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 another in a five-day look at past UCLA and USC coaches in their rivalry debuts:

UCLA

TERRY DONAHUE, 1976

Nov. 20: USC 24, UCLA 14

With tailback Ricky Bell playing on an injured ankle but still rushing for 167 yards, the Trojans scored the first 24 points in an easy victory over Donahue’s first Bruin team. UCLA’s Wendell Tyler, who played with a shoulder injury, rushed for 52 yards in 13 carries and quarterback Jeff Dankworth completed only eight of 16 passes for 90 yards for the Bruins (9-2-1, 6-1 Pac-8). The defeat sent UCLA to the Liberty Bowl and USC to the Rose Bowl.

COACH’S IMPACT

After losing the first four times he faced USC, Donahue ended his UCLA coaching career on a strong note with five consecutive victories over the Trojans.... In 1982, Donahue led the Bruins to a 20-19 win over USC in the first game played at the Rose Bowl in the rivalry’s history. The victory clinched a Rose Bowl berth for the Bruins, ending a seven-year drought.

DONAHUE’S RESULTS (10-9-1)

1976: USC 24, at UCLA 14

1977: at USC 29, UCLA 27

1978: USC 17, at UCLA 10

1979: at USC 49, UCLA 14

1980: at UCLA 20, USC 17

1981: at USC 22, UCLA 21

1982: at UCLA 20, USC 19

1983: UCLA 27, at USC 17

1984: at UCLA 29, USC 10

1985: at USC 17, UCLA 13

1986: at UCLA 45, USC 25

1987: at USC 17, UCLA 13

1988: USC 31, at UCLA 22

1989: UCLA 10, at USC 10

1990: USC 45, at UCLA 42

1991: UCLA 24, at USC 21

1992: at UCLA 38, USC 37

1993: UCLA 27, at USC 21

1994: at UCLA 31, USC 19

1995: UCLA 24, at USC 20

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USC

HOWARD JONES, 1929

Sept. 28: USC 76, UCLA 0

Before a crowd that was estimated between 35,000 and 50,000 at the Coliseum, the Trojans ran all over the Bruins. Running behind All-American guard Nate Barragar and blocking back Erny Pinckert, USC rushed for 735 yards and collected 26 first downs. Fullback Russell Saunders ran 50 yards for the first score and ended up with three touchdowns. Jess Hill, Gaius Shaver and Pinckert each scored twice for the Trojans, who limited UCLA to 124 yards and four first downs.

COACH’S IMPACT

By the time UCLA was ready to play USC in football, Jones had turned the Trojan program into a powerhouse. His 1928 team finished undefeated and claimed the school’s first national championship. Although he was good friends with UCLA Coach William Spaulding, Jones took special pride in defeating the Bruins and finished his coaching career unbeaten against UCLA.

JONES’ RESULTS (5-0-2)

1929: at USC 76, UCLA 0

1930: USC 52, at UCLA 0

1936: at USC 7, UCLA 7

1937: USC 19, at UCLA 13

1938: at USC 42, UCLA 7

1939: USC 0, at UCLA 0

1940: at USC 28, UCLA 12

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DID YOU KNOW?

In 1937, USC defeated UCLA, 19-13, but the Trojans had to withstand an outstanding effort by the Bruins’ Kenny Washington, who passed for two touchdowns and came close to a third in the game’s final minutes.

After USC took a commanding 19-0 lead entering the fourth quarter, Washington took over the game. He first led UCLA on a long touchdown drive to cut into USC’s lead and then the Trojans decided to kick off instead of receive.

Washington made them pay. From the Bruins’ 27-yard line, he juked right to avoid tacklers and launched the football 62 yards in the air for a 73-yard touchdown pass to bring UCLA within a score.

On UCLA’s final drive, Washington and the Bruins reached the end zone again only to have the play nullified because of penalty. UCLA came within yards of another score in the game’s closing seconds.

Washington became UCLA’s first consensus All-American and the first Bruin to lead the NCAA in total offense.

-- Lonnie White