BATTLE FOR L.A. USC, UCLA PUT THEIR GAME FACES ON AS RIVALRY STAKES ARE HIGHEST IN YEARS.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX student Brian Singleton will wade into battle Saturday at the L.A. Coliseum decked in blue and gold face paint and brandishing a pair of homemade bear paws. USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. student Jason Junge will enter the fray dangling a UCLA Bruins The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I-A as part of the Pacific Ten Conference. Athletic alumni Jackie Robinson, Rafer Johnson, Yang Chuan-kwang (C.K. bear mascot swinging from a hangman's noose hangman’s noose characteristic knot for death by hanging. [Pop. Cult.: Misc.] See : Execution . Football fever has hit an all-time high in the greatest crosstown rivalry in college football as the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans prepare to meet for the 75th time Saturday to decide the Championship of Los Angeles. The game is at the Coliseum, USC's home field, with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m. ``I'm excited. Everything's coming together - we're pumped up,'' said Singleton, 21, a UCLA senior and host of Thursday's pep rally, parade and bonfire event at the Westwood campus. ``We're Bruins at heart, down to the core.'' ``UCLA sucks,'' said Junge, 31, of Glendale, a USC graduate and grad student whose wager with a crosstown rival could bring him ultimate shame. ``If they win, I will (have to) wear a UCLA shirt to school for a day - with photos.'' The stakes for both teams are enormous. The University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission - the top-ranked, two-time defending national champion with a 33-game unbeaten streak - will butt heads with No. 11 UCLA, whose Bruins are 9-1 this season. A Trojan victory would clinch a Pac-10 title and propel the team into the Rose Bowl for the national championship game. A Bruins win would end a six-year losing streak to USC and clinch yearlong bragging rights for the school, plus the coveted cov·et v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets v.tr. 1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy. 2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire. Victory Bell in a rivalry going back to 1929 (First game: Trojans 76, Bruins 0). Two powerhouse teams. Two explosive marching bands. Two legacies of L.A. Students intent on blackening black·en v. black·ened, black·en·ing, black·ens v.tr. 1. To make black. 2. To sully or defame: a scandal that blackened the mayor's name. 3. their rivals with tar-pit shame. Through history, the Trojans have won 40 games, the Bruins 27, with seven others ending in ties. And while USC fans drag Joe and Josie bears through the dirt, Bruins boosters stick pins through Trojan voodoo effigies ef·fi·gy n. pl. ef·fi·gies 1. A crude figure or dummy representing a hated person or group. 2. A likeness or image, especially of a person. . ``I'm rah-rah excited,'' said Dominic Riley, 19, a USC student lucky enough to get a ticket for Saturday's game. ``I'm about to get a bear for my bike ... it'll get some wear and tear. ``I hope they feel the pain - and burn - in Westwood.'' At stately USC, a river of cardinal contrasted with the sea of blue at the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. , 16 freeway miles away. Like the Bruins, Trojans fans planned a giant bonfire and pep rally Thursday. And students were already mixing their war paint. ``It's gonna be crazy,'' said USC freshman David Milburn, 19. ``I paint my (chest) for every game - a U with a red heart.'' David Sinatra said he never followed football until he got to USC. Now he studies Daily Trojan football stats as if he were cramming for a midterm. ``I'm excited,'' said Sinatra, 19. ``All my friends are into it. It's pretty much brainwashing brainwashing Systematic effort to destroy an individual's former loyalties and beliefs and to substitute loyalty to a new ideology or power. It has been used by religious cults as well as by radical political groups. .'' At UCLA, students also marshaled their forces. Mavrick Goodrich, who will hit the sidelines Saturday as Joe Bruin, said the entire campus is rallying 'round the best UCLA team in years. ``We're painting bodies, faces, cars - anything,'' said Goodrich, 21, who plans to carry a ``Beat 'SC'' voodoo doll to the game. ``The Coliseum's gonna drip with blue and gold ... we feel victory in the air.'' ``Oh, my God, we're doing good, we're doing awesome this year,'' said Bruin Ragini Sarma, 21, who plans to take off work to watch the game from a seat in the end zone. ``I'll bring my binoculars and watch every single second - I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait.'' Even the bands are looking to blast their rivals. ``Our marching band is going to utterly annihilate an·ni·hi·late v. an·ni·hi·lat·ed, an·ni·hi·lat·ing, an·ni·hi·lates v.tr. 1. a. To destroy completely: The naval force was annihilated during the attack. the Trojan marching band,'' said Bruins trumpeter Bradley Nott, 21, horn in hand. ``They are going to cry when they see us play.'' Even those who didn't get tickets - or who refused to pay scalpers the going rate of $700 to $1,000 for one - have caught football fever. ``It's definitely the buzz of the campus,'' said UCLA grad Mark Deppe, 24, in charge of the bonfire rally, and one of thousands of ticketless fans who will tailgate A conversion layer that lets IDE devices connect to the IEEE 1394 Firewire interface. outside the stadium with portable TV sets. ``Nothing like being there,'' added USC student Tiffany Parker, 20, who will toast the team from a nearby sports bar, hoping to win a $100 bet. ``It's like the biggest game of the year - bigger than Notre Dame.'' Dana Bartholomew, (818) 713-3730 dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 6 photos, box Photo: (1 -- color) DREW OLSON (2 -- color) MATT LEINART (3 -- color) KARL DORRELL (4 -- color) PETE CARROLL (5 -- 6 -- color) no caption (fans) Box: BATTLE FOR L.A. |
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