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Black History Month 2025

DeShaun Foster brings 14 years of rivalry spirit to high-stakes USC match

By Noah Massey

Nov. 21, 2024 5:15 p.m.

This post was updated Nov. 21 at 11:54 p.m.

Neither of the previous two Bruin head coaches played in Westwood.

DeShaun Foster did.

And with the Trojans up next on the docket, the head honcho knows how much Saturday’s game means.

“This is me,” Foster said. “I’ve been in this since ‘98. I’ve been in it as a recruit, as a player, as an assistant coach and now as a head coach.”

Foster, who has been a part of UCLA football for 14 contests against “this rival that we have,” knows a rivalry of this degree makes the game a unique challenge. As a player, he had his share of success against the Trojans, rushing for three touchdowns en route to a 34-17 victory as a freshman in 1998.

“This game just brings out the best in everybody,” Foster said. “Records kind of go out of the window when this game happens. You just got to come out there and play.”

(Zimo Li/Photo editor)
Quarterback Ethan Garbers looks to throw the ball in the pocket. The redshirt senior will play his final rivalry game on Saturday. (Zimo Li/Photo editor)

Foster is not the only active Bruin boasting impressive numbers against the Trojans. Redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers outdueled NFL first overall pick Caleb Williams, racking up three touchdowns to lead UCLA to a 38-20 thumping of USC last season.

“Every time we play that team from across town, it’s personal for everyone on the team,” Garbers said. “It’s a huge week for us, and we’re just excited to go out there and play.”

With conference realignment bringing both schools to the Big Ten, Saturday night’s contest will be UCLA’s first test against a California school this season, as the annual conference contests against northern foes California and Stanford were replaced by first-time matchups against Indiana and Rutgers.

The proximity of USC and UCLA brings an extra level of intensity – separating this feud from other college football rivalries – with families and friends divided by school allegiance.

With about 700 high school recruits scheduled to show up to the Rose Bowl, the game could be critical for the futures of both programs – potentially helping sway the upcoming generation of recruits.

(Zimo Li/Photo editor)
Redshirt senior offensive lineman Josh Carlin attempts to tackle a Washington player. (Zimo Li/Photo editor)

“It’s huge,” said redshirt senior offensive lineman Josh Carlin. “UCLA needs to keep the Cali recruits in Cali – that’s one of the biggest things. No better way than to go out there and for us to dominate the game, saying that UCLA is here to stay in the Big Ten and it’s a championship-type program.”

In this rendition of the contest, neither Southern California team has a record to write home about – both sit just short of bowl eligibility with two games remaining in the season. With USC’s final contest coming against No. 6 Notre Dame, this game could be a must-win for the Trojans to ensure bowl eligibility.

The Bruins need to win out to reach the six-win benchmark to guarantee bowl qualification, adding another level to a fierce rivalry contest.

For the UCLA seniors, the affair will serve as their final opportunity to defeat USC at the Rose Bowl – a feat that the Bruins have been unable to achieve since 2018 – while simultaneously marking their last conference contest.

“It really comes down to, when you’re out there, playing it like it’s your last play,” said redshirt junior linebacker Carson Schwesinger. “For the guy next to you, for the seniors we got going, for all that’s at stake.”

While USC’s even record is unassuming compared to many of UCLA’s adversaries this season, all of its losses have been by a margin of seven points or fewer, including a three-point overtime loss to the same Penn State team that defeated UCLA by 16.

With the last four Bruin-Trojan showdowns ending with a visiting team victory, the Bruins will have a chance to break this streak and bring the Victory Bell back to Westwood.

“I’m excited to get the first one in the Rose Bowl,” Garbers said. “Last year was just a surreal experience – I can’t really describe it.”

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