UCLA vs. USC: A History of Football Rivalry and Fan Enthusiasm
The rivalry between the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Southern California (USC) is one of the most storied and intense in college athletics. This article explores the history of this rivalry, focusing on football and the phenomenon of fans rushing the field.
A Shared History
UCLA and USC have been intertwined in the same athletic conference since 1928, when UCLA joined USC in the Pacific Coast Conference, a predecessor of the Pac-12 Conference. USC had joined the PCC in 1922. When the PCC broke up after the 1958-1959 season, USC and UCLA were charter members of the newly formed Athletic Association of Western Universities. The AAWU, with expansion, would become the Pac-8, Pac-10, and then the Pac-12 Conference.
Beyond football, both schools have achieved significant success in various Olympic sports, including track and field, water polo, tennis, volleyball, and golf. As of 2023, USC boasts 26 NCAA championships in men's outdoor track and field, 21 in men's tennis, and 12 in baseball, the most of any school in each respective sport. UCLA has secured 20 NCAA championships in men's volleyball and 12 in softball, also the most of any school in those sports. As of June 2024, UCLA ranked second overall and USC ranked third overall in NCAA team championships behind Stanford.
This broad-based athletic competition is formalized in the Crosstown Cup, a competition between UCLA and USC in the 19 NCAA-sanctioned varsity sports in which both compete.
Football Dominance and the Rose Bowl
The winner of the annual football game often gains an advantage in the Pac-12 Conference title race. A berth in the Rose Bowl game has been on the line many times as well for both schools. Since the 1916 formation of the Pacific Coast Conference, which the Pac-12 claims as part of its history, USC had won or shared 37 conference titles and UCLA had won or shared 17 titles. Washington is second in overall conference titles with 18. Since the 1959 season, when the Pac-12 was formed as the Athletic Association of Western Universities, through the 2007 season, the schools had won or shared 33 of the 48 conference titles. USC won 17 championships outright, shared eight and gone to the Rose Bowl or BCS bowl 21 times. UCLA won six championships outright, shared five and gone to the Rose Bowl eight times. The schools have thrice shared the championship.
Read also: UCLA vs. Illinois: Basketball History
In 2011, UCLA became the first Pac-12 South Division champion - while USC held the better of the two records, the Trojans were ineligible for postseason play that year due to NCAA sanctions. USC began a rise to national prominence under Howard Jones in 1925. The Trojans began a major rivalry with Notre Dame in 1926. By the late 1930s, star players such as Kenny Washington, Jackie Robinson, and Bob Waterfield enabled UCLA to be competitive. With the hiring of Hall of Fame coach Henry "Red" Sanders, UCLA became the more dominant program in the 1950s and won their first and only National Championship in 1954. Sanders died suddenly of a heart attack before the 1959 season. In 1960 John McKay, the winningest coach is USC football history, took over the struggling USC program. Upon the arrival of McKay, USC entered a new golden age in its storied history. During McKay's tenure, the Trojans won 8 conference titles, 5 Rose Bowls, produced two Heisman Trophy winners (Mike Garrett and O. J. Simpson) and won three national championships (1962, 1967, and 1972) and shared one (1974). Against UCLA, McKay was tough to beat, posting a 10-5-1 record against the Bruins between 1960 and 1975. For most seasons from the mid-1960s to the end of the 1970s, the two schools were the top powers on the West Coast with USC usually holding the top spot. In the 15 Rose Bowls played from 1966 to 1980, USC or UCLA played in 12 of them. Even with the rise of Don James' Washington Huskies in the 1980s and early 90s, UCLA or USC still went to the Rose Bowl seven times between 1981 and 1995.
Game Day Traditions and the Victory Bell
A number of titles have been applied to the football game such as: "The Los Angeles City Championship", "The Crosstown Showdown", "The Battle of L.A. or Los Angeles", or simply the "crosstown rivalry". At UCLA, the week before the game is known as "Beat 'SC Week" (officially dubbed "Blue and Gold Week"). Both schools host a number of activities on their respective campuses during the week to promote school spirit. Also, both schools take steps to prevent vandalism of two major landmarks on campus: USC wraps its Trojan Shrine (better known as "Tommy Trojan") in bubble wrap and duct tape, while UCLA covers its Bruin Bear statue with tarp stating "THE BRUIN BEAR IS HIBERNATING. BEAT 'SC.", and more recently a $5000 wooden puzzle box. Groups of UCLA students known as "Bruin Bear Security Force" also camp out in Bruin Plaza, ostensibly to protect the Bruin Bear in the event of a prank, while the USC Trojan Knights hold a week-long vigil guarding Tommy Trojan with the sign "Don't Bruin your life".
When the football teams from these schools compete against each other, the victor is awarded the Victory Bell. The Victory Bell was originally from an old Southern Pacific railroad locomotive. It was UCLA's symbol of victory until it was stolen by a USC organization called the Trojan Knights in 1941. The bell itself is brass, and the metal mounting around it is painted blue or cardinal by the school that won the football game and earned its possession. When UCLA possesses it, the UCLA Rally Committee is responsible for its protection and care. While it is in USC's possession, the Trojan Knights are responsible for hiding, protecting, and showcasing the bell (including ringing the bell during home football games).
Fan Rushing: A Spontaneous Eruption of Joy
The act of fans rushing the field after a significant victory is a spontaneous expression of joy and school spirit. It signifies a moment where the collective excitement of the fans overflows, leading them to surge onto the field to celebrate with the players and coaches.
One observer noted the unusual sight of USC fans rushing the field after an upset victory over Stanford: "USC doesn’t rush the field. USC should never rush the field…For USC (11 national championships, six Heisman Trophy winners, .706 winning percentage) to be that thrilled after beating Stanford (one national title, one Heisman winner, .573 winning percentage) just seems wrong. And in many ways it is." However, the same observer acknowledged that "USC hadn’t really been there. No current student or player knew what it was like to beat Stanford. USC hadn’t beaten them at home since 2005." The last time students stormed the Coliseum field, as best anyone can remember, was 1999, when USC knocked off UCLA for the first time in nine years.
Read also: Navigating Tech Breadth at UCLA
Game Results
As of the end of the 2025 college football season, USC leads 53-34-7 (record excludes two vacated USC wins due to NCAA penalty for violation of NCAA rules).
Here is a summary of game results:
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 28, 1929 | USC | 76-0 | |
| 2 | September 27, 1930 | USC | 52-0 | |
| 3 | November 26, 1936 | Tie | 7-7 | |
| 4 | December 4, 1937 | USC | 19-13 | |
| 5 | November 24, 1938 | USC | 42-7 | |
| 6 | December 9, 1939 | Tie | 0-0 | |
| 7 | November 30, 1940 | USC | 28-12 | |
| 8 | December 6, 1941 | Tie | 7-7 | |
| 9 | December 12, 1942 | UCLA | 17-14 | |
| 10 | September 23, 1943 | USC | 20-0 | |
| 11 | November 27, 1943 | USC | 26-13 | |
| 12 | September 23, 1944 | Tie | 13-13 | |
| 13 | November 25, 1944 | UCLA | 40-13 | |
| 14 | September 21, 1945 | USC | 13-6 | |
| 15 | December 1, 1945 | USC | 26-15 | |
| 16 | November 23, 1946 | UCLA | 16-13 | |
| 17 | November 22, 1947 | USC | 6-0 | |
| 18 | November 20, 1948 | USC | 20-13 | |
| 19 | November 19, 1949 | USC | 21-7 | |
| 20 | November 25, 1950 | UCLA | 39-0 | |
| 21 | November 24, 1951 | UCLA | 21-7 | |
| 22 | November 22, 1952 | UCLA | 14-12 | |
| 23 | November 21, 1953 | UCLA | 13-0 | |
| 24 | November 20, 1954 | UCLA | 34-0 | |
| 25 | November 19, 1955 | UCLA | 17-7 | |
| 26 | November 25, 1956 | USC | 10-7 | |
| 27 | November 23, 1957 | UCLA | 20-9 | |
| 28 | November 22, 1958 | Tie | 15-15 | |
| 29 | November 21, 1959 | UCLA | 10-3 | |
| 30 | November 26, 1960 | UCLA | 17-6 | |
| 31 | November 25, 1961 | UCLA | 10-7 | |
| 32 | November 24, 1962 | UCLA | 14-3 | |
| 33 | November 30, 1963 | USC | 26-6 | |
| 34 | November 21, 1964 | UCLA | 34-13 | |
| 35 | November 20, 1965 | UCLA | 20-16 | |
| 36 | November 19, 1966 | UCLA | 14-7 | |
| 37 | November 18, 1967 | USC | 21-20 | |
| 38 | November 23, 1968 | UCLA | 28-16 | |
| 39 | November 22, 1969 | USC | 14-12 | |
| 40 | November 21, 1970 | UCLA | 45-20 | |
| 41 | November 20, 1971 | Tie | 7-7 | |
| 42 | November 18, 1972 | UCLA | 24-7 | |
| 43 | November 24, 1973 | USC | 23-13 | |
| 44 | November 23, 1974 | UCLA | 34-9 | |
| 45 | November 28, 1975 | USC | 25-22 | |
| 46 | November 20, 1976 | UCLA | 24-14 | |
| 47 | November 25, 1977 | USC | 29-27 | |
| 48 | November 18, 1978 | UCLA | 17-10 | |
| 49 | November 24, 1979 | USC | 49-14 | |
| 50 | November 22, 1980 | UCLA | 20-17 | |
| 51 | November 21, 1981 | USC | 22-21 | |
| 52 | November 20, 1982 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 20-19 |
| 53 | November 19, 1983 | Coliseum | UCLA | 27-17 |
| 54 | November 17, 1984 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 29-10 |
| 55 | November 23, 1985 | Coliseum | USC | 17-13 |
| 56 | November 22, 1986 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 45-25 |
| 57 | November 21, 1987 | Coliseum | USC | 17-13 |
| 58 | November 19, 1988 | Rose Bowl | USC | 31-22 |
| 59 | November 18, 1989 | Coliseum | Tie | 10-10 |
| 60 | November 17, 1990 | Rose Bowl | USC | 45-42 |
| 61 | November 23, 1991 | Coliseum | UCLA | 24-21 |
| 62 | November 21, 1992 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 38-37 |
| 63 | November 20, 1993 | Coliseum | UCLA | 27-21 |
| 64 | November 19, 1994 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 31-19 |
| 65 | November 18, 1995 | Coliseum | UCLA | 24-20 |
| 66 | November 23, 1996 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 48-41(2 OT) |
| 67 | November 22, 1997 | Coliseum | UCLA | 31-24 |
| 68 | November 21, 1998 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 34-17 |
| 69 | November 20, 1999 | Coliseum | USC | 17-7 |
| 70 | November 18, 2000 | Rose Bowl | USC | 38-35 |
| 71 | November 17, 2001 | Coliseum | USC | 27-0 |
| 72 | November 23, 2002 | Rose Bowl | USC | 52-21 |
| 73 | November 22, 2003 | Coliseum | USC | 47-22 |
| 74 | December 4, 2004 | Rose Bowl | None | 29-24 |
| 75 | December 3, 2005 | Coliseum | None | 66-19 |
| 76 | December 2, 2006 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 13-9 |
| 77 | December 1, 2007 | Coliseum | USC | 24-7 |
| 78 | December 6, 2008 | Rose Bowl | USC | 28-7 |
| 79 | November 28, 2009 | Coliseum | USC | 28-7 |
| 80 | December 4, 2010 | Rose Bowl | USC | 28-14 |
| 81 | November 26, 2011 | Coliseum | USC | 50-0 |
| 82 | November 17, 2012 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 38-28 |
| 83 | November 30, 2013 | Coliseum | UCLA | 35-14 |
| 84 | November 22, 2014 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 38-20 |
| 85 | November 28, 2015 | Coliseum | USC | 40-21 |
| 86 | November 19, 2016 | Rose Bowl | USC | 36-14 |
| 87 | November 18, 2017 | Coliseum | USC | 28-23 |
| 88 | November 17, 2018 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | 34-27 |
| 89 | November 23, 2019 | Coliseum | USC | 52-35 |
| 90 | December 12, 2020 | Rose Bowl | USC | 43-38 |
| 91 | November 20, 2021 | Coliseum | UCLA | 62-33 |
| 92 | November 19, 2022 | Rose Bowl | USC | 48-45 |
| 93 | November 18, 2023 | Coliseum | UCLA | 38-20 |
| 94 | November 23, 2024 | Rose Bowl | USC | 19-13 |
| 95 | November 29, 2025 | Coliseum | #19… |
There has been one overtime game in the series in 1996. Many of the games of this rivalry have ultimately determined the Pac-10 Rose Bowl representative and often a chance for USC to play for the national championship.
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tags: #ucla #vs #usc #fan #rushing #field
