O/NSO: Beat the Bruins! – UCLA at USC edition

The Obvious: When all your 2023 USC football goals, like a national championship playoff and a conference championship berth, are down the latrine, there still remains one annual, lasting, and tried-and-true goal, defeating crosstown rival UCLA Bruins (6-4, 3-4 Pac-12), a goal that the Trojans (7-4, 5-3 Pac-12) can accomplish this Saturday afternoon in the Coliseum at 12:30 p.m. PT (ABC). The Not So Obvious: There are times during this historic rivalry when nothing is on the line except the Victory Bell, which goes to the winner of the USC/UCLA game. This is one of these “meaningless” times, but since so many players from both teams know each other and the large media presence this week in L.A. is focused on which university will end their disappointing season with even greater disappointment, the attention will center on winning this game. Win, and it’s bragging rights well into the new year. Lose, and it’s crawling under a rock until next November when both are in the Big Ten.