The only two Big Ten schools in Los Angeles – UCLA football (4-6, 3-4 Big Ten) and USC (5-5, 3-4) – will engage in a landmark crosstown showdown Saturday in a Battle for LA. Amid a season marked by changes across the board, the Bruins and Trojans sport different identities than they did this time last year. Sports editor Ira Gorawara runs through UCLA’s look with two games remaining in the season, while Sports reporter Matthew Niiya analyzes the same for USC.

Westwood

Quarterback

The Bruins penned a newfound definition of stability this season.

It seemed elusive in the institution’s dictionary in 2023 – for there were three rotating members in UCLA football’s quarterback room.

Whatever former head coach Chip Kelly was configuring under center was destined for a fiasco of sorts. And fiasco he got – three different signal-callers were in a never-ending relay race where batons dropped weekly.

But one member of the carousel grabbed the reins as the Bruins’ QB1 in 2024 – whether by talent, timing or the simple fact that his competition bolted. Nevertheless, redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers has locked that revolving door shut. And he’s done it well.

Garbers has stamped his authority on the role – particularly when his offensive line allows him to do so. He exploded for a career-high 383 passing yards with a tantalizing 84.2% completion percentage and five total touchdowns against Rutgers on Oct. 19, extinguishing a five-game slump for UCLA.

When the Bruins were staring down desperation, Garbers placed his team on his back and embodied the kind of leadership no coach can teach.

And while he may still be on the road to becoming a headline-grabbing gunslinger, the unshakeable respect he commands and culture he’s quietly ignited outlast any stat line.

“You could just tell the way that they follow Ethan, the way that they talk about him,” said coach DeShaun Foster. “Everybody has seen what he’s been through and gone through here at UCLA, and to continue to be resilient and come out on top is just good stuff.”

Coaching

A program’s blueprint – and playbook – is devised on technical fundamentals and schemes.

But there’s only one way for a team to successfully navigate that map: a top-down process. It’s a process Foster reimagined from the ground up – one that Foster owns.

The head honcho rightfully tabs himself a “Bruin through and through,” having lived every layer of the Bruin identity – from recruit to player to assistant coach. And now, as head coach, that lineage is carried with a new fire.

He’s honed the intricacies and nuances of being a Bruin. And it’s not merely about mastering the systems and dialing up perfect plays – rather, it’s an ethos and culture that permeates every inch of the gridiron.

Foster knows what makes this program tick. Though it’s not nostalgia that drives him, he’s proven an ability to forge something built to last while carving out a new identity in the shadow of tradition.

Through every rep and decision, Foster has imprinted resilience into this team, forging a unit that doesn’t shy away from hard lessons. It’s instinctive – as if hardwired into its system.

Recruiting

There’s something called a head start, and then there’s something called a late start.

Kelly left UCLA’s recruiting engine sputtering, scrambling in a race it never seemed adequately lined up for. He was a mastermind in the backfield, sure; a strategist in the playbook, sure. But a bystander in the future of his program – absolutely.

It was a running punchline for some, but the heavy lifting fell on Foster, forced to resurrect UCLA’s dormant recruiting engine. But he didn’t just reboot it – he supercharged it from scratch.

Kelly’s most baffling blunder was his inability to tap into the treasure trove of his backyard – the fertile soil of LA’s high school talent. As head coach of arguably the city’s most storied institution, he let rival Pac-12 teams set up camp on his own turf and feast from the top-tier recruits of LA.

Meanwhile, the city’s pulse has been Foster’s to claim. He’s recognized his situation in a place where talent runs deep and has harvested the riches through just nine months at the team’s helm. UCLA has rocketed from ranking 68th nationwide in the class of 2024 to 35th in the class of 2025.

Foster’s recruiting staff is triple in size compared to Kelly’s, aggressively casting a wider net for elite prospects. Kelly ushered in just one 2025 recruit before departing, and Foster’s game of catch-up has materialized in 17 additional commitments since, 12 of whom are California locals.

Under Kelly, UCLA would’ve ranked below every single Big Ten school last year in high school recruiting. Foster flipped that script, sending the Bruins to now slot in as 11th in the 18-team conference. The mantra of “Do more” has been backed by action under Foster’s regime.

Implications

Essentially every aforementioned facet of the team will be under a microscope Saturday.

From Garbers’ poise to Foster’s decision-making to both teams’ bowl hopes – nothing will escape scrutiny.

Though neither UCLA nor USC can boast a .500-plus record this season, Saturday seems to be a proving ground of sorts for both sides of the field.

With a bowl race tightening and about 700 recruits watching in Pasadena, the Bruins stand at a crossroads. Win two games, and the bowl is theirs; lose to the Trojans, and the postseason slips through their fingers – along with the hope of impressing future Bruins lining the sidelines.

A win for Foster would be more than just a notch in the win column – it would be one that will echo across recruiting halls and firmly stamp his debut season a success.

– Ira Gorawara

University Park

Quarterback

The loss of former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams was never going to be a seamless transition, but a midseason snag was not something many Trojan fans had in mind entering the year.

With just one start under his belt, Miller Moss was anointed Williams’ successor after earning Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP honors with a dazzling six-touchdown performance.

And after a strong showing from Moss, where he helped then-No. 23 USC knock off then-No. 13 LSU in the season opener, it seemed all but assured that the LA local had secured his right to the crown for the foreseeable future.

But just two months down the road, Jayden Maiava usurped the throne, assuming starting signal-caller duties.

Maiava – a UNLV transfer and the 2023 Mountain West Freshman of the Year – was handed the reins after Moss tossed a trio of interceptions against Washington, dropping USC’s season record to 4-5. The Palolo, Hawaii, local answered his calling, accounting for all four touchdowns in a victory over Nebraska.

Although Maiava is not the household name Williams was, this is his chance to make Bruin fans remember it.

Coaching

Lincoln Riley was once one of the hottest names in the college football coaching landscape.

In each of his first three years at the helm with Oklahoma, Riley led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff semifinals despite falling short of a victory.

After compiling four Big 12 championships to accompany a 55-10 record, Riley decided it was time for a change of scenery. He inked a 10-year, $110 million contract with the Trojans after the 2021 regular season.

All seemed to go according to plan in his first year – directing USC to the cusp of a CFP breakthrough heading into the Pac-12 championship game.

However, an untimely injury to Williams hobbled the Trojans’ hopes of a playoff berth, which ultimately collapsed before the finish line.

2023 heralded more playoff expectations but was met with mediocre play – netting USC just seven wins across the regular season campaign.

Former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn was lured away to USC to revamp a struggling unit – one that shouldered much of the blame for 2023’s shortcomings.

But with a 5-5 record in 2024, it seems not much changed.

Though a firing is unlikely given Riley’s pricy buyout, his seat is getting warmer as the pressure to produce results continues to mount.

Recruiting

It’s no secret that USC historically is a recruiting powerhouse – often associated with wealth and pageantry.

And in the age of the modern transfer portal and name, image and likeness, money talks.

Gone are the days of valuing development within a program. Instead, recruits often look for guaranteed playing time and a quick buck.

USC’s NIL collective, House of Victory, aided Riley in building the 13th-best freshman class in 2025, according to 247Sports.

Losing four-star quarterback Julian Lewis may have been a blessing in disguise to USC’s 2025 class. On the same day as Lewis’ decommitment, the Trojans flipped five-star signal-caller Husan Longstreet – the nation’s 28th-best recruit and fourth-best quarterback – away from Texas A&M.

While Riley and the Trojans have had success recruiting talent at the high school level, many impact players arrived in the latest transfer class. Maiava and running back Woody Marks – who has posted six 100-yard rushing performances through 10 games this season – were both plucked out of the portal.

Even though USC is amid a mediocre season, the recruiting trail never sleeps.

And with over 700 recruits scheduled to be in attendance for the crosstown showdown, a display of dominance will surely influence the decision of potential Bruins or Trojans.

Implications

While this edition of the Battle for LA may not have any CFP bids or conference championships on the line, the Victory Bell and bragging rights are very much up for grabs.

And with USC sitting at 5-5, bowl eligibility is teetering on a fine line.

At the end of the day, the formula is simple – win, and you’re in.

Being victorious this weekend not only secures a postseason berth for the Trojans, but essentially eliminates the rival Bruins from bowl contention – barring a need for 5-7 squads.

But with only No. 6 Notre Dame remaining on the docket, USC’s best remaining opportunity to wrap up bowl eligibility is against UCLA.

And given that luck has been on the side of the Fighting Irish in recent years – winning five of the last six against the Trojans – the pressure is on Riley and company to triumph this weekend, as a four-leaf clover might be easier to find than a win over Notre Dame.

– Matthew Niiya