UCLA officials and police prepare for late game against USC at Rose Bowl

UCLA’s rivalry game against USC will kick off at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the first night game at the Rose Bowl between the teams since 2010.

Police and school officials hope security measures enacted since then make the start time the only similarity between the games.

A melee involving 50 to 75 people that resulted from all-day drinking in the parking area outside the stadium led to two stabbings that left Vimal Patel in intensive care for three days with collapsed lungs. Two police officers trying to break up the scuffle also suffered minor injuries.

The fight started when Patel and his friends were throwing a football that struck a Mercedes-Benz belonging to another group of fans. Anthony Richard Cisneros was eventually sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for stabbing Patel eight times and Joshua Dirling once near his eye.

The fallout resulted in a fan code of conduct featuring a shortened tailgating window commencing six hours before kickoff as well as a ban on drinking games and alcohol consumption outside the stadium after the game has started. That means parking lots will open to fans at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

The same policies were in place the last two times UCLA played USC at the Rose Bowl, but neither of those games started at night; kickoff was at noon in 2012 and at 5 p.m. in 2014. Lt. Art Chute of the Pasadena Police Dept., who oversees security at the Rose Bowl, said the start time isn’t as significant for crowd control purposes as the number of hours people have been drinking before the game.

Chute said the new security measures have significantly reduced issues inside and outside the stadium. Fans who enter the Rose Bowl must adhere to a clear-bag policy and walk through full-body magnetometers that scan for prohibited items such as weapons.

“It doesn’t mean that we don’t anticipate having a few people to deal with,” Chute said, “but it’s definitely made a difference as far as the fan behavior.”

The large crowd that is anticipated will require a coordinated effort among the Pasadena Police Dept.; school police officers from UCLA and USC; the L.A. County’s Sheriff’s Dept.; and private security personnel. Chute said officers will be stationed in every parking lot outside the stadium, patrolling the grounds to hand out fliers that outline procedures and citing wrongdoers.

“The biggest challenge is people arriving too early and wanting to park and they’re not allowed to get into the lots yet,” Chute said, “and then the other challenge would be people coming down that don’t have tickets to go into the game.”

Chute said he encouraged fans to arrive at the Rose Bowl six hours before kickoff, be prepared to wait in line once the stadium gates open at 6 p.m., abide by the clear-bag policy and drink responsibly.

Birthday bash

UCLA Coach Jim Mora turns 55 on Saturday, which means it could be a birthday to remember at an age when most people prefer to forget how old they’re becoming.

“We need to stop talking about that,” Mora said when asked about his birthday plans. “I don’t want to have a birthday. I’m like everyone else my age, I want to quit thinking about it. So no. I would just love to have a great night, that’s all.”

First to 100?

UCLA senior linebacker Jayon Brown leads the team with 97 tackles, putting him within easy reach of triple digits heading into the Bruins’ game against USC. Not that it would hold much significance for someone who would rather celebrate a victory over the Trojans.

“Just a fun stat,” Brown said with a laugh.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch