Trojan Seniors Left With Empty Feeling About Rivalry

Eighteen, seventeen, sixteen. . . . the Coliseum clock was ticking down, and USC cornerback Brian Kelly felt helpless.

His head was down, his frustration level up. UCLA quarterback Cade McNown took the final snap and put his knee to the turf, finishing off a 31-24 Bruin victory Saturday afternoon, the seventh in a row in the series.

Four years ago, Kelly came to USC as a prep All-American from Aurora, Colo. Little did he imagine that he would leave four years later with an 0-4 record against UCLA.

“It’s a little frustrating because they came out and talked so much during the week and won,” he said. “That’s like getting stabbed twice.”

Twelve USC seniors left the field having never beaten UCLA. They had come to USC envisioning playing for national championships, going to the Rose Bowl and certainly winning over the Bruins.

The continued failure against UCLA was not easy to explain or accept by USC’s seniors.

“This was my last chance against these guys,” center Jonathan Himebauch said. “It hurts. I don’t know how to deal with it.”

“We just haven’t won [against UCLA] since I’ve been here. It [stinks],” running back LaVale Woods said.

Defensive linemen George Perry and Cedric Jefferson walked off the field with their arms around each other. Each tried to console the other. Each tried to remain a friend at a difficult moment.

“It’s tough,” Jefferson said while wiping away a tear with a towel as he sat in front of his locker stall. “I have never felt this sad about anything, really. It’s hard to swallow.”

Said Perry: “We really prepared hard. We played together. No matter how bad we lose, we stay together. When me and Cedric walked off, he almost got into a fight. I felt coming in together [four years ago], we should walk off together.”

The seniors so desperately wanted to end their losing streak against UCLA, as they did in winning for the first time since 1981 at Notre Dame earlier this season.

But UCLA’s success in the 1990s has left the Trojans wondering what could have been.

“It’s not like the four years we’ve played them they’ve been better than us,” Jefferson said. “They said they were better than us this year. I don’t think that.”

Said Kelly: “When you come out and play that hard against this team and try to give it your all and don’t come out on top, it’s frustrating.”

There were moments USC players finally thought luck was on their side.

There was the 80-yard touchdown pass play from quarterback John Fox to receiver R. Jay Soward on the Trojans’ first offensive play. There was Chad Morton’s 49-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter that put USC on top, 21-14. There was the recovered on-side kick with 2:05 left that gave hope for a miracle Trojan comeback.

In the end, though, the Trojans had to accept another bitter defeat to their L.A. rivals.

“It hurts walking out of here saying I haven’t beaten them,” offensive guard Chris Brymer said. “They played hard, man. I give it to them.”

Perry looked across to Jefferson. Perry came to USC from San Bernardino and Jefferson from Fort Worth. Jefferson had six tackles Saturday, Perry three. They did their best over the past four years.

“I’m going to be there for him as he has been for me,” Perry said. “That’s what’s important to me, regardless of the loss. He’s my friend. We want to go out with class.”