About UCLA vs USC
California has numerous top-level college football teams, but the rivalry between UCLA and USC is one of the most passionate in the Golden State. Both teams are based in Los Angeles, with college campuses just 12 miles apart. Their first meeting came in 1929, when USC claimed victory on home ground. UCLA did not record a win against the Trojans until 1942.
USC remained mostly dominant in the rivalry until the 1980s, when the Bruins began to see more frequent wins. By 1991, the balance had shifted entirely, and UCLA won every game between the pair from 1991 until 1998. USC took charge again in the 2000s, but the rivalry became more even in the following decade.
The 1967 Trojans-Bruins game was particularly notable, and has been nicknamed "the Game of the Century." USC came in at #4 and UCLA at #1, with the conference championship and national championship on the line. Adding to the significance was the presence of both top Heisman Trophy candidates: O. J. Simpson for USC and Gary Beban for UCLA. Despite the Trojans winning the game and eventually the national title, Beban went on to claim the Heisman (although Simpson had only a year to wait before receiving the honour himself).
