‘Brothers’ will be on opposite sidelines

USC tailback Stafon Johnson expects to see a familiar face today if he bursts through the line and into UCLA’s secondary at the Rose Bowl:

Bruins safety Rahim Moore.

“He’s my god-brother,” Johnson said.

Johnson, a junior, and Moore, a freshman, grew up together and played at Dorsey High.

Today’s game will mark the first time they will play on opposing teams, Johnson said.

Johnson has rushed for 595 yards and scored eight touchdowns in a team-high 107 carries.

Moore has three interceptions and is fifth on the Bruins with 52 tackles.

“It’s going to be like a backyard brotherly rumble, but for the most part it’s going to be fun,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he encouraged Moore to look at USC when he was being recruited from Dorsey but let him make his own decision.

“He thought he could play right away there, and as it turns out he was right,” Johnson said.

Senior swing

Before their senior year, they lost the head coach who recruited them and most of the coaching staff. And now, with one game to play, they have a 4-7 record and already know they won’t be playing in a bowl game.

So it has gone for UCLA’s 19 seniors, who today have one last shot at glory if, as 33-point underdogs, they can upset USC.

“I had my ups and downs,” defensive tackle Brigham Harwell said.

Of his years, wide receiver Marcus Everett said: “They’ve been up and down.”

Said running back Kahlil Bell: “Rarely in life do things ever work out the way you want them to.”

Despite their resigned comments, Harwell, Everett and Bell said they were proud to have helped lay the groundwork for what they hope will be the resurrection of UCLA’s football program.

“If I could do it all over again, I think I would,” Everett said. “This is the best place in the world.”

Said first-year Coach Rick Neuheisel: “I’m going to always have a very special, fond spot for them in my heart. It would’ve been easy to say, ‘We don’t have to listen to you. We only have one more year.’ They did anything but that.”

Right for Price

A limousine ride awaited him, but he didn’t take it. He attended the USC-Nebraska game as the Trojans’ guest but didn’t want to play for them.

Brian Price wanted to be a Bruin.

“I already knew what I was in store for signing up,” said Price, UCLA’s stalwart sophomore defensive tackle. “Nobody likes to lose, but I’m willing to help get this program back to the top.”

The Bruins are 10-14 since his arrival, but Price has a team-leading 13 tackles for losses this year. He’s also second on the team with 4.5 sacks.

The former Crenshaw High star said he enjoyed the recruiting experience, including USC’s courtship after he committed to UCLA in 2006.

Waiting game

USC offensive lineman Jeff Byers said he received approval from the Pacific 10 Conference regarding his appeal for a sixth season of eligibility but was awaiting a ruling from the NCAA.

“I hope to hear next week,” said Byers, who is in the second year of a graduate program in business.

Byers sat out nearly all of the 2005 and 2006 seasons because of injuries. He might opt to prepare for the NFL draft regardless of whether he is granted the extra year.

For the record

UCLA wide receiver Terrence Austin needs 60 yards to establish a school single-season record for all-purpose yards. Maurice Drew set the record with 1,863 yards in 2005.

Austin, a junior, has accounted for 1,803 yards, including 1,066 on kickoff returns. He also leads the Bruins with 49 receptions for 427 yards.

“It’s in the back of my mind,” Austin said. “Hopefully I can get it, but I’d rather win the game than break the record.”

Odds and ends

USC defensive end Malik Jackson is suspended for the first half because he was ejected near the conclusion of the Notre Dame game for fighting. . . . About 500 tickets for today’s game are still available and can be purchased at Gates A and B and the North Gate, a UCLA athletic department official said.

Box offices open at 10:30 a.m.

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gary.klein@latimes.com

mark.medina@latimes.com