UCLA’s Tim Skipper educates Bruins on USC rivalry with video ahead of schools’ crosstown showdown

LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA has a large number of transfer players and program newcomers who don’t know much about the Bruins’ near-century-old football rivalry with No. 19 Southern California, so interim head coach Tim Skipper decided to do something about it.

His staff put together a five-minute video distilling the essence of this annual crosstown showdown, and Skipper showed it to the Bruins for a shot of motivation late in a difficult season in Westwood.

“I wanted to make sure everybody knew how significant this game was, and how both teams wear their home colors for the game and you get to paint the Victory Bell,” said Skipper, who’s in his first year at UCLA himself. “As a kid, I always watched the UCLA-SC game. It always mattered, no matter where we lived. Coming from a coaching family, we moved around a little bit. It’s awesome to finally be part of this thing. You watch it so much, (but I’ve) never been to one of these games.”

The 95th edition of this crosstown showdown happens Saturday at the Coliseum, where both teams will wear their home jerseys while wrapping up regular seasons that fell short of expectations — even if the Trojans (8-3, 6-2 Big Ten) got a whole lot closer than the Bruins (3-8, 3-5).

USC is a big favorite to retain the Victory Bell after winning 19 of the past 26 matchups, including two of three under coach Lincoln Riley. The Trojans could have a letdown after their College Football Playoff hopes were dashed last week in a road loss to Oregon, but Riley — who got a large chunk of his roster from LA-area high schools — isn’t worried about his team finishing strong, simply because of the identity of Saturday’s opponent.

“It’s so unique,” Riley said. “I’ve been a part of some really good (rivalries), and this one stacks right up there. The proximity, the familiarity of the teams, the players, it’s such a unique rivalry. I love it, man. It’s important to the city, to both schools, and it’s one I look forward to every single year.”

The game is expected to be Skipper’s last in charge at UCLA after taking over for the fired DeShaun Foster in September, but he is trying to make it count. His coaching staff also brought in several former players to speak to the current Bruins about the rivalry’s importance.

Much of USC’s current roster played in the Trojans’ 19-13 win over the Bruins at the Rose Bowl last season. Jayden Maiava’s TD pass to Ja’Kobi Lane midway through the fourth quarter provided the decisive points in the fifth consecutive victory by the road teams in the series.

Running back King Miller, the walk-on who has become a breakout star with 749 yards rushing, is among the Los Angeles-area natives on the USC roster who are eager to put a stamp on the rivalry.

“All of the guys are ready to go out there with a bang in this last game,” Miller said. “Growing up watching this, it’s always been something I loved to watch. To actually be out there physically is going to be one to remember.”

The Bruins haven’t said whether quarterback Nico Iamaleava will play. He is experiencing neck spasms after a helmet-to-helmet hit in the third quarter of UCLA’s loss to Washington last weekend.

The Trojans will settle for an upper-tier bowl game after road losses to Illinois, Notre Dame and the Ducks. They could still finish their home schedule unbeaten with a seventh win while boosting the candidacy of Makai Lemon for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver.

___

AP Sports Writer Beth Harris contributed to this report.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/college-football