USC, UCLA prepare for football showdown

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- USC and UCLA may share a couple of the same letters, but during this time of year, the two LA-based schools mostly share elevated levels of disdain for each other.

For the past century, UCLA and USC have been meeting on the football field, and this year's game is fast approaching. The rivalry is steeped in history, seasoned with spite and seared over open flames.

The game may still be several days away, but both schools are already playing defense. Over in Westwood at the UCLA campus, the school's Bruin is boxed up, surrounded by eight-foot-tall walls to keep it from being vandalized.

USC students are taking a more active approach to guarding Tommy Trojan. They've wrapped the entire statue in duct tape with members of the Trojan Knights club camping out at its base around the clock until game day.

USC is 9-2 this year and ranked 11th in the country. UCLA is muddling through a season full of injuries with a 5-5 record.

Even though the Trojans are enjoying a two-year win streak against UCLA, it's the Bruins who've won three of the last five games in this rivalry.

Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. Saturday. You can watch the game on ABC7.