page_title: 2007 UCLA Bruins football team
section_title: USC
hierarchical_section_title: 2007 UCLA Bruins football team / Game summaries / USC
caption_attribution_description: English: Fred Davis (#83, about to step into the end-zone) scores the final touchdown of the 2007 UCLA-USC rivalry game. The UCLA Bruins visit the USC Trojans at the L.A. Coliseum; USC would win, 24-7.
context_page_description: The 2007 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and were coached by Karl Dorrell for the regular season. It was Dorrell's fifth, and final season as the UCLA head coach. UCLA's season was marked by numerous injuries, particularly at quarterback. Original starting quarterback Ben Olson injured his knee early in the season and missed over four games. Backup quarterback Patrick Cowan also suffered a knee injury but returned for two more games before suffering a collapsed lung against Arizona. Coach Karl Dorrell was fired following the loss in the 77th UCLA–USC rivalry football game, the final regular season game for the Bruins. Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker became the interim coach for the 2007 Las Vegas Bowl, in which the Bruins lost to BYU, 17–16. The Bruins finished 6–7 overall, 5–4 in the Pacific-10 Conference, where they were tied for fourth place.
context_section_description: The USC Trojans beat the Bruins, avenging last year's game where the Bruins upset the Trojans, knocking USC out of the BCS Championship Game.  USC was in control of the entire game in this year's contest.  UCLA's only score of the day came in the final seconds of the first half, when WR Dominique Johnson made an incredible one-handed leaping grab of a fade pass from Pat Cowan.
  The rest of the day, UCLA's offense could do nothing against the Trojan defense.  UCLA's defense played respectably, but turnovers and the anemic offense doomed the Bruins' chances.
  The Bruins ended the regular season at the Los Angeles Coliseum against the USC Trojans, who were led by head coach Pete Carroll, in the 77th edition of their annual crosstown rivalry game for possession of the Victory Bell.  In the 2006 season, the Bruins' 13–9 upset of the then-No. 2 Trojans in the final week of the regular season ended the Trojans' hopes for reaching the National Championship game.  With both teams ranked going into the season (USC first, UCLA 14th in the AP Poll), there was buzz in Los Angeles that both teams might reach their December 1 game undefeated.  UCLA made it as high as 11th in both polls before suffering a 44–6 upset loss at unranked Utah in week 3 that knocked them out of the top 25.  It was the 36th time that a Rose Bowl berth was on the line in the game: A USC victory would guarantee them at least a share of the Pac-10 Conference title and a berth in the 2008 Rose Bowl Game; UCLA, despite entering the game 6–5 (5–3 in the Pac-10), also entered the game with a chance at the Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl berth if they could defeat the Trojans and Arizona could beat Arizona State in a game later in the day.
  During the 2006 contest, UCLA Defensive Coordinator DeWayne Walker had the Bruins apply aggressive pressure to John David Booty, limiting the quarterback's ability to drive the passing game while holding the Trojans to 55 yards rushing and an average of only 1.9 yards per carry.  USC entered the 2007 game averaging 186.6 yards rushing and 4.8 yards per carry, significantly higher than the 128 yards rushing per game in 2006.  
  In the week leading up to the game, a dispute between USC and the Coliseum Commission, the public managers of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, went public. USC threatened to move to the Rose Bowl (home of the UCLA Bruins since 1982) if an agreement could not be reached.  USC entered the game as a 20-point favorite.
  The Trojans defense dominated the Bruins in a 24–7 victory before a sold-out Coliseum crowd.  The Trojans held the Bruins to a season-low 168 yards, sacking quarterback Patrick Cowan four times for 31 yards in losses and held the Bruins to 12 net rushing yards. USC forced four turnovers, recovering three UCLA fumbles and intercepting a pass.  The Bruins did not convert any of its 11 third down situations.  The Bruins sole score came in a drive in the closing minutes of the first half.  USC gained 231 rushing yards and 437 overall.  On the ground, running back Joe McKnight rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown, Stafon Johnson ran for 73 yards and senior Chauncey Washington gained 66 yards and scored a touchdown.  Booty completed 21 of 36 passes for 206 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
  The victory assured USC a share of the Pac-10 title.  Although Arizona State would defeat Arizona later in the night to become co-champions, the Trojans clinched a berth in the Rose Bowl by virtue of their victory over the Sun Devils the previous week.  USC extended its streak of Pac-10 titles to six in a row, having already broken the record the previous season with five.  Dorrell was fired by UCLA the following Monday by UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero.  USC's victory, coupled with another week of upsets, led the Trojans to rise to No. 6 in the AP Poll, No. 6 in the Coaches Poll, and No. 7 in the BCS standings.
caption: USC player Fred Davis (#83) takes a pass into the end zone.
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