Kickoff Time Set for USC - UCLA with Pac-12 Championship Game Appearance on the Line

The USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins are set for a Crosstown Showdown this Saturday that means as much to both schools as any of their rivalry games have in years. And this past weekend saw a few notable events that locked in a few facts about this game. First, the game will kick off at 5:00 pm PT at the Rose Bowl on Saturday evening.

The Pac-12 had two games that weekend that were not locked in heading into this past week’s games. The USC – UCLA game and Oregon – Utah game would either kick at 5:00 pm PT on Fox, or at 7:30 pm PT on ESPN. Shortly after Oregon lost to Washington on Saturday night, two things became clear.

One, Fox would very likely select the Los Angeles rivalry for its 5:00 slot, which wound up happening. And the second, and far more important to USC players and fans, is that this game against UCLA is now a win-and-in scenario for the Trojans as far as the Pac-12 Championship Game is concerned.

Pac-12 Championship Game Spot on the Line

Prior to Oregon’s loss, USC did not control its own fate in the conference race. There was a scenario playing out where an Oregon team with one conference loss to Utah would play a Utah team with one conference loss to UCLA in the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Ducks would have won the three-way tiebreaker with the Utes and Trojans (even after the presumed loss to Utah in this scenario). And then Utah would have won the tiebreaker with USC to go as the second team.

But now, all the potential scenarios that have been discussed for weeks are out the window as far as USC goes. A win against UCLA means the Trojans would finish 8-1 in the conference this season. With the 6-1 Ducks and 6-1 Utes playing this weekend, only one other team can finish with just one conference loss. It can’t be assumed that the winner of Oregon – Utah would be the other participant in the conference championship game because both have another conference game the following week. But the winner of the Ducks – Utes game on Saturday will be favored to go. Oregon finishes with Oregon State. Utah will play Colorado.

There is a scenario where USC could lose to UCLA and still make the conference championship game. But that requires a very unlikely string of upsets up and down the conference schedule in the final week.

Going Different Directions

The two programs will be coming off wildly different outcomes in their previous games. USC got off to a slow start but ultimately cruised to a 55-17 win against Colorado. The Trojans went into that game ranked No. 8 in the AP and CFP rankings and No. 7 in the Coaches Poll. USC is now No. 6 in the Coaches Poll and No. 7 in the AP Poll. The Trojans are likely to slide up to No. 7 in the CFP Rankings on Tuesday, unless the playoff committee jumps them over LSU as well. The Tigers are coming off a 13-10 win over what was a 5-4 Arkansas team.

UCLA, on the other hand, could not complete a comeback against Arizona at home and eventually lost 34-28 to the Wildcats. The Bruins went into that game ranked in the top 10 in both the AP and Coaches Polls and at No. 12 in the CFP Rankings.

Over its last six games against teams not named Colorado or Stanford, UCLA has allowed 35 points per game. USC allowed more than 38 per game against Utah, Arizona and Cal before lowering that number significantly against Colorado.

Plenty of offense is expected on Saturday evening at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins can still play their way into the Pac-12 title game, so both teams should bring everything they have to this one. It would be a significant statement for USC to make a run to the conference championship game in the first year under Lincoln Riley. And if the celebration can’t happen at the Coliseum, it might as well happen at the Rose Bowl.