SoCal NCAA Football Preview

UCLA (6-5) at No. 8 USC (9-2), 1:30 pm, ABC
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Southern California has a score to settle with UCLA. The eighth-ranked Trojans will be out to avenge last season's loss to the Bruins on Saturday when the cross-town rivals meet for the 77th time. Last season, UCLA upset USC, 13-9, ending the Trojans' seven-game winning streak in the series and knocking them out of national championship contention. UCLA trailed at the intermission, 9-7, but blanked the high-powered Trojans in the second half. The Bruins snapped USC's NCAA record streak of 63 straight games with at least 20 points.

A year later, there are no national title implications on the line. But with a victory, USC (9-2, 6-2 Pac-10) will clinch an unprecedented sixth straight Pac-10 Conference title and play in the Rose Bowl for the 32nd time. If UCLA upsets the Trojans again, Arizona State can clinch the Pac-10 crown and the Rose Bowl berth with a win over Arizona. Even with five losses, UCLA (6-5, 5-3 Pac-10) is still in the Pac-10 race. The Bruins need a victory over USC and an Arizona win over Arizona State to claim the Pac-10 title.

Despite the two losses, USC has regained its swagger and took out some frustrations last week against Arizona State. In perhaps his best performance of the season, a healthy John David Booty passed for 375 yards and four touchdowns in the Trojans' 44-24 victory over the Sun Devils. UCLA has experienced a strange, up-and-down season. After starting 4-1, the Bruins suffered a 20-6 loss to then-winless Notre Dame on October 6. UCLA rebounded to beat California two weeks later, but then dropped its next three games. The Bruins ended that slide with a 16-0 victory over Oregon last week. UCLA, which has been plagued by inconsistent quarterback play throughout the season, recorded four turnovers and five sacks to become bowl eligible. Ben Olson, who began the season as the Bruins' starter before a knee injury sidelined him against Notre Dame, could get the start against the Trojans. Olson started the second half last week and went 4-of-10 for 64 yards and an interception.