In the 95th edition of the preeminent Southern California showdown in college football, USC will play host to UCLA with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff for the Big Ten Saturday Night matchup.
Both teams are coming off defeats last week. USC (8-3) lost 42-27 to Oregon on the road, effectively extinguishing the 17th-ranked Trojans’ hopes of making the College Football Playoff.
UCLA (3-8) fell 48-14 to Washington at home last Saturday night. The Bruins are guaranteed to finish sub-.500 for the second consecutive season with their four-game losing skid following a three-game winning streak.
In the battle for the Victory Bell (a 295-pound brass trophy that once hung atop a Southern Pacific freight locomotive), USC leads 51-34-7 over UCLA in the series. The Trojans won 19-13 last year and have triumphed in seven of the past 10.
How to watch UCLA vs. No. 17 USC:
- When: Saturday, Nov. 29
- Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (Pregame coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Big Ten College Countdown)
- TV: NBC
- Live Stream: Peacock
- Announcing team: Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Kathryn Tappen (sideline reporter). Terry McAulay is the rules analyst.
UCLA overview
The Bruins are hampered by a defense that ranks last in the FBS in sacks (eight) and opponents’ third-down conversions (54%). They have allowed 180 points during their four-game skid.
With quarterback Nico Iamaleava’ status in question after leaving the loss to Washington with neck spasms, sophomore Luke Duncan could get the call after making his starting debut two weeks ago against Ohio State.
UCLA is trying to avoid its worst record since a 3-9 season in 2018. Interim head coach Tim Skipper, who took over when DeShaun Foster was fired after an 0-3 start, is unlikely to return next year. James Madison head coach Bob Chesney, who took over when Curt Cignetti went to Indiana, reportedly is among the favoties (and also reportedly is being considered at Penn State).
USC overview
In their fourth season under coach Lincoln Riley, the Trojans are leading the Big Ten in yards per game (479.2) behind quarterback Jayden Maiava and wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane.
Lemon, a projected first-round selection in the NFL Draft, ranks third nationally in receiving yards (1,124) and sixth in catches (78). He also recently thew his first career TD, a 24-yard pass to wide receiver Tanook Hines that made Lemon the first USC receiver with a TD pass in seven years. Top running backs Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders have been sidelined by injuries since mid-October, leaving walk-on King Miller as the primary rusher.
USC is 34-17 under Riley, who arrived in November 2021 after five seasons and three College Football Playoff berths at Oklahoma. His teams have lacked those high-profile victories at USC, which is 5-13 against ranked opponents under Riley.
But the team has improved from a 7-6 campaign last season, and a reported $80 million buyout means it’s unlikely that Riley could lose his job despite failing to contend for a national championship yet at USC. The Trojans’ 2026 recruiting class is ranked first nationally, and the school will open a new $200 million football performance center next year.
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What other games are on NBC and Peacock this weekend?
There are several sporting events on NBC and Peacock this weekend, including:
- National Dog Show: Thursday, noon ET, NBC, Peacock
- NFL: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens, Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock
- College basketball: Oklahoma vs. Marquette, Friday, 2 p.m. ET
- College football: Southern vs. Grambling in the Bayou Classic, Saturday, 2 p.m. ET
- College football: No. 2 Indiana vs. Purdue, Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET
- NFL: Denver Broncos vs. Washington Commanders, live coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America, NBC and Peacock
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