Some summer sizzle for USC-UCLA football rivalry

Rick Neuheisel skipped to the dais for his first Pac-10 media day on Thursday like a blond surfer who just caught a fresh wave.

Two words later -- two words! -- he was buffeted by a swell that has seemingly tossed him around forever.

"Rick, USC has built its defense around . . ."

Neuheisel interrupted with a complaining cry.

"First question, USC!" he shouted.

But he was still beaming.

The mention of the Trojans wasn't the end of his fun, it was only the beginning.

"You have to embrace it," he said. "They're that elephant in the living room. . . . You can't be a football coach at UCLA and not find ways to be successful against USC."

And yes, he said, he will find a way.

"The good news is that when we catch them -- I say when we catch them -- we're going to not only have caught the leader of the Pac, but be among the programs that challenge for the big prize," he said.

About 30 minutes later, the Trojans' Pete Carroll took the same dais, wearing the same smile.

He was talking about his involvement in an Aug. 2 Live Peace walk, inviting the presidential candidates to join him, when I couldn't resist.

"Are you going to invite Neuheisel and Chow as well?" I asked.

"I'm sure they're going to be busy," he said.

When the laughter died, he quickly explained that, of course, everyone was invited.

But the shiny, new-car feel to this rivalry needs no clarification.

College football around here hasn't felt this much preseason sizzle in years. College football around here has become bigger than one team, bigger than one coach, as big as it's been since before Toledo was holy.

It's become pressure squared, drama doubled, a story of two teams fighting different fights but, for the first time in a long time, staring mostly at each other.

USC will battle for a national championship, UCLA will struggle just to make a footprint, but the programs are now connected by three of the most visible coaches in the game, producing a season-long subplot pitting Carroll against Neuheisel and his offensive coordinator Norm Chow.

They will watch each other. They will be asked about each other. They will laugh at each other, tweak each other, nudge each other.