<p>D is entering freshman at UCLA. A lot of her friends are going to USC and continue to goad her about the drubbing Bruins will take at the hands of the terrible Trojans.</p>
<p>Anybody have any ideas about how the two teams will stack up this fall? (D is avid football fan, voted most likely to become an NFL coach by her peers…)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>In last year’s match-up, UCLA was predicted to suffer badly, but the team came very close to upsetting the Trojans. When all was said and done, only five points separated the two teams. H and I watched the game at a local watering hole with members of the UCLA Alumni Club of Boston. We were calling S who was watching in his apartment in LA (he had to work on a project while watching the game) whenever there was a big play. It was very exciting! The upcoming year could be a big one for the Bruins.</p>
<p>Yes, UCLA played a tough game on its home turf last year, but let’s not forget this year’s matchup is at the LA Coliseum (which will be sold out and dominated by rabid Trojan fans) against the defending national champions led by the heisman winning quarterback in a year when all preseason polls put USC at #1 and UCLA unranked.</p>
<p>My advice xtx? Have them convert to a basketball fan as that is where we will receive our due drubbing. OR, they can just become a closet USC fan - they exist at UCLA: <a href=“http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?ID=26459[/url]”>http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?ID=26459</a></p>
<p>Matt Leinhart is coming back for his senior season so UCLA has virtually no chance of upsetting them. Tell her to support her future Alma Mater no matter what. No one likes a fair weather fan, and when the Bruins get better, which they undoubtedly will, she will be glad she was a supporter from the beginning. It also will make for some good natured ribbing amongst her friends.</p>
<p>USC should be favored but the Trojans are arrogant and overconfident. They’ve lost their offensive coordinator and couple of other key assistants, have significant holes to fill on defense [you don’t easily replace NFL-caliber defensive linemen], are losing a very good defensive player due to an off-campus incident where, though the legal rape charges were dropped, USC’s internal investigation wasn’t.</p>
<p>Also, UCLA’s QB situation is up in the air due to phenom Ben Olson committing to UCLA after completing a two-year Mormon mission. He is very rusty…but he’s also extremely talented. Drew Olson (no relation), the Bruin QB for the most of the last three years, is limited in both arm and decision making ability. On the other side of the ball, the Bruin defense will be a <em>lot</em> better than it was last year, particularly on the D-line. The linebacking corps is oustanding but has to pray for no injuries as depth is extremely suspect.</p>
<p>I’d pick USC on paper…but the games aren’t played on paper. Ask again about half way through the season after I’ve seen both teams play.</p>
<p>And where did my GO DUCKS! post go?</p>
<p>sorry, xtx…wait for B-Ball season. Coach Howell has a tremendous recruiting class.</p>
<p>c-dad: perhaps the baby bruins can beat the ducks. LOL</p>
<p>Actually, I remember a game last year when the Bruins <em>did</em> beat the Ducks, shortly after a certain un-named Mod had needled that the contrary was a likely event. We take our satisfactions as we find them.</p>
<p>CD…are you <em>sure</em> that you hit the “Post” button? Or are you just…wait for it…quacking up?</p>
<p>why does it always have to do with football. (no offense but football sux). why cant it be about baseball, basketball, or tennis?</p>
<p>Even though I know nothing about the sport, I found the news on the UCLA website about the women’s water polo championship win to be exciting–especially since it was in the last few seconds!</p>