Gameday Predictions: UCLA vs. USC

This post was updated Nov. 22 at 10:42 a.m.

Sam Connon
Sports editor
Prediction: USC 38, UCLA 21

The Bruins had momentum, but it’s safe to say it’s dead.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the season is lost, or that UCLA football will immediately revert back to its early-season struggles, but losing by 46 points never does any favors. While USC is coming off back-to-back road wins in high-scoring affairs, UCLA scored just three points against No. 7 Utah on Saturday.

My hope for UCLA is fading fast, partially because sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson regressed in a major way last week and partially because USC quarterback Kedon Slovis looks better than he has all season.

Slovis is averaging 377 passing yards per game with 15 touchdowns over his last four outings, as USC coach Clay Helton has gone all-in on the air attack. Despite slowing down other inexperienced signal-callers early this season – Arizona State’s Jayden Daniels and Stanford’s Jack West – Slovis is a different breed.

UCLA proved it can win shootouts with its historic win over then-No. 19 Washington State on Sept. 21, but that was two months ago. The Bruin offense failed to move the ball for most of the night against the Utes, and when they did, the drives stalled.

The Bruins still have a chance to secure the Victory Bell for a second straight year, however, because they still have redshirt senior running back Joshua Kelley – the same Joshua Kelley who trampled the Trojans for 289 yards and two touchdowns in 2018.

If Kelley can even come close to replicating that performance, and Thompson-Robinson doesn’t kill drives with turnovers, then UCLA will have a good chance at besting USC again. But if Slovis and his go-to target, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., keep up their record-setting pace, the Bruins’ postseason hopes are finished for good.

It hurts to say, but I think the latter is the more likely scenario.

Ryan Smith
Football beat reporter
Prediction: UCLA 34, USC 31

Throw the results of the Utah game out the window. It doesn’t matter.

The Bruins are in must-win territory, and they have the ultimate motivator in front of them: a matchup against the Trojans with bowl eligibility on the line.

And if I’ve learned anything about UCLA football this season, it would be that the team responds well to doubt. Just look at what happened against Washington State and Stanford.

The Bruins should come out fired up at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, not only fighting for their postseason lives, but also for the defense of the Victory Bell.

UCLA claimed the Victory Bell last season behind a monster performance from then-redshirt junior running back Joshua Kelley, who rushed for 289 yards and two scores in the win.

With Kelley now in his final season – as are senior linebacker Krys Barnes and redshirt senior linebacker Josh Woods, as well as senior kicker JJ Molson – I expect to see the Bruins playing for one another. They’ve talked all year about how strong the bond in the locker room is and a game like this is where fans will get the chance to see it on the field.

USC owns a better record and still has a shot at the Pac-12 South title, but it feels like UCLA’s progression over the past few months has been leading to a moment like this. After the Bruins completed a 32-point comeback against the Cougars and snapping an 11-year losing streak to the Cardinal, a win just seems fitting.

I’m a big believer in chemistry and emotion, and I think UCLA will play with more of it Saturday.

Jacqueline Dzwonczyk
Assistant Sports editor
Prediction: UCLA 30, USC 28

The Victory Bell isn’t going anywhere – and honestly, that’s the only thing riding on this year’s crosstown matchup.

After the Bruins’ loss to No. 7 Utah on Saturday, UCLA is officially out of contention for the Pac-12 South and probably any hope at a bowl game. So, all fans can hope for this weekend is a win to bring the Bruins one game closer to catching the Trojans in the all-time series.

Scoring just three points last weekend is obviously not a good sign for UCLA’s offense, after it put up 30 or more in each of its four previous games. And more specifically, sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s four turnovers – which brought him to a conference-leading 17 on the year – gave up crucial scoring opportunities for the Bruins against the Utes.

But that being said, Utah was far and away the best team UCLA has faced since September, and maybe even all season. Reading too deeply into Saturday’s performance isn’t an indicator of what will come this weekend against a Trojan team that has given up 20 or more points in all but two games this year.

The Utes’ defense has given up 248.6 yards per game – a Pac-12 best – while the Trojans have allowed 403.8 yards on average. And given Utah has limited opponents to an average of 193.2 passing yards, Thompson-Robinson’s 219 last week is somewhat promising.

Don’t get me wrong, the Bruins’ season is as good as over. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be fired up enough to win one more time at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Samuel In
Assistant Video producer
Prediction: UCLA 35, USC 2

As a high school senior, I started my University of California application 48 hours before it was due.

Why? Because I didn’t want to go to UCLA. I wanted to be a Trojan.

But after a couple of years of indoctrination through 8-claps and “The Mighty Bruins,” I have officially received the self-proclaimed title of UCLA’s No. 1 Fan.

So I am here to tell you the Bruins will win, and they will win by a lot.

Redshirt senior running back Kelley will score. Sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson will score. Heck, even old man punter Wade Lees will score on a fake punt. And I don’t care if none of the other writers in this prediction agree or disagree because they’ve been sleeping on UCLA all season long.

Yet, as a journalist, I also have a duty to be unbiased. I would be doing a disservice to society if I didn’t predict that USC will also score. After two fumbles against Utah, Thompson-Robinson will fumble again in this game – maybe the ball rolls out UCLA’s end zone or maybe he recovers and gets taken down for a safety.

But none of that will matter because the Bruins will win and remind me again how blessed I am to be at UCLA.