UCLA is rolling, undefeated through Week 6, and suddenly their game against USC in November is looking like an absolute barn burner. This isn’t just another rivalry game anymore, folks. Lincoln Riley versus Bob Chesney could be must-see TV, especially if both the Trojans and Bruins are still in playoff contention when “The Battle of Los Angeles” kicks off.
USC’s Defense Just Isn’t It, According to an Editor
After USC’s win over Penn State, even UCLA Wire editor Dylan McNeill had some thoughts. He told us that Week 6 was “a step in the right direction” for Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, picking up a 31-23 win against a Penn State team that’s apparently struggling. McNeill was clear: that win isn’t putting USC back on a CFP trajectory. It was important for them to bounce back after the disappointment against Oregon with wins over Washington and Penn State, sure. But let’s be real, how much confidence should a four-point win over Washington and an eight-point win over Penn State really generate? “Not a ton,” according to McNeill. Those are capable Big Ten programs, though, and USC didn’t let the White Out crowd faze them. Jayden Maiava even had “another quality showing.” The real problem, the thing that makes us question USC, isn’t Maiava, it’s that Trojan defense. They allowed 23 points and a whopping 357 yards of offense. While USC did limit Penn State on the ground to just 68 rushing yards, that win “didn’t change the overall outlook of Riley’s USC program.” That’s a gut punch, but it’s the truth we need to hear.
Bruins Bring the Defense, Trojans Bring the Offense (Sort Of)
When you stack these two up, it’s clear where the strengths lie. USC definitely has the better offense, even with Nico Iamaleava out for the rest of the season. But UCLA, oh man, they’ve got the much better defense. We saw that in their tremendous performance at Oregon. Remember how USC gave up 41 points to those same Ducks? That’s a sharp contrast with how the Bruins handled them. We’re still several weeks away from USC versus UCLA, but it’s honestly hard to avoid thinking about that matchup right now in mid-October.
This rivalry game has gotten a serious injection of energy. With UCLA absolutely flying high, and USC needing to prove its defense can hang, that November showdown is shaping up to be massive. We’ll be watching to see if Riley can get his defense sorted before they face an unbeaten opponent that clearly knows how to shut teams down.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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