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Black History Month 2025

Student Alumni Association’s annual Beat ‘SC rally brings UCLA fans together

Attendees of the Beat ‘SC rally attend the event, which is hosted before UCLA’s football game against USC each year. At the event, spectators watched a light show and were treated to food trucks and refreshments. (Edward Ho/Daily Bruin)

By Alden Ho

Nov. 24, 2024 10:49 p.m.

Students flocked to Wilson Plaza on Wednesday for the Student Alumni Association’s annual Beat ‘SC Rally.

Approximately 2,750 people attended the event, a tradition ahead of UCLA football’s yearly rivalry game against USC, according to a written statement from Elizabeth Salgado, a third-year theater student and one of the rally’s directors. At the event, attendees were treated to food trucks and refreshments as they queued for photos with Joe Bruin, tailgate games and free merchandise handouts.

[Related: Rivalry Issue 2024]

Cheers erupted as the UCLA football team and women’s basketball team went on stage. Starting quarterback Ethan Garbers thanked the crowd for showing up for the event and encouraged people to attend Saturday’s game at the Rose Bowl.

“We couldn’t do it without the fans,” he said in a speech to the crowd.

A wooden tower featuring murals by student groups stood in the center of Wilson Plaza as several music and dance organizations took the stage with live performances.

However, the bonfire historically associated with the event was absent after being replaced with a light show in 2022.

[Related: Bruins get fired up for rivalry football game at Beat ’SC Rally]

This year also marked the rally’s return following 2023’s cancellation due to inclement weather conditions. In a written statement, Salgado said the omission of the fire is part of an effort to be environmentally responsible.

Joseph Lee, a fourth-year human biology and society student who worked at the event, said the light show – which coincided with performances by the Spirit Squad – has been just as successful as the fire at raising school spirit.

“The one aspect of not lighting the thing on fire, it’s not going to take away from the community and the pride here,” said Anthony Santos, a first-year business economics student who attended the event.

Santos traded his old USC merch for a Beat ‘SC Rally T-shirt at the “Get the Red Out” exchange event. He said UCLA appealed to him because of its school spirit, adding that he felt school spirit events like these encapsulated that well.

“You see everyone walking around in blue, you see them really hyped for the games and events,” he said. “That was one of the biggest things that led to me deciding to go here.”

Between the student performances and varsity team speeches, organizers played highlight reels featuring UCLA’s various sports teams and international alumni network. Audience members exchanged smiles as a video played of people doing the 8-clap around the world.

Eric Lozano said he and his wife Vanessa drove an hour to attend the rally for the first time. Despite not being alumni, the Lozanos said support for UCLA has been generational in their family, although divisive at times.

“It’s house divided. We have a lot of USC family,” Vanessa Lozano said. “We’re here to cheer our Bruins on, and show our family who’s going to win on Saturday.”

Wednesday was the first Beat ‘SC Rally for Sydney McJannet, a second-year economics student who was helping attendees check in for the event. She said having enjoyed last year’s rivalry game, she hopes events like this would encourage fans to make the trip to the Rose Bowl.

Anticipation for the game was especially high for many freshmen, it being first UCLA-USC rivalry experience. Kaitlyn Uesugi, a first-year political science student who was working alongside McJannet at the check-in desk of the rally, said she was excited for the game and was planning to participate in tailgate events at the stadium.

[Related: LIVE: UCLA VS. USC]

McJannet said she was rooting for wide receiver Carter Shaw as a fellow alumni from Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton, California. Eric Lozano said linebacker Kain Medrano was his player to watch this year, having grown up playing defense as well.

As the event drew to a close, football team head coach DeShaun Foster repeated a Bruins slogan to the audience.

“Fours up, twos down, we all know who run this town,” he said to the crowd.

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