University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
USC
Crosstown Rivals Clash for Victory Bell Saturday at Coliseum
November 14, 2023 | Football
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Kickoff Time: 12:30 p.m. PT
Television: ABC
TV Talent: Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst), Tom Luginbill (sideline)
Local Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG College): AM570
Local Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Matt Stevens (analyst), Wayne Cook (sideline)
SiriusXM/SXM App: Ch. 392/Ch. 959
THE MATCHUP
UCLA, a winner in 18 of its past 26 overall games, travels across town to square off against USC Saturday. USC holds a 6-5 edge in the past 11 meetings and a 3-2 edge in games played during that stretch at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Bruins prevailed at the Coliseum in 2021 by a 62-33 score โ UCLA 's largest margin of victory against USC since a 34-0 win in its national championship year of 1954. UCLA will be looking to record consecutive wins at the Coliseum for the first time since winning four straight from 1991-97.
UCLA has the Pac-12's top-rated mark in rushing defense (70.8 yards per game allowed), team sacks (3.60 per game), team tackles for loss (8.40 per game), yards per play allowed (4.39), defensive touchdowns allowed (15), rushing offense (202.4) and yards per rush allowed (2.32). The Bruins are second in the Pac-12 in turnovers gained (18), team pass efficiency defense (117.17) and passes intercepted (11). UCLA has held eight of its 10 opponents this season to fewer than 20 points and ranks ninth in the nation in scoring defense (16.4 points per game). The Bruins own a 20-2 (6-2 this season) record under head coach Chip Kelly when holding opponents to fewer than 20 points.
Saturday's battle will be televised by the ABC, with coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. PT. The Bruin IMG Radio Network will broadcast the contest, which will also be aired over SiriusXM and the Varsity App.
SERIES HISTORY
The teams have met at least once each year since 1936. The first game in the series was played in 1929. UCLA trails in games played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum by a 22-41-7 count. The Bruins captured the most recent tilt at the Coliseum in 2021, but USC has won six of the past 11 meetings, including a 3-2 margin in games played downtown during that stretch. UCLA most recently entered the battle having lost the previous two games in 2018. The Bruins prevailed 34-27 in that one at Rose Bowl Stadium. The week before the USC game that season, the UCLA lost to Arizona State.
AT A GLANCE
โข After posting a 62-33 victory in its most recent visit to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, UCLA is looking for its first consecutive wins downtown since winning four straight from 1991-97.
โข The winner of the UCLA-USC game has scored 34 or more points in 11 of the past 12 contests. In that one outlier game, USC won 28-23 in 2017at the Coliseum.
โข UCLA is 6-0 this season when scoring at least 25 points.
โข UCLA has 84 tackles for loss (TFLs) on the season. The program record (since 2000, when NCAA began tracking TFLs) is 114 in 2007. The 84 total is the most by a Bruin team since the 2012 squad had 100. The Bruins have been credited with 36 sacks on the season, which is the most since the 2012 team totaled a program high of 47.
โข UCLA has not converted a turnover into points in its past four games.
โข On the road, the Bruin defense has allowed just nine touchdowns in five games.
โข DB Alex Johnson leads the Pac-12 with four interceptions (ninth in nation). He also owns the Pac-12 lead with an average of 0.4 interceptions per game (12th nationally). His four picks are the most by a Bruin player since Randall Goforth had four in 2016. No Bruin has had more than four interceptions in a season since 2009, when Rahim Moore had 10.
โข DL Laiatu Latu leads the nation in TFLs per game (1.8) and is fourth nationally in sacks-per-game average (1.10).
โข The Bruins lead the nation in rushing defense (70.8 yards per game) and have held three teams this season to 30 yards of rushing or fewer (Colorado 25, Stanford 24 and Washington State 12). UCLA most recently held three teams to 30 rushing yards or fewer in 1993 (USC seven, BYU 25 and San Diego State 30).
โข UCLA is allowing 16.4 points per game, which would be the lowest season average by a Bruin team since the 1991 squad gave up 15.8 points per game.
โข UCLA leads the nation allowing just 2.32 yards per rush this season (Penn State is second at 2.43). UCLA most recently had a lower mark for the 1985 season (2.1).
โข The Bruins are second in the nation with just two rushing touchdowns allowed. Iowa has allowed one.
โข UCLA opponents are averaging 4.39 yards per play, which is seventh in the nation. Iowa leads the nation at 4.00.
โข UCLA is tied for fourth in the country with Oregon State at 36 sacks, while Texas A&M tops the nation in the category with 39.
โข UCLA's defense has given up 15 touchdowns on the year. That ranks first in the Pac-12 and tied for fourth nationally (Michigan eight, Iowa 10 and Ohio State 10 and Ohio 15).
โข The Bruin defense has given up multiple touchdowns in just three games, while opponents have scored a total of 15 touchdowns on 124 drives in 2023 ... Possessions/touchdown drives: Arizona State 11/2, Arizona 9/3, CU 13/1, Stanford 13/1, Oregon State 11/3, WSU 16/1, Utah 14/1, North Carolina Central 13/1, SDSU 13/1 and Coastal Carolina 11/1.
MOST RECENT MEETINGS
In the 2022 meeting at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson totaled 349 passing yards and accounted for six touchdowns to lead UCLA past USC 62-33.The Bruins' 62 points were the most scored by UCLA in the crosstown series, which began in 1929. Thompson-Robinson completed 16 of 22 passes, threw four touchdowns and rushed for 46 yards and two more scores. As a team, the Bruins finished with 609 yards of total offense. WR Kazmeir Allen scored three touchdowns โ two through the air and a 100-yard kickoff return late in the third quarter. RB Zach Charbonnet added 167 rushing yards. UCLA's 29-point margin marked the Bruins' largest against USC since a 34-0 win in 1954.
In last year's meeting at Rose Bowl Stadium, USC outlasted the Bruins 48-45. Thompson-Robinson accounted for all six Bruin touchdowns and 384 yards of total offense, but also had four turnovers (three interceptions and one fumble). USC fell behind 14-0 before rallying to score on eight of nine drives, including five straight, after coming up empty on their first three possessions. The Bruins got the ball with 2:21 remaining, after forcing USC to punt, with a chance to win or force overtime, but hopes of a comeback evaporated when a Thompson-Robinson pass was picked off with 1:26 to go. Thompson-Robinson was 23 of 38 for 309 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 75 yards and two scores.
TEAM NOTES
โข The Bruins are 2-3 on the road this season with losses to current AP Top 25 teams No. 10 Oregon State, No. 16 Utah and No. 19 Arizona.
โข UCLA leads the Pac-12 in the following statistics: Scoring Defense (16.4 points per game, ninth nationally), Rushing Defense (70.8 yards per game, first), Team Sacks (3.60 per game, fourth), Tackles for Loss (8.40 per game, third) and Rushing Offense (202.4 yards per game, 13th).
โข UCLA has held eight of its 10 opponents to fewer than 20 points this season. It most recently held more than eight teams to fewer than 20 in 1987 (nine).
โข UCLA has not held the lead at any point in this season's four losses to Arizona State, Arizona, Oregon State and Utah.
โข The Bruin defense has yet to surrender a touchdown on an opponent's first drive this season. Colorado and Oregon State each tallied a field goal for the only opponent first-drive points.
โข Under head coach Chip Kelly, UCLA is 26-7 when it rushes for at least 200 yards in a game.
โข UCLA has won 13 straight games when forcing multiple turnovers. The Bruins have forced multiple turnovers in five of this season's 10 games.
โข UCLA is 18-4 under Kelly when committing fewer turnovers than its counterparts and 4-19 when committing more than the opposition.
