USC vs. UCLA history: Bruins higher ranked, have more wins than Trojans

The battle for the Victory Bell is usually at its best when both teams have something to play for. This season the stakes are high for both the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans, as the winner of their Saturday afternoon battle at the Rose Bowl will win the Pac-12 South division and clinch a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game. But what makes this year even more interesting is that the Bruins enter Saturday with the better resume.

UCLA is ranked higher than USC in the BCS (Bruins No. 17, Trojans No. 18), the Associated Press poll (No. 17 to No. 21), and the USA Today coaches poll (No. 16, No. 21). It's the first time the Bruins have been ranked higher than the Trojans when they played since the 2001 season. No. 20 UCLA lost to unranked USC 27-0 that season, part of the Trojans' recent domination of the series.

Last year the Trojans and Bruins played for the outright best record in the Pac-12 South, and even though USC demolished UCLA 50-0 the Bruins went to the Pac-12 title game since the Trojans were on probation. That was the fifth straight win by USC over UCLA, and the Trojans have won 12 of the last 13 meetings.

• 2011: USC 50, UCLA 0
• 2010: USC 28, UCLA 14
• 2009: USC 28, UCLA 7
• 2008: USC 28, UCLA 7
• 2007: USC 24, UCLA 7
• 2006: UCLA 13, USC 9
• 2005: USC 66, UCLA 19
• 2004: USC 29, UCLA 24
• 2003: USC 47, UCLA 22
• 2002: USC 52, UCLA 21
• 2001: USC 27, UCLA 0
• 2000: USC 38, UCLA 35
• 1999: USC 17, UCLA 7

But this year is a far cry from 50-0. This Bruins team is vastly improved over last season, with freshman quarterback Brett Hundley and senior running back Johnathan Franklin leading the way. UCLA (8-2, 5-2 in Pac-12) has more wins than USC (7-3, 5-3) heading into their matchup for the first time since 2000, when the four-win Trojans beat six-win UCLA 38-35.