UCLA Bruins at #19 Southern Cal Trojans Game Thread
The Bruins look to redeem the season when they play Southern Cal tonight.
Tonight, the UCLA Bruins will square off against the Southern Cal Trojans for the 95th time. It’s the final game of another bad season of UCLA football. But a win tonight can make it more palatable for Bruin fans.
Of course, there are bigger questions on the minds of the Bruin faithful than who will win this game. First and foremost is the question as to who the Bruins will hire to coach the team next season. James Madison head coach Bob Chesney is a leading candidate. With the Dukes wrapping up their regular season against Coastal Carolina at 12:45 pm on ESPNU, that game will be over shortly before kickoff.
Meanwhile, the Bruins are playing in primetime in a nationally broadcast game. Could UCLA use the opportunity to announce who the school is hiring? I don’t know, but if I were in charge, I would either announce it right before kickoff, or maybe at halftime. That will give Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge plenty of time to talk about it during the broadcast. If UCLA has their guy, announcing it right before or during the game maximizes that exposure.
Of course, if it turns out to be a bad choice, UCLA will look inept (again) in front of a national audience.
Regardless, the Bruins are on the clock.
That’s the immediate question Bruin fans want an answer to. The other question, “Where will the team play next season?”, won’t be answered for a few months. So, we will have to settle for an answer to “Who will the next Bruins’ head coach be?” for the time being.
But there is a game to be played tonight. Let’s look at the keys to a Bruin victory in tonight’s game.
Keys to the Game
1. Run the Ball Well
The Bruins will need to find a way to effectively run the ball in order to sustain drives and put points on the scoreboard. Running the ball well is the means of doing that. Considering that the Trojans are allowing an average of 148.8 rushing yards per game and UCLA is averaging 142.5 rushing yards per game, running the ball for more than 150 yards today is possible. UCLA just needs to execute.
2. No Fly Zone
Southern Cal throws the ball more than any other team the Bruins have faced this season, but the UCLA defense is ranked 29th in the nation in passing yards allowed. If the Bruin secondary can limit the passing yards Southern Cal gains, it will go a long way towards a Bruin upset.
3. Attack Southern Cal’s Depleted Secondary
Injuries have depleted Southern Cal’s secondary and the Trojans may be missing two starters in the unit. They could even be forced to start a true freshman at nickel who hasn’t recorded any stats in the three games he played in. It seems like the perfect place for the Bruins to attack their crosstown rival.And, UCLA may need to because Southern Cal has a high-powered offense.
4. Pull Out All the Stops
UCLA won’t be going to a bowl game this season. THIS is their bowl game. Records don’t matter. The only thing which matters is beating your rival. Very few members, if any, of the Bruins coaching staff will be back next season. There is no tomorrow. Pull out every single stop and play that way to beat $c.
Listen to the Game With TMB!
Today’s game is on NBC with Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Teppen calling the game. If you would rather listen Josh Lewin and Matt Stevens call today’s game, you can listen to the game online while chatting in the TMB game thread. Just right click on the link and open it in another tab so you can have it playing while you chat in the comments below. That way, you can listen to Josh Lewin, Matt Stevens and Wayne Cook call today’s game.
Join your fellow Bruins discussing tonight’s game in the comments section below, but before you get there, here’s how to watch tonight’s game:
UCLA Football (3-8, 3-5)
Opponent: Southern Cal Trojans (8-3, 6-2)
Series Record: Southern Cal leads, 51-34-7
When: 4:30 pm PT, Saturday, November 29, 2025
Where: LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
Live TV: NBC with Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Tappen
Live Stream: NBC.com and the Peacock app
Radio/Audio:
KABC-AM 790 in Los Angeles with Josh Lewin, Matt Stevens and Wayne Cook
Satellite Radio: Sirius Ch. 138 & XM Ch. 196 (UCLA Call)Online: UCLABruins.com
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Game Notes:
UCLA
Southern CalRebroadcast (All times PT):
Monday, 12/1 at 3:00 pm on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Monday, 12/1 at 9:00 pm on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Tuesday, 12/2 at 10:00 pm on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Go Bruins!!!
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You gotta believe, Bruins! UCLA is 3-0 this season when leading at the half.
Touchdown, UCLA!