THE RIVALRY UCLA vs. USC

Rookie UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell, who has participated in this series as a player, makes his debut on the sideline. This is the last in a five-day look at past UCLA and USC coaches in their rivalry debuts:

UCLA

RED SANDERS, 1949

Nov. 19: USC 21, UCLA 7

With sophomore Dean Schneider, who had never taken a snap in a varsity game before, playing quarterback, USC did just enough to win in front of 75,026 at the Coliseum. Schneider threw two touchdown passes.

UCLA (6-3, 5-2 Pacific Coast Conference) also did not appreciate USC’s final touchdown, with two seconds remaining. The defeat extended the Bruins’ losing streak to the Trojans to three years.

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COACH’S IMPACT

Henry R. “Red” Sanders coached UCLA’s football program for nine seasons and he’ll be remembered for leading the Bruins to their first (and so far only) national championship season in 1954.

But he should also be credited for turning the UCLA-USC rivalry in the Bruins’ favor. In nine games against the Trojans, Sanders’ teams were 6-3. Before his arrival, USC held a 12-2-4 edge in the series.

Sanders changed UCLA’s offense from the T-formation attack to the old-fashioned single wing. He also installed a 4-4 defensive set and the Bruins grew into one of the toughest defensive teams in the nation.

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SANDERS’ RESULTS (6-3)

1949: at USC 21, UCLA 7

1950: at UCLA 39, USC 0

1951: UCLA 21, at USC 7

1952: USC 14, at UCLA 12

1953: UCLA 13, at USC 0

1954: at UCLA 34, USC 0

1955: UCLA 17, at USC 7

1956: USC 10, at UCLA 7

1957: UCLA 20, at USC 9

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USC

TED TOLLNER, 1983

Nov. 19: UCLA 27, USC 17

After trailing, 10-6, at halftime, UCLA rallied with three second-half touchdowns and defeated USC in front of 83,763 at the Coliseum. UCLA’s Gaston Green set a USC opponent’s individual record by gaining 224 yards in 39 carries.

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COACH’S IMPACT

Tollner’s Trojans lost three of four games to their city rival and were outscored, 114-69.

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COACH’S RESULTS (1-3)

1983: UCLA 27, at USC 17

1984: at UCLA 29, USC 10

1985: at USC 17, UCLA 13

1986: at UCLA 45, USC 25

DID YOU KNOW?

UCLA’s standout quarterback Gary Beban did not play in the rivalry his junior season, but the Bruins still won the 1966 matchup, 14-7, with backup quarterback Norman Dow leading the way.

UCLA, however, did not win the bid for the Rose Bowl. That honor went to the Trojans, which did not go over well with the Bruins.

At a campus rally the following Monday, Dow helped promote UCLA’s unofficial nickname “Gutty Little Bruins” when he told a crowd of nearly 7,000: “I read all the newspapers and I think they overworked my part in the victory.” The crowd responded with a spontaneous, “No!”

Then Dow added: ‘I’m honored to be on such a gutty team.”