Bowl game projections for Pac-12 Conference
Local bragging rights and a chance to play in the Pac-12 Championship will be on the line when USC and No. 22 UCLA meet at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
It was probably pie in the sky to think the local teams might be undefeated on November 28 and playing for the largest stakes, a trip to this season’s four-team national playoff. USC plans to at the Coliseum. And I can control watching after this team and helping them win.
The division will finally get decided this weekend.
By contrast, during the past 25 years, that has occurred only five times, with three of them from 2012-14. Or is the rivalry now destined to be dominated by one school at a time?
USC’s success is built around the outstanding play of senior outside hitter Samantha Bricio. “We haven’t had that because of who’s coaching”. After years of inconsistency under Karl Dorrell and Rick Neuheisel, Mora has kept the Bruins in bowl contention every season.
If there’s a consensus for why the Trojans and Bruins so infrequently emerge as top teams together any more, it’s because of the men at the top.
“I’m not sure any coach understands a rivalry until he is there and has experienced it firsthand”, Bellotti said.
That has been especially telling lately.
Win or lose, Kim Helton said his son already has proved this: “There’s no question he’s a head coach”.
Here’s Dan Rubenstein to tell you why that’s not going to happen!
Madden, sidelined the last three games because of a knee injury, should be available for limited action against the Bruins, interim Coach Clay Helton said after Thursday’s closed practice. They also rank first in pass-efficiency defense and have allowed the fewest plays of 20-plus yards. “We weren’t adjusted and we weren’t used to it. Now, we’ve been through so much this whole season that we’ll be a lot more ready to play a team like that”.
But the infectious nature of the coaches does seem to have had an effect.
When he was hired in 2012, Mora sought to end the Trojans’ stranglehold on the city.
The video above is courtesy of the University of California at Los Angeles.
Perhaps this is because Jackson almost went to UCLA when he chose a college.
“The personality of the coach has everything to do with it”, Papadakis said. Are Oregon and Oregon State not considered schools of equal academic stature?
The conference has added a talented lineup of coaches and most of the programs have made substantial improvements to their facilities, spurred on by a 12-year, $3billion TV deal inked in 2011. But nonconference and bowl records are still one of the best measuring sticks for conference depth and strength.
Last time these two teams met, USC flattened UCLA in straight sets at Pauley Pavilion in the first conference match of the season. Notre Dame is sixth.
“I’ve just enjoyed my time here, meeting new friends and enjoying this experience”.
There’s always the chance, of course.
When Mora arrived in Westwood, USC was firmly established on top in the crosstown rivalry.
Stanford’s home game against the Irish will wrap up the regular season, and a win could vault them back in position to secure a berth.
“Beating USC validated Jim’s position as the head coach”, said Dan Guerrero, the UCLA athletic director who hired him.
Kessler realizes a victory could change the perception of his entire career at USC, where he produced stellar numbers and led winning teams, but never carried the controversy-plagued Trojans back to college football’s heights. But remember, USC was No. 8 in the preseason Associated Press media poll, with UCLA checking in at No. 13. “But first thing’s first, USC’s a wreck”. It’s been fun to watch each of these guys progress through the year and even more exciting to imagine how good they’ll be next season and after.