USC-UCLA rivalry intensifies

Let's be clear ... the USC-UCLA rivalry is back.

At least the contempt for one another is back. In case you missed it (and most of you probably did), USC coach Pete Carroll dialed up a long play-action pass play with less than a minute to play and a 14-point lead. Of course, Matt Barkley threw a perfect pass to Damian Williams for a 48-yard TD.

Today, most of the columnists and other pundits are telling you what a jerk Carroll is and how this broke some sort of etiquette or unwritten rule. I'm here to tell you they are wrong.

Carroll was prepared to let the game end when he had his offense take a knee. But UCLA's Rick Neuheisel called a timeout. So Carroll just responded and made a statement with the TD call. What happened next wasn't pretty, but it's what makes college football rivalries special.

The Trojans were celebrating and jumping around on their sideline. OK, maybe they were taunting the Bruins a bit. Of course UCLA's players were pissed and started to cross the field. No punches were thrown, but the players exchanged some pleasantries.

This game wasn't pretty. UCLA actually slowed the Trojans and were in this game, but the Bruins couldn't overcome self-inflicted mistakes. So the Bruins may not be too far from closing the gap with USC.

Now USC-UCLA is a must-see game again next year instead of being relegated to FOX Sports with a 10 p.m. (EST) kickoff. That's right, the rivalry is back.