USC WR Kyle Ford, who spent last season at UCLA, brings unique perspective to rivalry game
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The usual rivalry week platitudes were present ahead of the 94th game between Southern California and UCLA on Saturday night.
“There’s going to be a lot of emotion playing, and guys are going to be fired up, because there’s nothing like playing against your friends or people you know,” said Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster, who went 1-3 as a running back in 1998-2001.
And then there was Trojans wide receiver Kyle Ford, who has a perspective on the battle for the Victory Bell unlike anyone else.
“I don’t think this week ever gets too normal, especially the last three,” said Ford, who played his first three seasons at USC, transferred across town to UCLA in 2023 but returned to the Trojans for one more year.
That path meant Ford was victorious as the visitor in each of the past two installments of the series. The electrifying 48-45 triumph at the Rose Bowl in 2022, which confirmed quarterback Caleb Williams as the Heisman Trophy favorite before going on to become USC’s eighth award winner, is Ford’s favorite.
“I tell everyone, that’s, like, one of the most fun games I’ve ever played in,” Ford said. “Not just because I had a touchdown or anything, it was just competitive, it was fun. It was back and forth. Like, so many memories within the game that I could always tell people.
“Being a kid from Southern California, just wanting to contribute into those games is what you dream of, and I feel like that was one of the games where I finally got my opportunity to do it.”
Ford has ties to many pieces of the local football scene. A native of Corona, California, he split his high school career between two Orange County powers in Servite and Orange Lutheran.
His first two seasons at USC (5-5, 3-5 Big Ten) were limited because of knee injuries before Ford became a steady role player in 2021-22. He had 20 receptions for 365 yards in Williams’ transcendent 2022 season, including three grabs for 73 yards and a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter against the Bruins.
Seeking more playing time as a fourth-year senior, a jump to UCLA (4-6, 3-5) seemed to make sense. But it just didn’t work out, something Ford realized during last season’s 38-20 win by the Bruins at the Coliseum.
Ford couldn’t enjoy the moment “because I was more frustrated with my own team more than USC at that time,” he said. “That’s why I’ve said this game has been on my mind longer than anything.”
Despite again putting up modest numbers in his return to USC, making 17 receptions for 217 yards and two touchdowns, Ford has been a valuable mentor to the young group of receivers. He is happy with that role, especially if it leads to a win this week.
“I mean, regardless of any personal things I feel, that doesn’t really matter because I would never put myself in front of the team,” Ford said. “Like, I’m just going to do everything, and hopefully everything that I have in my mind helps the team in a positive way.”
Ford might not be the only person on the USC sideline wrestling with mixed emotions this week. Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, safety Kamari Ramsey and cornerback John Humphrey were all part of UCLA’s defense that sent Williams out with a loss in his last college start and home appearance.
Lynn and Ramsey both described the crosstown showdown as just another game.
That is certainly not the case for Ford.
“It’s something that, you know, when you transfer and you leave, it’s something that you dream about and you sleep about and you think about,” Ford said. “And now it’s here. So just trying to keep all my emotions just tucked away until that clock starts rolling.”
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By DAN GREENSPAN
Associated Press
