No. 7 USC and No. 16 UCLA traded barbs in the first half of their pivotal rivalry showdown as the Bruins made it to the locker with a 21-20 lead. If the Trojans can rally for a win on the road, they will clinch a spot in the Pac-12 title game. Even after an upset loss to Arizona last week, UCLA still has a shot at making the conference championship game as well, and the Bruins came out swinging on their senior night.
Redshirt senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson accounted for each of UCLA’s three touchdowns in the first half as he ran for two and passed for another. But when the Bruins had opportunities to extend their lead late in the half, Thompson-Robinson threw interceptions on consecutive possessions. USC kicker Denis Lynch drilled a 49-yarder on the final play of the first half after starting 1 of 3 in the game to send USC into the half with momentum.
The stakes are always high when the Bruins and Trojans meet for their late-season crosstown rivalry, if for no other reason than bragging rights. But the magnitude of this matchup is particularly significant this time as the Trojans and Bruins remain in the Pac-12 title hunt. If USC wins, it will not only lock up a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game but also keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. If UCLA wins, it could find its way to the league title game with a win at California to close the regular season next Friday.
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