USC, UCLA Crosstown Rivalry Heating Up on the Recruiting Trail

The USC versus UCLA crosstown rivalry has carried very little weight or interest outside of Southern California in recent memory.

However, that could quickly change with major changes and recruiting success at both programs.

New Era of USC Football

USC Trojans Recruiting Class UCLA Bruins Crosstown Rivalry JuJu Johnson Danny Lang Mater Dei Spring Practice Bob Chesney — Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The vibe around the Trojans changed dramatically from the moment general manager Chad Bowden arrived in January 2025. But it wasn’t just Bowden, USC assembled an elite personnel department that could compete with anyone in the country.

Southern Cal hired assistant inside receivers/tight ends coach Chad Savage and cornerbacks Trovon Reed and moved Zach Hanson from tight ends to offensive line coach at the same time. Three major moves that have made a tremendous impact on recruiting and player development.

The Trojans finished 9-3 last season and landed the No. 1 recruiting class according to every outlet, becoming the first non-SEC school in nearly two decades to finish with the top-ranked spot. They are also set to return the most returning starters from last season with 15, which includes redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava. In the transfer portal, they landed players that have proven Power Four production such as receiver Terrell Anderson, cornerback Jontez Williams and defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren.

USC continued to upgrade its coaching staff this offseason with the hiring of defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, a former longtime head coach at TCU and 2026 College Football Hall of Fame electee. He brings new safeties coach Paul Gonzales and nickels coach Sam Carter. And longtime college football assistant Mike Ekeler was hired to be linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.

Recruiting elite talent is one thing, developing players into high quality players and top NFL draft picks is another thing. The moves Southern Cal has made to its recruiting and coaching staff over the last year and a half has been made to get better results in the latter.

USC is hot on the trail again in the 2027 cycle, owning the No. 3 class according to 247Sports, heading into official visit season. In each of the last two classes the Trojans have established themselves as the preeminent recruiting force in Southern California and made a big splash with blue-chip out-of-state prospects.

They will open their highly anticipated state-of-the-art Bloom Football Performance Center this summer.

It’s year five of the Lincoln Riley era and the pressure has been mounting. It’s undoubtedly the most talented roster he’s had since arriving in 2022 and his strongest coaching staff.

Bob Chesney Changes the Culture in Westwood

Former Bruins coach Chip Kelly left UCLA in February 2024 to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, and the Bruins hired running backs coach DeShaun Foster, who was a disaster from his press conference at Big Ten Media Days that summer until he was fired three games into the 2025 season.

Attendance at the Rose Bowl continued to be in the tank, and UCLA was trending in the wrong direction, finishing 3-9 and faced a pivotal point this offseason. They needed a coach to change the temperature of the program and build a culture. So, they hired James Madison’s Bob Chesney, who guided the Dukes to a 12-win season and a berth in the College Football Playoff in 2025. Chesney has brought several of his assistant coaches and players out west.

In his first offseason, Chesney has gone on a heater in recruiting. Since April 30, the Bruins have landed four blue-chip recruits in four-star cornerback JuJu Johnson, four-star defensive lineman George Toia, four-star interior offensive lineman Jackson Roper and four-star cornerback Jerry Outhouse Jr., who flipped his commitment from Georgia.

In April, local four-star safety Khalil Terry flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to UCLA and four-star safety Pole Moala, who reclassified from the 2028 to the 2027 class, also committed to the Bruins. For the first time in a long time, a number of local recruits are deciding to stay home. \

Cal has also contributed to that sentiment. Schools can longer come into California and take top prospects with almost no resistance.

After finishing with the No. 59 class in the 2026 cycle, the Bruins own the No. 4 class, the second highest in the Big Ten in the 2027 cycle. Their previous highest recruiting ranking this decade was No. 25 in 2021. Recruiting has changed substantially overnight in Westwood, and they haven't even played a game under this new regime.

Chesney has worked from the ground up to get to where he is today. The 48-year-old coach has won everywhere he’s been, starting with Division III Salve Regina to Division II Assumption, to FCS Holy Cross and most recently with James Madison.

Crosstown Rivalry

USC and UCLA will square off on Nov. 28 at the Rose Bowl for the 96th time to close out the regular season. Riley is 3-1 in his four meetings as the head coach of the Trojans.

There’s already a building intrigue for the matchup because of the recruiting success between the two schools. The crosstown rivals have not faced each other as ranked teams since 2014. Could that change this fall?

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