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(Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Unlike recent years in which Southern California dominated the rivalry game against the UCLA Bruins (with the one exception coming in 2006), expectations are being cast aside as no one really knows what to expect from either team on Saturday.
The Trojans, who rode to a 6-1 start, mainly because of staunch defensive efforts, have looked totally lost in the past three games.
The Bruins, on the other hand, have had a roller coaster ride for much of the season mainly due to an offense that has struggled to find a consistent level of cohesiveness.
After a fast start that included a three-game winning streak, UCLA stumbled, losing its next five contests.
Things looked bleak for head coach Rick Neuheisel and his team; but, in the last three weeks, the Bruins have enjoyed yet another hot streak and enter Saturday's game having won their past three contests.
Much of the Bruins' offensive ineptitude has come from a lack of production at the quarterback position, resulting in UCLA being ranked in the lower half of the Pac-10 in both scoring offense and total offense with averages of 22.6 ppg and 340.9 ypg respectively.
That being said, the UCLA offense has averaged 30 ppg game during its three-game winning streak, albeit against Washington, Washington State and Arizona State.
Coach Pete Carroll, for one, knows the Bruins have potential and is not writing off UCLA's offense after their win over Arizona State.
“Any time you play Arizona State it's a little bit of hit and miss, you know,” said Carroll. “You're not going to be able to get it consistently. They ran for 130 in the game or something like that and had a good, solid game. They were able because they were ahead to pound away at it. Just kind of work the clock and did a nice job of managing the game in that regard.”
In the early part of the season, the Trojans possessed one of the top five defenses in the nation; however, in the two losses to Oregon and Stanford, Southern California gave up a combined 1082 yards of total offense and 102 points.
In his Tuesday press conference Pete Carroll addressed some of the inconsistencies that both teams have struggled with this season.
“There is a learning curve,” explained Carroll. “There are going to be issues. There are going to be times when they had wished they had known something that they fell prey to and all that.”
Saturday's game between the Trojans and Bruins is looking as though it will be more even than in recent years, and in the end it will be fun to see who falls prey to whom. However, considering the lack of predictability for the outcome of games in the Pac-10 this year, anything from a blow-out win to a tie would not be too surprising.
You can read the rest of Pete Carroll's Tuesday press conference, here.
For more on the USC-UCLA rivalry game:
- The Crosstown Showdown: Five memorable USC moments
- The Crosstown Showdown: Five memorable UCLA moments
- Coaches leave door cracked for USC wideout Damian Williams
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