Ranking 5 Best Games in UCLA-USC Football Rivalry

The football history between the UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans has been fantastic in its entirety. First playing against each other in 1929, the Trojans hold the head-to-head series lead by a standing of 44-30-7.

The series often is cyclical. UCLA holds the longest win streak between the two, winning eight straight games starting in the early 1990s. However, not to be outdone, the Trojans then proceeded to reel off seven wins of their own.

As of now, ahead of Saturday's showdown, the Bruins have won two consecutive matchups. 

Based on the significance of the contests, brilliance on the field by talented (and famous) athletes, as well as sheer excitement, this piece will look at the best five games in the series between the crosstown rivals in ascending order of rank.

Here's a look at the top five games between the UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans. 

5. 1969

We start this list off with a very significant contest in the series in which controversy reigned supreme.

Both teams were undefeated up to this point in the 1969 season, and a Rose Bowl berth was essentially on the line. 

USC was able to win the game by a score of 14-12, with a questionable pass interference call and a Sam Dickerson catch in the back of the end zone the sources of contention. 

Fortunately for the Trojans, the replay system was not yet in place, as many argue Dickerson wasn't able to secure the catch before going out of bounds. 

Regardless, the win propelled the Trojans to the Rose Bowl. 

4. 1992

In this game, fifth-string walk-on quarterback John Barnes led a 21-point fourth-quarter rally to defeat the Trojans by a score of 38-37. 

The UCLA signal-caller threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns in the victory, with his 90-yard touchdown throw to receiver J.J. Stokes ultimately proving the winning score.

Considering Barnes began the season "buried on the depth chart, carrying backs and holding tackling dummies during practice," per Peter Yoon of ESPN Los Angeles, this result was truly a shock.

The Bruins' version of "Rudy" will go down in UCLA all-time lore. 

3. 1996

David Taylor/Getty Images

UCLA vs. USC: 1996

In terms of offensive fireworks, the game in 1996 ranks as the best in the long history between both rivals. 

Neither team finished the year with much success—UCLA went 5-6, while USC were 6-6, and there really wasn't much riding on the game other than pride. 

However, it didn't stop the contest from being exceptionally entertaining. 

Led by running back Skip Hicks and quarterback Cade McNown, the Bruins were able to erase a 17-point deficit to take the game to overtime. UCLA ultimately won the game in double overtime by a score of 48-41.

To this day, it is the only overtime game in the history of the rivalry. 

2. 2006

Bruins fans will smile at the mere mention of former UCLA player Eric McNeal. 

The Bruins had no business winning this game, let alone remaining competitive. At 6-5, they were going up against the No. 2 team in the country. In fact, this particular USC team had aspirations of winning yet another title under Pete Carroll. 

In what turned out to be a defensive battle, UCLA upset USC in the Rose Bowl by a score of 13-9. McNeal's diving interception of quarterback John David Booty sealed the win, and the victory effectively knocked the Trojans out of the national championship picture.  

In the process, UCLA also snapped USC's 63-game streak of scoring at least 20 points. 

1. 1967

Dubbed the "Game of the Century," the 1967 contest will go down as the most thrilling to date between the two programs. 

The No. 1 Bruins and quarterback Gary Beban took on the No. 4 Trojans and running back O.J. Simpson.

Both Simpson and Beban were regarded as two of the best players in all of college football—Beban winning the Heisman Trophy for the 1967 season, Simpson winning it in 1968. 

The Trojans were able to narrowly defeat the Bruins by a score of 21-20, largely due to the brilliance of its running back.

Simpson's iconic 64-yard touchdown run won the game for USC. 

USC went on to play in the Rose Bowl against Indiana, beating the Hoosiers becoming national champions. 

Due to the stakes surrounding this contest, it easily ranks as the top game in the rivalry. The star power featured only added to the spectacle.