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Know Your Opponent: UCLA Football vs. USC Trojans 2018

By Mike Regalado

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Clay Helton of the USC Trojans looks up for the ball during warm ups before the game against the Washington State Cougars at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Clay Helton of the USC Trojans looks up for the ball during warm ups before the game against the Washington State Cougars at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

The UCLA football team is about to do battle with crosstown rival USC this weekend at the Rose Bowl. Here is what they are going up against…

The UCLA football team is 2-8, but if they beat the USC Trojans this Saturday, that pain will go away. No matter what type of season the Bruins are having, getting the “W” over their crosstown rival always makes things better.

RELATED: Five Bruins That Will Make an Impact Against USC

Still, it is unfortunate to know that UCLA could have had a better record heading into this game. That can be attributed to youth, injuries, mistakes and one of the toughest schedules in the nation.

So how will UCLA try to get the win and what is USC’s excuse for their underwhelming year?

light. PODCAST. What’s Bruin Show – UCLA Football vs. USC and the L.A. Times’ Ben Bolch

The USC Trojans (5-5, 4-4)

USC needed to find some answers in the post-Sam Darnold era. The nifty QB from last season moved onto the NFL, leaving head coach Clay Helton to figure out who will lead this team into the future. The quick answer was freshman JT Daniels. He has done a decent job, but collectively, it has not worked for the Trojans. A 5-5 mark is evidence of that.

USC has a roster loaded full of talented players, but they too have been bitten by the injury bug. They have also been cursed by mistakes, similar to UCLA. The thing that most Trojans’ fans attribute this to is Helton, who has made some questionable moves this season.

He has had sputtering offense, a defense that has not reached its potential, and several issues simmering underneath the surface. A few weeks ago he tried to remedy some of that by taking play-calling duties away from OC Tee Martin and firing his OL coach. Though the results worked in their favor against Oregon State, it did not against Cal who upset the Trojans at the Coliseum last weekend.

So what are we to expect this Saturday against UCLA? Let’s find out…