USC football to open 2020 season against UCLA, per report

USC football’s 2020 campaign will begin with the annual rivalry game against UCLA, according to a report.

Details about the upcoming Pac-12 schedule release are beginning to leak including big news about USC football’s season opener.

The Trojans will begin the season on Sept. 26 against UCLA, according to Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports.

This will be the first time since 1946, when Jeff Cravath’s squad bested the Bruins 13-6, the two rivals will play on the first weekend of the season.

USC football and UCLA will kick off an unusual season in 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced the Pac-12 and conferences around the country to adjust their 2020 schedules.

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Originally it was reported that the season would begin on Sept. 19 but the latest reports suggest a start date a week later. That’s in line with the SEC’s recent announcement of a Sept. 26 start date.

The Trojans are hoping to take advantage of the strange times by making a push for the Pac-12 title. Though they reportedly picked up Washington State as part of the conference’s 10-game schedule plan, their road to the title game has become less difficult with the cancelation of the out of conference games and expectations of limited capacity crowds this season.

UCLA will take on a tougher test adding Washington to their slate.

The Bruins are in entering a make-or-break year with Chip Kelly at the helm. After going 4-8 in 2019—a marginal improvement on a 3-9 record in 2018—patience is in danger of wearing thin in Westwood.

UCLA is slated to host this year’s matchup, though it’s unclear if the Rose Bowl will be made available for the day.

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USC has had great luck against facing UCLA on opening day.

In 1929, the first meeting between the two, the Trojans decimated the Bruins 76-0. The next year they won 52-0. The 1943 opener had a margin of 20-0 in favor of USC. The series got a bit more competitive in the 1944 contest when UCLA tied the game 13-13 as the clock ran out. In 1945, USC was back on top 13-6.

The Trojans and Bruins haven’t played before November since that last September opener.