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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