The top five moments in the Crosstown Rivalry


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Traveler the horse prepares to take the field.
The Trojans lead the Bruins 50-33 with 7 ties in the Crosstown Showdown. The Trojans won the first matchup between the two 76-0 in 1929. (Tahla Rafique | Daily Trojan)

The latest installment of the storied history between the Trojans and Bruins is upon us. Over the years, the matchup has provided fans with many memorable moments. With another installment set to take place on Saturday, here are the top five moments in the history of meetings between the two schools.

Reggie Bush rushes for 260 yards, USC beats UCLA 66-19

Although USC’s victories were vacated in the 2005 season, the matchup between USC and UCLA featured the No. 1 Trojans against the No. 11 Bruins in a game in which USC’s offensive dominance was on full display. USC scored its second highest point total of the season with 66 and was led by the dominant play of quarterback Matt Leinart and running back Reggie Bush. Leinart threw for 233 yards and 3 touchdown passes and Bush ran for 260 yards and scored 2 rushing touchdowns.

Bush’s 260 yard performance came in a season in which he ran for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns. Bush’s performance against the Bruins was the second time he rushed for over 200 yards in the 2005 season and one of eight games in which he ran for at least 100 yards. Leinart finished the regular season with 3,450 yards passing and 27 touchdowns with a 158.3 passer rating. USC finished the season with a 12-1 record. 

Unranked UCLA stuns No. 2 USC in 13-9 upset victory

One year after UCLA suffered a 66-19 loss at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Bruins returned the favor to the Trojans in the 2006 season. USC came into the game at the Rose Bowl with a 10-1 record on the season, with their only loss coming against the Oregon State Beavers. UCLA got their revenge on USC by holding them to a season low for points scored in a 13-9 victory.

The Trojans’ only score was a rushing touchdown by running back C.J. Gable. The win snapped the Bruins’ seven-game losing streak against USC and ensured that the Trojans would not make an appearance in the Bowl Championship Series title game that season.

USC shuts out UCLA 50-0

The Trojans entered 2011’s matchup against the Bruins having won four straight clashes. USC not only won, but won in a shutout. USC scored 50 points as quarterback Matt Barkley put up his second-highest passing yardage total of that season with 423. It was also the second time in the 2011 season Barkley threw 6 touchdown passes. Barkley finished the regular season with 3,528 passing yards and 39 touchdown passes.

Wide receiver Marqise Lee had a season high 224 yards, ending his season with 73 receptions for 1,143 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wide receiver Robert Woods’ 12 receptions on the day helped him set the conference single-season receptions record, finishing the game with 113 yards and 2 touchdowns. USC outgained UCLA in yards as the Trojans had 572 yards of offense compared to the Bruins’ 385.

Pete Carroll’s first victory over UCLA as Head Coach

In the 2001 season, USC started 1-4 under first year Head Coach Pete Carroll, but went on to finish the regular season winning five of their last six games. The last victory of the season for the Trojans was a 27-0 shutout over the Bruins, wherein quarterback Carson Palmer threw for 180 yards and one touchdown and USC’s defense forced 3 turnovers.

USC held quarterback Cory Paus to just 45 passing yards and 2 interceptions. After Paus was pulled by UCLA, USC’s defense also forced a third interception against backup quarterback Scott McEwan. Carroll’s first victory over the Bruins was a sign of things to come as USC finished the 2002 season with an overall 11-2 record and victory over Iowa in the FedEx Orange Bowl. Following that season, the Trojans would go on to win consecutive national championships in 2003 and 2004.

No. 1 UCLA Bruins and No. 2 USC Trojans face off in “The Game of the Century”

In the 1967 matchup between the Trojans and Bruins, a lot was at stake between the two teams. UCLA quarterback Gary Beban and USC running back O.J. Simpson were No. 1 and No. 2 in the race for the Heisman Trophy and the game certainly lived up to the hype. The Trojans won 21-20 in comeback fashion. Beban finished the game with 301 passing yards, and Simpson finished the game with 30 carries for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns. 

Following the game, USC went on to beat the No. 4 Big Ten Champion Indiana Hoosiers in the 1968 Rose Bowl. Simpson, however, came up short in his Heisman campaign, as Beban won the award.