Decking the Hall with Bruins and Trojans

Thirty-seven players from UCLA and USC have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, enough for the Bruins and Trojans to warrant their own wing. Twenty-eight hail from USC, nine from UCLA. Here’s an alphabetical list of the players, with selected key performances from the crosstown rivalry game:

USC

*Allen rushed for 219 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown with 2:19 left in the fourth quarter to lead USC to a 22-21 comeback victory over UCLA in 1981. His performance dashed the Bruins’ hopes for a Rose Bowl bid.

**Playing on a balky ankle, Bell rushed for 167 yards to help USC defeat UCLA, 24-14, in 1976. The victory sealed the Trojans’ Rose Bowl berth over the conference runner-up Bruins.

***Simpson’s 64-yard touchdown run with 10:38 left in the game propelled the Trojans to a 21-20 triumph over the Bruins in 1967. The run helped USC advance to the Rose Bowl and, ultimately, win the national championship, and it is considered one of the most famous runs in college football history.

UCLA

*Aikman had a prolific day against USC in 1988, completing 32 of 48 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. But it wasn’t enough as the Trojans held on for a 31-22 victory.

**Playing with torn rib cartilage in his last crosstown rivalry game, Beban passed for more than 300 yards and two touchdowns against USC in 1967. Although the Trojans pulled out a 21-20 victory, Beban went on that season to become the only UCLA player to win the Heisman Trophy.

***Washington passed for two touchdowns and nearly scored a game-winning touchdown against USC in 1937, but the play was nullified by a penalty. The Trojans won, 19-13.

-- Ben Bolch