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USC vs. UCLA history: Trojans, Bruins vying for the Rose Bowl

Though USC and UCLA are not exactly playing for the Rose Bowl (but rather the right to play for the Rose Bowl), Saturday's game is their most meaningful matchup for both teams in 19 seasons.

By Eric Stephen
Stephen Dunn

Nothing adds more excitement to a rivalry than when both teams have something to play for, and Saturday's contest between the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl certainly qualifies. The winner of Saturday afternoon's game wins the Pac-12 South Division and a trip to the Pac-12 Championship Game on Nov. 30.

With the Pac-12 title game now in place, in its second year, there is no direct path from the regular season to the Rose Bowl, but Saturday is as close as it can get for USC and UCLA. Saturday is the first game between the Bruins and Trojans with the Rose Bowl on the line for both teams since 1993.

Last year both USC and UCLA battled for the outright Pac-12 South title, but since the Trojans were on probation they were ineligible for the conference championship game. So, the 50-0 USC win was more for bragging rights than anything else, as the Bruins advanced to play Oregon in the inaugural Pac-12 title tilt.

USC has won 10 of the last 11 games against UCLA with both teams battling for the Rose Bowl, and the Trojans are 15-6-1 in such games:

  • 1993: No. 16 UCLA 27, No. 22 USC 21
  • 1988: No. 2 USC 31, No. 6 UCLA 22
  • 1987: USC 17, No. 5 UCLA 13
  • 1981: No. 10 USC 22, No. 15 UCLA 21 (Washington advanced to Rose Bowl with a win over Washington State)
  • 1978: No. 5 USC 17, No. 14 UCLA 10
  • 1976: No. 3 USC 24, No. 2 UCLA 14
  • 1974: No. 8 USC 34, UCLA 9
  • 1973: No. 9 USC 23, No. 8 UCLA 13
  • 1972: No. 1 USC 24, No. 14 UCLA 7
  • 1969: No. 5 USC 14, No. 6 UCLA 12
  • 1967: No. 4 USC 21, No. 1 UCLA 20
  • 1966: No. 8 UCLA 14, No. 7 USC 7 (Trojans were later voted into the Rose Bowl anyway)
  • 1965: No. 7 UCLA 20, No. 6 USC 16
  • 1964: USC 34, UCLA 13 (Oregon State later voted into the Rose Bowl)
  • 1961: UCLA 10, USC 7
  • 1952: No. 4 USC 14, No. 3 UCLA 12
  • 1947: No. 4 USC 6, No. 18 UCLA 0
  • 1946: No. 4 UCLA 13, No. 10 USC 6
  • 1945: No. 16 USC 26, UCLA 15 (this was the second meeting of the season between the two schools)
  • 1944: No. 8 USC 40, UCLA 13 (second meeting of season)
  • 1942: No. 13 UCLA 14, USC 7
  • 1939: No. 3 USC 0, No. 9 UCLA 0 (Trojans later voted into the Rose Bowl)

USC has won five straight meetings with UCLA overall and has won 12 of the last 13 games.

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