The Storied Rivalry: A History of USC vs. UCLA Football

The annual football game between the UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans is more than just a contest; it embodies a historic rivalry that permeates sports, academics, and student life in Los Angeles. With campuses separated by fewer than 15 miles, the "Battle of L.A." or "Crosstown Showdown," as it's often called, has captivated fans for nearly a century. This article delves into the rich history of this iconic rivalry, exploring its origins, memorable moments, traditions, and the significance it holds for both universities.

Origins and Early Years

The UCLA vs. USC football rivalry dates back to 1929, marking almost a century of historical games. The first game took place on September 28, 1929, with USC dominating UCLA 76-0. A year later, in 1930, USC won again with a score of 52-0. These early games set the stage for what would become a fiercely contested annual tradition.

According to Johnson, "For many years - in the early decades - we didn’t have a professional football team." He added, "When the Rams left LA for St. Louis, it became more important."

The Victory Bell: A Symbol of Triumph

Since 1942, the winner of the rivalry game has been awarded the Victory Bell, a 295-pound trophy originally gifted by the UCLA Alumni Association in 1939. The Victory Bell was originally from an old Southern Pacific railroad locomotive. Initially, the UCLA cheerleaders rang the bell after each Bruin point.

The Theft of the Bell

In 1941, the Victory Bell was stolen by members of USC's Trojan Knights. During the opening game of UCLA's 1941 season, six members of USC's Trojan Knights infiltrated the Bruin rooting section, assisted in loading the bell aboard a truck headed back to Westwood, took the key to the truck, and escaped with the bell while UCLA's actual handlers went to find a replacement key. The bell remained hidden from UCLA students for more than a year, first in SigEp’s basement, then in the Hollywood Hills, Santa Ana, and other locations. At one point, it was even concealed beneath a haystack. Bruin students tried to locate the bell, but to no avail. A picture of the bell appeared in a USC periodical. Tension between UCLA and USC students rose as each started to play even more elaborate and disruptive pranks on the other.

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Possession and Care

When the football teams from these schools compete against each other, the victor is awarded the Victory Bell. 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).

When the bell is in UCLA's possession, the carriage is sandblasted and painted "True Blue." During UCLA home games at the Rose Bowl and whenever UCLA faces USC at the L.A. Coliseum, it resides on the field in front of the student section. It is rung by members of the Rally Committee after each score. The Bruins also ring the bell using a rope attached to the handle, swinging the whole bell, as opposed to the Trojan style of attaching a rope to the tongue or clapper on the inside of the bell. The bell also makes special appearances at rallies and athletic events. It has been used to accompany the UCLA Band during halftime shows. Before home games, when the bell is in USC's possession, it sits along Trousdale Parkway for fans to ring as they participate in the "Trojan Walk" to the L.A. Coliseum. During home games, and whenever USC faces UCLA at the Rose Bowl, the Victory Bell is displayed at the edge of the field for the first three quarters of the game. Members of the Trojan Knights ring the bell every time the Trojans score. The first victory for UCLA in the series occurred after the agreement over the Victory Bell, making the Bruins the first winner of the trophy.

Campus Traditions and Rivalry Week

At UCLA, the week leading up to the game is called Beat ‘SC Week, while at USC, the week is called Troy Week, more commonly known as Conquest 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". Notably, in 2009, USC vandalizers splattered the Bruin Bear statue with red and yellow paint.

Football Dominance and Conference Championships

Quite often, the winner of the football game has won or shared the Pac-12 Conference (Pac-12) title in football. 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. 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.

Key Figures and Eras

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.

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Game Titles and Traditions

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". None have become the singular name for the game. At UCLA, the week before the game is known as "Beat 'SC Week" (officially dubbed "Blue and Gold Week").

Other Athletic Competitions

Both schools also are successful in many "non-revenue" or "Olympic" sports. Both have had success in track and field, water polo, tennis, volleyball, and golf. As of 2023, USC has won 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. Likewise, UCLA has won 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. The Crosstown Cup, formerly the Lexus Gauntlet, the Crosstown Gauntlet, and the SoCal BMW Crosstown Cup, is the name given to a competition between UCLA and USC in the 19 NCAA-sanctioned varsity sports in which both compete. In 2003, 2005, and 2007 UCLA won the Lexus Gauntlet Trophy, while USC won the trophy in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2009 (the first back-to-back win). After the 2009 season, Lexus stopped sponsoring the award. The competition was renamed the Crosstown Gauntlet, which USC won in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014, and UCLA won in 2013. In 2015, due to new sponsorship, the competition became the SoCal BMW Crosstown Cup. It was won by UCLA in 2015 and USC in 2016, when the sponsorship arrangement concluded. The competition has since been known simply as the Crosstown Cup.

Game Day Traditions

For much of the rivalry's history, the Trojans and Bruins have worn their home (colored) jerseys for the game, reflecting the fact that until 1981 both teams played their home games at the Coliseum. A 1983 NCAA rule change mandated that home teams wear colors and away teams wear white jerseys, with violations resulting in the visitors being charged a first-half timeout for illegal equipment. Ahead of the 2008 edition of the game, new UCLA head coach (and former Bruin quarterback) Rick Neuheisel approached his USC counterpart Pete Carroll about reviving the color-versus-color tradition. The two coaches agreed, with UCLA (that year's home team) taking a timeout on the first play of the game as a sporting gesture following the Trojans' illegal equipment penalty.

Memorable Games and Moments

College football history holds some remarkable UCLA-USC matchups that define this rivalry. The largest margin of victory belongs to UCLA, which recorded a stunning 39-0 shutout win on Nov 25, 1950. That dominant performance represents the pinnacle of Bruin football excellence against their crosstown foes. On the flip side, USC's most memorable blowout came on Sept 28, 1929, when the Trojans defeated UCLA 76-0 in their first-ever meeting, a reminder of how dominant USC was in the rivalry's early years. Perhaps the most thrilling game came on November 21, 1992, when UCLA won 38-37 in the Rose Bowl, claiming the smallest margin of victory in the series history.

Series Records and Statistics

As of the 2025 season, USC leads 54-34-7 (record excludes two vacated USC wins due to NCAA penalty for violation of NCAA rules). Before the streak of seven Trojan wins, the Bruins had won the bell for the eight consecutive years from 1991-1998, the longest streak in the rivalry. There have been seven ties in the history of the series. In the event of a tie, the Victory Bell was retained by the last winner. With the institution of the overtime rule in FBS in 1996, the tie rule became obsolete.

The Rose Bowl and Beyond

Until the Rose Bowl Game became part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and later the College Football Playoff (CFP), a berth in the Rose Bowl to face the Big Ten Conference champion was the ultimate goal that was awarded to the then-Pacific-10 conference champion. Through the 2016 season, USC has appeared in the Rose Bowl 34 times and UCLA has appeared 12 times. During the BCS era (1998-2013), the Rose Bowl was the destination for the first-place Big Ten and Pac-12 teams, should either fail to qualify for the BCS championship game. UCLA was the first Pac-10 team to appear in a BCS bowl, the 1999 Rose Bowl, their last conference championship year. USC has appeared in six BCS bowl games, winning the BCS championship in 2005. Before the Pac-10 expanded in 2011 and became the Pac-12, the Rose Bowl and conference championship were on the line for both teams 20 times and at least one team 37 times. Following expansion and the division of the conference into two football divisions, with UCLA and USC both in the South Division, the division title and a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game have been on the line for at least one team twice.

Looking Ahead

The rivalry between UCLA and USC is one of college football's most storied and celebrated traditions. As the Bruins and Trojans continue to face off, this matchup means more than just bragging rights; it represents decades of competition, memorable moments, and the intense pride of two universities sharing the same city. Understanding this history gives Bruin Nation and Trojan fans alike a deeper appreciation for what's at stake.

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