USC’s roller coaster of a season derailed last week with a pandemic-postponed game against Cal Berkeley rescheduled for Saturday, December 4.
This week, the roller coaster crashed into the ground at high speed in a loss against cross-town rival UCLA, 62-33, despite heroics by Vavae Malepeai in scoring three touchdowns. This is the first time that the Trojans have lost a home game to the the Bruins since 2013.
UCLA led on the ground (260 yards rushing vs. 139 yards for USC) and in the air (349 yards passing vs. 325 yards for USC).
The first quarter was not bad for the Trojans, who scored a field goal, a touchdown (Malepeai’s first of three), and point after that the Bruins answered with only a touchdown and point after.
The second quarter leaned strongly towards the Bruins, who scored three touchdowns and points after before USC had anything at all to say. Their answer was Malepeai’s second of three touchdowns, followed by a point after kicked by Alex Stadthaus.
The third quarter opened with a raspberry directed by the Bruins at the Trojans, bringing the score to 35-17. USC’s Stadthaus provided a field goal and Jaxson Dart passed to Gary Bryant Jr. for a touchdown with no point after. The quarter closed with a second raspberry hand-delivered by Kazmeir Allen on a 100-yard kickoff return. The quarter closed with a score of 42-26.
(Jaxson Dart completed 27 passes for 325 yards and 1 touchdown. He suffered 2 interceptions.)
In the fourth quarter, UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet ran for 4 yards, with no point after. USC’s Malepeai wanted to show his teammates how to put points on the scoreboard — so he ran for a yard into the end zone for a touchdown, his third of the game. Alex Stadthaus kicked a point after. And that was the end of the game as far as USC was concerned.
UCLA decided to romp for two more touchdowns and points after, bring the score at the whistle to 62-33.
Altogether an embarrassment for the Trojans — especially for the defense — and a gleeful romp for the Bruins.
Next week the Trojans will play at home against Brigham Young. The pandemic-postponed game against Cal Berkeley will be played on Saturday, December 4.
USC football schedule
| Opponent | Date and Time | Location | W|L | Score |
| San José State | Sep 4 (Sat) 2 p.m. PT | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | W | 30-7 |
| Stanford | Sep 11 (Sat) 7:30 p.m. PT | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | L | 28-42 |
| at Washington State | Sep 18 (Sat) 12:30 p.m. PT | Pullman, WA | W | 45-14 |
| Oregon State | Sep 25 (Sat) TBD | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | L | 45-27 |
| at Colorado | Oct 2 (Sat) TBD | Boulder, CO | W | 14-37 |
| Utah | Oct 9 (Sat) TBD | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | L | 42-26 |
| at Notre Dame | Oct 23 (Sat) 4:30 p.m. PT | Notre Dame, IN | L | 16-31 |
| Arizona | Oct 30 (Sat) TBD | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | W | 34-41 |
| at Arizona State | Nov 6 (Sat) TBD | Tempe, AZ | L | 31-16 |
| at California | Nov 13 (Sat) TBD | Berkeley, CA | POSTPONED | |
| UCLA | Nov 20 (Sat) TBD | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | L | 62-33 |
| vs Brigham Young | Nov 27 (Sat) TBD | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | ||
| at California | Nov 13 (Sat) TBD | Berkeley, CA | ||
| Pac-12 Championship | Dec. 3 TBD | Las Vegas, NV |
UCLA football schedule
Before USC plays Cal Berkeley, UCLA will meet up with the California Golden Bears on November 27 at the Rose Bowl.
| Opponent | Date and Time | Location | W|L | Score |
| Hawai’i | Aug. 28 12:30 pm PT |
Pasadena | W | 44-10 |
| LSU | Sep. 4 5:30 pm PT |
Pasadena | W | 28-27 |
| Fresno State | Sep. 18 7:45 pm PT |
Pasadena | L | 40-37 |
| at Stanford | Sep. 25 TBD |
Stanford | W | 35-24 |
| Arizona State | Oct. 2 TBD |
Pasadena | L | 42-23 |
| at Arizona | Oct. 9 TBD |
Tucson, AZ | W | 34-16 |
| at Washington | Oct. 16 TBD |
Seattle, WA | W | 24-17 |
| Oregon | Oct. 23 TBD |
Pasadena | L | 34-31 |
| at Utah | Oct. 30 TBD |
Salt Lake City, UT | L | 44-24 |
| Colorado | Nov. 13 TBD |
Pasadena | W | 44-20 |
| at USC | Nov. 20 TBD |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
W | 62-33 |
| California | Nov. 27 TBD |
Pasadena | ||
| Pac-12 Championship | Dec. 3 TBD |
Las Vegas, NV |