Rivalry Week | USC vs UCLA

It comes but once a year. The battle for Los Angeles. It’s a magical time and both schools regardless of record will be ready to battle for LA. This is much more than a game. The Trojans and Bruins have been at each others throats for decades and it’s what makes College Football so special.

We have split families all over Southern California where a Trojan is married to a Bruin. Brothers who split the lines and one went SC while the other went powder blue. As big as the Notre Dame rivalry is this one on this date each year is a focus that starts the minute the game ends and a new year begins. One team gets the bell for the year and paints in their colors and rings that bell every fall day leading up to the big game. Winner take all. Winner takes the bell and winner owns the City for at least 365 days.

The Trojans football team is hard to predict. These kids seem like they are getting it together but unlike last year its not the same. Once last years 1-3 start was behind us the team kicked it in to a much higher gear. Came darn close to being a consideration for a big bowl berth but as we all saw were grateful to be asked to defend the Rose Bowl and boy did they.

The Bruins are on a very challenging year. High expectations with Josh Rosen healthy and a team they believed would rise to the occasion and battle. Although they did beat a good ASU team yesterday there is still a lot of challenges in Westwood. One has to wonder if the sticker shock of head coach Jim Mora’s contract separation was not such a large dollar figure would he still be there? It’s for that reason that the Trojans Coaching staff better be ready for a punch to the nose early. If I were Mora I would have this team in full pads through the week. No let up. Sounds like something we should do!

The Trojans have to be wary of the Bruins from a rivalry perspective but even more so that they are wounded coming in. Not that the Trojans are at full strength but this wounded Bruin team is mentally wounded and for that reason if they get their focus for this Saturday they will put it all on the field one last time. A tough season ending in a victory at the Coliseum. While I don’t see that happening it’s enough for Coach Helton to light a darn fire this week and treat this game as a championship game. This is the battle for LA and if you want to keep coaching the Trojans you better win this game. Especially is a season were you lost to Notre Dame. Win and win big Coach Clay and get your staff ready inside the five.

Fight On Trojans and Beat the Bruins.

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