The Battle of LA lands on Nov. 28, and this year’s UCLA-USC meeting has the kind of juice that makes a rivalry game feel bigger than the calendar says it should. UCLA is set to host USC at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, with the Bruins and Trojans both sitting among the Big Ten’s best and the conference race potentially hanging on this final matchup. The playoff picture could be in play, too.
USC comes in with a two-game winning streak in the series, but UCLA has the look of a team with the upper hand heading into this one. The Bruins could also be chasing an undefeated season capped at home, which only adds to the atmosphere when the sun goes down for Saturday night football.
For fans looking to be there in person, tickets are available now through StubHub. The current get-in price is $250, while club seats start at $700.
The game is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 28, though the start time has not been announced yet.
UCLA’s 2026 slate has already been a strong one, with wins over Cal, San Diego State, Purdue, Maryland, Oregon, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Nevada. The Bruins still have trips to Minnesota and Michigan, plus a home date with Illinois, before closing with USC.
USC’s path has been just as impressive, with wins over San Jose State, Fresno State, Louisiana, Rutgers, Washington, Penn State and Ohio State. The Trojans still have road games at Indiana and UCLA, along with a home matchup against Maryland, before the regular-season finale in Pasadena.
In Other News...
UCLA Freshman Just Changed The Way Fans Will View This Team
UCLAs rout of North Florida was the kind of game that can reset the conversation around a roster in a hurry. The Bruins won 114-63, and freshman Nikola Kusturica was at the center of it, putting together a polished, all-around performance that went well beyond scoring. He finished with 29 points and added work on the glass, in the passing lanes and around the rim, the sort of contribution that makes a young player look far more settled than a typical first-year piece.
For UCLA, the bigger takeaway was how complete the team looked on both ends while Kusturica kept piling up production with efficiency. The Bruins were sharp offensively, disruptive defensively and in control for long stretches, and the freshmans emergence gave the blowout a different feel than a standard nonconference win. If this is a sign of how quickly he can impact games, opponents may have to start viewing UCLA a little differently. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Road Win Sparked A Big Debate Bruins Fans Know Well
UCLAs 34-20 win at Minnesota had the kind of explosive moments that can change the tone of a season, and Aiden Mizell was right in the middle of it. The wide receiver turned just two catches into a huge night, while Ty Dieffenbach kept the Bruins moving through the air and Wayne Knight added balance on the ground with 109 rushing yards and a touchdown.
The result also fed into a familiar Bruins conversation about what this offense can be when the big plays show up. Dieffenbachs line was productive, but not spotless, and the kind of efficiency debate that follows a road win like this is exactly the sort of thing UCLA fans know well. Scooter Jacksons interception and steady work on defense helped make the margin hold, but the bigger question is how often the Bruins can keep pairing chunk plays with enough consistency to make them sustainable. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Stayed Unbeaten But One Offensive Question Just Got Bigger
UCLA kept rolling on the road with a 34-20 win at Minnesota, pushing its record to 9-0 and keeping the Bruins unbeaten deep into the season. The victory had plenty of familiar ingredients for this team, from Scooter Jacksons crucial interception to a productive showing from Wayne Knight, but it also featured a much-needed spark in the passing game as Dieffenbach worked through an uneven start and still finished with more than 300 passing yards.
Aiden Mizell was the biggest difference-maker in the receiving game, turning the matchup into a track meet with two long touchdowns that gave UCLA a cushion it never fully surrendered. For a Bruins offense that has been searching for a more consistent downfield threat, the performance raised a bigger question than the final score answered, especially with the stakes only getting higher as the unbeaten run continues. [Read more 🡒]