Chip Kelly’s job status was a hot topic heading into the rivalry game.

The Bruins were fresh off their worst loss of the season – a 10-point defeat to one of the lowest-ranked teams in the conference. After the game, fans took to social media calling for the six-year head coach’s dismissal.

Then – Saturday – he made a statement.

UCLA football (7-4, 4-4 Pac-12) took down USC (7-5, 5-4) in the battle for the Victory Bell. Not only did the Bruins win, but they never trailed and limited one of the best quarterbacks in the nation to just two touchdowns.

In one week’s time, UCLA made a full 180.

The Bruins improved from 1-for-3 to 3-for-4 in red-zone conversions offensively, scoring 31 more points and gaining 87 more total yards than the week prior. And the defense – which has seen ample success all season – transitioned from allowing 74 rushing yards against the Sun Devils to permitting the Trojans to just three rushing yards, UCLA’s best run defense performance in 2023.

Senior tight end Hudson Habermehl – who caught two touchdowns Saturday – said the team surrounded Kelly heading into the game and cited him as one of the main reasons for the win.

“He called a great game today,” Habermehl said. “He’s putting us in a great position this week. We all love him. We all support him, and we’re on to the next week.”

Still, the question of Kelly’s status persists – now more than ever. Did the win Saturday change anything? Will it be enough for Kelly to remain in charge for another season?

Kelly swiftly answered those questions after the victory at the Coliseum. While mentioning a conversation with athletic director Martin Jarmond, the coach said the reports about his potential termination were incorrect.

“Martin told me it was ‘Inaccurate, inappropriate.’ I said, ‘All right, let’s go back to work.’ I don’t pay attention to that stuff,” Kelly said. “I talk about being the most prepared and the least distracted – then why would I let something distract me?”

With the win Saturday, Kelly tipped his overall record over .500 to a 34-33 clip and evened his rivalry record to 3-3.

After dedicating the win to his coach postgame, redshirt junior quarterback Ethan Garbers said the victory is indicative of all that Kelly has done for the program.

“It shows a lot about our team and a lot about his culture that we can come from last week and not be at our best and come out and do this and really shock the world a little bit,” Garbers said.

During his time with the Bruins, Kelly has yet to win a Bowl Game or make it to the Pac-12 championship.

And this season, Kelly’s squad has amassed too many defeats to be eligible for the Pac-12 championship and hasn’t seen the light of the AP poll – or College Football Playoff poll – after falling to now-No. 16 Arizona almost three weeks ago. The Bruins’ seven wins qualify them for a bowl game, although they are all but out of the running for the New Year’s Six games.

Kelly said, regardless of the rumors, his team was unbothered and Saturday’s performance was all the more indicative of the group’s focus.

“I’ve never been governed by the fear of what other people say,” Kelly said. “And the lessons that this game has taught me — and I love this game — is that there’s going to be highs, and there’s going to be lows, and you got to lean into the lows and you got to embrace them – and then you just got to go to work.”