‘Tis the season for college rivalry as UCLA and USC’s football teams prepare to face off against each other on Saturday.
The decades-long rivalry includes a longtime tradition of students protecting their respective school’s statue from their competitors. Around the clock, UCLA students are keeping guard of the iconic Bruin statue while USC students are shielding Tommy Trojan from pranksters.
Tommy Trojan was not only protected by students, but the USC statue was also covered in foil and plastic film, while the Bruin was looked after by UCLA students and covered by a large container.
“Vandalizing him, they’ve thrown eggs, they’ve dumped paint, they’ve done all sorts of things and so we just guard him for 24/7 for about a full week,” USC student Calder Swiderski said of his school’s statue.
The universities are scheduled to play against one another at 4:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.