USC 50, UCLA 0

Oh how sweet it is. The USC Trojans put a major whomping on the UCLA Bruins last night in the biggest football game of the year. If this year's regular season crosstown Los Angeles rivalry proved anything, it was that USC is the real deal, and UCLA is not.

USC demolished UCLA 50-0, the Trojans' fifth straight win, and the largest margin of victory in the series since 1930. That's 81 years ago.

The USC offense rushed for 149 yards (15 more than UCLA) and passed for 424 yards (164 more than UCLA). Running back Curtis McNeal ripped off a 73-yard scamper to score USC's second TD, which followed the Trojans' opening drive that ended with USC scoring the game's first TD in only four plays.

Sophomore Robert Woods caught 12 passes for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns (just another of his stellar performances), and freshman Marqise Lee caught 13 for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns (just another of HIS stellar performances).

Which brings us to junior quarterback Matt Barkley, whose numbers certainly boosted his chances to be invited to the Dec. 10 Heisman Trophy presentation ceremonies in New York. Barkley tossed six touchdown passes against a feeble UCLA secondary, tieing his school record. He's completed 39 touchdown passes this season, a Pac-12 Conference single-season record.

Barkley's statistics in the game: He completed 35 of 42 passes (a school record) for 423 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. His last completion of the game was to his cousin, Robbie Boyer, a walk-on catching his first pass of the year. How sweet was that? The USC sideline erupted in cheers of delight!

UCLA came close to scoring at least three times, but was denied by the Trojans' magnificent defense.

And so a demoralized UCLA will go to the Pac-12 championship game on Friday night against the Oregon Ducks, north division champs. USC can't represent the south, although the Trojans had the best record (7-2 in the conference), because of the NCAA "no-bowl for three years" sanctions.

Last night's game was our final game of the season, and we Trojan fans are happy with the results. The most important game to win is the UCLA game. As long as we beat Notre Dame and UCLA, we can consider it a good season.

Matt Barkley came off the field to a thunderous ovation, and the overwhelmingly loud chant of "One more year!" ... the fans hoping he chooses to finish his senior year at USC and take the school forth in its quest for a national championship. Because ... it's likely he may leave for the NFL.

Wouldn't UCLA hate it if he stayed? You betcha!

Fight on!