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Aside from a great rivalry game this Saturday at the Rose Bowl that will feature two teams that are busting at the seams with talent, we will see a battle of game control that both USC and UCLA approach differently. Whether it is by nature or game plan, the Bruins and Trojans have to entirely different ways of attacking and will be crucial in a game where a lot is on the line between these two crosstown rivals, like winning the Pac-12 South. With USC, you have a team that starts out of the gate like a thoroughbred race horse. With UCLA, you have a team that paces themselves and goes into lockdown mode in the second half. If one of these teams can overpower the other one, it may very well be due to their individual strengths.
Oct 11, 2014; Tucson, AZ, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Steve Sarkisian against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Let us start with the Trojans. They have been outstanding when it comes to getting their game going. This season in the first half, they are outscoring their opponents 21.1 points to 10.1, while overall, beating teams 35.2 to 23.3. Although very impressive, what that does not tell you about is how they have progressed throughout their games this season.
Though USC may stomp on their opponents early, they appear to fade out as the game goes along and it is a steady progression downward towards the end of regulation. Here is the breakdown of points scored by USC and their opponents per quarter through 10 games this season:
USC Trojans Points Per Quarter:
| Pts per Qtr | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USC | 12.9 | 8.2 | 7.5 | 6.6 | 35.2 |
| Opp. | 2.2 | 7.9 | 5.4 | 7.8 | 23.3 |
By comparison, here are UCLA’s statistics for this season:
UCLA Bruins Points Per Quater
| Pts per Qtr | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 6.0 | 11.8 | 8.9 | 7.1 | 34.7 |
| Opp. | 4.3 | 9.9 | 6.2 | 7.0 | 27.9 |
For the Bruins, slow starts seem to be the norm. They do not really get going until the second and third quarters, but the point is, they do get going. Unfortunately, so do their opponents. UCLA has allowed teams to strike in the second and fourth quarters, which are arguably the worst times for the opposition to make a move, especially when those scores are jaw-dropping pick sixes.
Betsided
Fortunately, for UCLA, they have taken a stance in the second half and not just this season, but the entire time head coach Jim Mora has been in charge. In just under three seasons, the Bruins are 23-0 when leading at the half. But focusing on this season, they are 5-0 when leading after the first quarter, 6-0 when leading after the first half and 7-0 when leading after the 3rd quarter. In the three games where they did not lead at the half, they have a 2-1 record as they outscored Utah (21-13), were a point short against Oregon (21-20) and came back against Arizona (14-0). Better late than never.
Oppositely, USC seems to sputter after the initial quarter. When leading, after the first they are 6-2, after halftime are 6-2 and after the third are 6-1. In the three games that they lost, the led at the half twice.
The bottom line here is that both teams have their parts of the game where they are more efficient at attacking. Unless there is some heavy shake-up in the game, both teams will have to really put the pressure on when they have the chance. If USC is to start fast, they need to produce a lot of points early so that the Bruins can not overcome that deficit. If UCLA continues to finish strong, they need to really put the clamp down on the Trojans later in the game (although most will agree putting the clamp down from the start is an effective way at playing football as well).
Despite the calamity and chance that comes with a rivalry game, neither team can undermine the other’s strengths in game planning. Both teams seem to be able to produce one hell of a game that will have fans on both sides on the edge of their seats on both sides of the half… like a USC VS UCLA game should be.
Nov 30, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Jim Mora celebrates at the end of the game against the Southern California Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports