One of the most well-known and fiercest rivalries in the American college world is the one between USC and UCLA. While USC is most known for their success in football, and UCLA for their history of great basketball teams, rankings and records can be tossed aside when these two meet, regardless of the sport.

The University of California, Los Angeles is situated on 419 acres in Westwood Village area of L.A., about 5 miles from the Pacific coast, while the University of Southern California has a number of campuses in and around the city of L.A.. Wherever you go in the greater Los Angeles are, you’re to find rabid fans of both schools everywhere.

Both UCLA and USC are members of the Pac 10 Athletic Conference, and on many occasions, the winner of their annual football game has won the conference championship and its automatic spot in the famed Rose Bowl. In 2006, USC was thought to be a lock for the game that would determine the NCAA’s division 1 football champion. UCLA however, had other plans, and by the end of that game, UCLA had bested USC, 13 - 9. This game was a shock to most of those who follow college football, but was exactly what UCLA coach Karl Dorrell and his entire team and their supporters expected. It’s been thought that Ohio State’s coaching staff and many team members sighed in relief when they realized they would not have to face USC in the national championship game. The relief was short lived, as the University of Florida summarily destroyed them in the national title game.

There are numerous reasons there is such a healthy rivalry between these two universities. They are very close geographically, they share the same media markets, they compete for the same high school athletes and the fact that the faculty and students’ lives are closely connected.

The Pacific Coast Conference was established in 1915 with USC a charter member. USC had established a football powerhouse by the time UCLA joined the conference in 1929. The games of ‘29 and ‘30 were so lop-sided in favor of USC that games between the two were suspended until UCLA had better established their program in the mid to late ‘30s. UCLA had blossomed into a national power and dominated the series by the 1950s, culminating in their lone national championship in 1954. From the mid ‘60s through the late ‘70s, one of the two was dominate in west coast football. UCLA was victorious in eight straight games from 1991 thru 1998, then with the transformation of the USC program by Pete Carrol’s coaching staff, USC beat UCLA for the next 7 years.

Early in the 2007 season USC is again considered the team to beat, both in conference, and nationally. You can rest assured that the UCLA Bruins will be lying in wait, hoping to again spoil the dreams and aspirations of the mighty USC Trojans. Just as surely, USC will be looking to avenge last season’s disappointing loss. This great and long lasting rivalry is sure to continue for a long time to come.