Game notes: USC at UCLA
Saturday, November 28, kickoff time not yet set, Rose Bowl.The game page.
32 notes · built Oct 19, 11:29 AM ET
The matchup
- USC (6–1, 3–1 in conference) at UCLA (6–0, 4–0 in conference), Saturday, November 28, kickoff time not yet set, Rose Bowl.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).
- For the Victory Bell, which USC holds.Wikipedia, resultsThe trophy from Wikipedia’s list of rivalry games; who holds it from our results since its first year.
The series
- It will be their 96th meeting; USC leads the series 54–34–7 as played. Officially, USC leads 52–34–7; as played, 54–34–7. The NCAA vacated USC’s two wins (2004 and 2005); they don’t count officially.results, WikipediaEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Saturday, November 29, 2025: USC 29, UCLA 10.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- They first met in 1929: USC 76, UCLA 0.resultsThe earliest meeting on file.
- UCLA is 17–27–3 at home against USC.resultsThe home team’s record against this opponent in its home games (neutral sites aside), every meeting on file.
- Last five meetings: 2025: USC 29–10 (at USC); 2024: USC 19–13 (at UCLA); 2023: UCLA 38–20 (at USC); 2022: USC 48–45 (at UCLA); 2021: UCLA 62–33 (at USC).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
USC
- USC is 6–1 (3–1 in conference games), 0–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 42–26 vs. San José State; W 39–0 vs. Fresno State; W 49–30 vs. Louisiana; W 42–35 at Rutgers; L 27–41 vs. No. 20 Oregon; W 25–21 vs. Washington; W 31–23 at Penn State.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- USC is No. 15 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Lincoln Riley is 41–19 in his fifth season at USC and 96–29 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Lincoln Riley is 5–1 against UCLA.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Jayden Maiava (QB): 2,045 passing yards, 18 TD, No. 2 in FBS in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- King Miller (RB): 595 rushing yards, 4 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Christian Pierce (S): 40 tackles, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jayden Maiava needs 273 yards to pass Sam Darnold (7,229, 2016–17) for ninth on USC’s career passing yards list. He has 6,957 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Jayden Maiava needs 273 yards to pass Kedon Slovis (7,426, 2019–21) for ninth on USC’s career total offense list. He has 7,154 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Jayden Maiava needs 2 touchdown passes to pass Rodney Peete (54, 1985–88) for 10th on USC’s career touchdown passes list. He has 53 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2015, USC beat No. 22 UCLA 40–21.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
UCLA
- UCLA is 6–0 (4–0 in conference games), 1–0 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 45–24 at California; W 28–10 vs. San Diego State; W 52–38 vs. Purdue; W 54–3 at Maryland; W 17–15 at No. 13 Oregon; W 17–7 vs. Wisconsin.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- UCLA has won six straight, since losing 29–10 to USC (Nov. 29, 2025).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- UCLA is No. 28 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- UCLA is one of six FBS teams that are unbeaten this season, with BYU, James Madison, Miami, Texas Tech and Utah.resultsFBS teams with no losses this season (four games or more).
- Bob Chesney is 6–0 in his first season at UCLA and 27–6 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Bob Chesney faces USC as a head coach for the first time.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Wayne Knight (RB): 571 rushing yards, 11 TD, No. 5 in FBS in rushing touchdowns.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Nico Iamaleava (QB): 982 passing yards, 4 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jalen Woods (LB): 51 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Mateen Bhaghani is tied with Chris Griffith (42, 1999–02) for eighth on UCLA’s career field goals list, at 42 so far; one more field goal breaks the tie.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2009, UCLA lost to No. 24 USC 28–7.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
The coaches
- It is the first meeting of Lincoln Riley and Bob Chesney as head coaches.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
Sources
Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:
- CollegeFootballData.com: Game results, rankings and player statistics; the sentence and every count in it are ours. Derived output (CollegeFootballData.com terms, section 4).
- Wikipedia: Facts from Wikipedia’s lists and articles (schools’ record books, trophies, College GameDay sites, coaching records), restated. CC BY-SA 4.0 (facts restated; credit Wikipedia).
- CollegeFootballDigest: Our own ratings (Elo) and research notes. CC BY 4.0.
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