emotion into this game than Ford, who has been through quite a ride.

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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Taylor Mays shares his thoughts on the USC-UCLA rivalry

Taylor Mays has played in the USC-UCLA football game. This season, he will coach in it, and he’s fired up for another run at the Bruins.

Taylor Mays is no stranger to the USC football rivalry against UCLA. Having played at USC from 2006-2009, the three-time All-America safety played against the Bruins four times, going 3-1 in those matchups. Now, Mays will be on the Trojans’ sideline for the Crosstown Showdown Saturday night as USC’s assistant defensive backs coach.

Earlier this week, Mays discussed the significance of the rivalry on USC’s weekly “Trojans Live” show.

”It does have a different feel, being at the Coliseum or the Rose Bowl playing UCLA,” Mays said.

”This is one of the reasons that you come to USC, to play in an awesome rivalry game like this. I’m not even from Los Angeles, and the rivalry means everything to me.

“You wanna be in the moment and really take it all in. But then you also want to go out there and slam their face in the ground.”

With neither USC nor UCLA having a particularly successful season, the stakes of this year’s matchup are not nearly as high as in years past. However, major bragging rights are still on the line this weekend, so there will certainly be no shortage of motivation on either side.

Kickoff of the Crosstown Showdown is set for 7:30 p.m. local time on Saturday night from the Rose Bowl.

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Former USC star Clay Matthews reveals what he wants to see from the Trojans

Clay Matthews did not pull punches in talking about Lincoln Riley’s USC football program. Matthews’ message was unmistakable, blunt, and unsparing.

One of the most important aspects of being the head coach at USC football is to build a program former players are proud of. So, when one of the Trojans’ all-time greats goes on a podcast and offers criticism of the state of the program, it generally isn’t the best sign. Last week, former USC star linebacker Clay Matthews III was interviewed on a podcast by Infinity Sports Network’s Zach Gelb. During the interview, Matthews discussed what he hopes to see from USC moving forward.

“I’d love to see a little bit more . . . grit, for lack of a better term,” Matthews said.

“I know they’re lacking—I’m watching them at the tackle position offensive tackle. So the quarterback is just getting rattled back there.”

Matthews went on the compare this USC team to ones that have worn the Cardinal and Gold in the past.

“SC historically has always had those players who can turn the tide, who can, you know, win these big games,” Matthews said. “I don’t know if we’re a few players away or what.”

After starting his college career as a walk-on in 2004, Matthews gradually worked his way up the depth chart. After finally becoming a starter in his final season in 2008, he did enough that year to convince scouts that he was worthy of being a first round draft pick.

The Green Bay Packers selected Matthews with the 26th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He would go on to play 11 seasons in the league, making six Pro Bowls and winning Super Bowl XLV. He is a member of the Packers Hall of Fame.

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Juju Watkins documentary to premiere this Saturday

JuJu Watkins stars in a documentary for which she will also get a producer’s credit. The doc is the lead-in to the USC women’s basketball game vs Notre Dame.

Saturday will be a huge day for Trojan athletics on NBC. At 1 p.m. Pacific time, the network will air the USC women’s basketball team’s early-season top-five showdown with Notre Dame. Then at 7:30 p.m., NBC will also show the football team’s crosstown rivalry matchup with UCLA. Prior to the two games, NBC will also premiere a documentary on USC women’s basketball star Juju Watkins.

Entitled, “On the Rise: Juju Watkins,” JuJu herself both stars in and helps produce the series. It will follow Watkins’ journey from her time in high school through her freshman year at USC, when she immediately established herself as one of the top players in the country.

With the release of the documentary, Watkins effectively becomes the first college athlete to have a series about her while still in school. It will feature appearances by celebrities including WNBA legend Candace Parker, rapper 2Chainz, and former USC star Tina Thompson.

The first two episodes of “On the Rise: Juju Watkins” will air Saturday at noon Pacific on NBC. They will immediately lead into the showdown between the Trojans and the Fighting Irish. The remaining episodes will stream exclusively on Peacock.

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What should we expect in the USC-Notre Dame women’s basketball blockbuster?

USC fans naturally expect the Trojans will win at home versus Notre Dame on Saturday. What does a Notre Dame writer think will happen? We asked one.

On Saturday afternoon, USC women’s basketball will battle Notre Dame in an early season top-five showdown. The Trojans are No. 3. The Fighting Irish are No. 5. It doesn’t get much better or bigger than this for a November basketball game.

Earlier this week, Geoffrey Clark of Fighting Irish Wire shared his prediction for the matchup.

“The Irish will be in a better position if they can get back Liatu King, who missed the last game after leaving the previous game with a head injury,” Clark wrote.

“Regardless, they still will have fewer available bodies than the Trojans, and that won’t play well against a fellow national championship contender. Playing in what should be a tough atmosphere on the road in this situation also could prove challenging.

“USC 77, Notre Dame 65.”

Tipoff between No. 3 USC and No. 5 Notre Dame is set for 1 p.m. in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon at the Galen Center. The game is on NBC and is part of a USC doubleheader on Saturday. The football team plays on NBC at 7:30 p.m. Pacific time against UCLA.

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Fighting Irish Wire shares X-factor for USC-Notre Dame showdown

USC women’s basketball has to know where Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles is on the floor at all times during Saturday’s huge game in the Galen Center.

On Saturday, USC women’s basketball meets Notre Dame in an early-season top-10 showdown.

Heading into the matchup, Geoffrey Clark of Fighting Irish Wire gave his thoughts on a player who could be a potential X-factor for Notre Dame.

“After missing all of last season, Olivia Miles has wasted no time reminding everyone she still is around,” Clark said. “She recorded a triple-double in her first game back, and she’s a threat to do that whenever she steps on the court.

”Once the Irish’s best player, the early returns on how well she meshes with (Hannah) Hidalgo are extremely promising.”

If the Trojans want to prevail, containing Miles will be essential.

Tipoff between USC and Notre Dame is set for just after 1 p.m. local time in Los Angeles in the Galen Center on Saturday. The game will be televised by NBC and will stream on Peacock. Notre Dame plays football on NBC at 4 p.m. Pacific time later on Saturday. USC and UCLA play football at 7:30 Pacific that night, also on NBC.

Check out our podcast on USC women’s basketball and the big clash versus Notre Dame:

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Four-star offensive lineman decommits from USC

Colorado’s performance on the field has seemingly swayed a USC football commit away from the Trojans and toward Deion Sanders. Results matter, folks.

This has not been an encouraging week for USC football recruiting. On Wednesday, four-star offensive lineman Carde Smith announced his decommittment from USC.

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Smith is the No. 227 overall player in the Class of 2025, per the On3 Consensus rankings. He is also the No. 20 offensive tackle and the No. 15 player in the state of Alabama.

Smith had been committed to the Trojans since August. However, in recent weeks, momentum had begun to build toward a Colorado flip. Following his decommitment from USC, the Buffaloes are currently the heavy favorites to land the blue-chip offensive lineman.

“The chatter behind the scenes has been picking up for some time and Colorado looks to be close to flipping Carde Smith,” said On3’s Chad Simmons last week. “The one-time Auburn commit flipped to USC and now the Buffaloes look to be on the verge of flipping him from the Trojans. Smith sees an opportunity to play right away in Boulder and the way the program has performed on the field this season has caught his attention.

The Trojans’ 2025 recruiting class currently ranks No. 14 in the country and No. 4 in the Big Ten, according to On3’s team rankings.

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USC defensive back Jaylin Smith accepts Senior Bowl invite

Although he has never gotten a ton of star-level recognition, USC defensive back Jaylin Smith has quietly produced a solid career in Cardinal and Gold.

On Monday, USC defensive back Jaylin Smith officially accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl.

Although he has never gotten a ton of star-level recognition, Smith has quietly enjoyed a really solid career in Cardinal and Gold. Splitting time between cornerback and safety over the past four seasons, Smith has recorded 170 tackles, five pass breakups, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two sacks during his career as a Trojan.

Perhaps Smith’s most impressive performance of his college career came in last year’s Holiday Bowl, when he recorded 12 tackles. Smith was named the game’s defensive MVP for his efforts.

This past Saturday, Smith had a key interception in USC’s 28-20 victory over Nebraska. It was his second pick in the last month. Smith has been part of a USC defense which has quite frankly been very solid this season. The Trojans are not getting blown out despite losing a ton of important players. The defense has very consistently given this team a chance to win games. It has largely held up its end of the bargain in 2024.

The Senior Bowl will take place on February 1, 2025 in Mobile, Alabama.

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