Rivalry leaderboard

California-USC Greatest Games

The series' top 25 meetings, ranked without team allegiance by game-time AP strength, final-score closeness, and overtime.

Games: 25
Top score: 73/100
Overtime: 1

Series context

Completed meetings: 108
Series record: California 31-72-5 USC
Tracked years: 1912-2023
Trophy: No named trophy

Series ranking

The rivalry's top 25 games

25 of these games include at least one AP-ranked team at kickoff. Open a supported game for its box score and statistics.

2004Week 7
California at USC
California 17, USC 23
Winner: USC
No. 7 California vs. No. 1 USC · 6-point margin
Ranking 44/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15
73
Game score
1951Week 6
USC at California
USC 21, California 14
Winner: USC
No. 7 USC vs. No. 9 California · 7-point margin
Ranking 36/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15
64
Game score
2003Week 61OT
USC at California
USC 31, California 34
Winner: California
No. 3 USC vs. Unranked California · 3-point margin
Ranking 23/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 9/15
64
Game score
1968Week 9
California at USC
California 17, USC 35
Winner: USC
No. 11 California vs. No. 1 USC · 18-point margin
Ranking 40/50 · Closeness 17/35 · Overtime 0/15
57
Game score
1943Week 4
USC at California
USC 7, California 0
Winner: USC
No. 5 USC vs. No. 20 California · 7-point margin
Ranking 27/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15
55
Game score
1974Week 9
USC at California
USC 15, California 15
Result: Tie
No. 6 USC vs. Unranked California · 0-point margin
Ranking 20/50 · Closeness 35/35 · Overtime 0/15
55
Game score
1944Week 7
USC at California
USC 6, California 6
Result: Tie
No. 8 USC vs. Unranked California · 0-point margin
Ranking 18/50 · Closeness 35/35 · Overtime 0/15
53
Game score
2006Week 12
California at USC
California 9, USC 23
Winner: USC
No. 17 California vs. No. 4 USC · 14-point margin
Ranking 31/50 · Closeness 21/35 · Overtime 0/15
52
Game score
1949Week 6
USC at California
USC 10, California 16
Winner: California
Unranked USC vs. No. 4 California · 6-point margin
Ranking 22/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15
51
Game score
1977Week 9
USC at California
USC 14, California 17
Winner: California
No. 16 USC vs. No. 17 California · 3-point margin
Ranking 19/50 · Closeness 32/35 · Overtime 0/15
51
Game score
1950Week 5
California at USC
California 13, USC 7
Winner: California
No. 5 California vs. Unranked USC · 6-point margin
Ranking 21/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15
50
Game score
1948Week 8
California at USC
California 13, USC 7
Winner: California
No. 5 California vs. Unranked USC · 6-point margin
Ranking 21/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15
50
Game score
1969Week 8
USC at California
USC 14, California 9
Winner: USC
No. 6 USC vs. Unranked California · 5-point margin
Ranking 20/50 · Closeness 30/35 · Overtime 0/15
50
Game score
1947Week 7
USC at California
USC 39, California 14
Winner: USC
No. 4 USC vs. No. 9 California · 25-point margin
Ranking 39/50 · Closeness 10/35 · Overtime 0/15
49
Game score
1979Week 9
USC at California
USC 24, California 14
Winner: USC
No. 3 USC vs. Unranked California · 10-point margin
Ranking 23/50 · Closeness 25/35 · Overtime 0/15
48
Game score
1959Week 8
USC at California
USC 14, California 7
Winner: USC
No. 6 USC vs. Unranked California · 7-point margin
Ranking 20/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15
48
Game score
2017Week 4
USC at California
USC 30, California 20
Winner: USC
No. 5 USC vs. Unranked California · 10-point margin
Ranking 21/50 · Closeness 25/35 · Overtime 0/15
46
Game score
1995Week 7
USC at California
USC 26, California 16
Winner: USC
No. 5 USC vs. Unranked California · 10-point margin
Ranking 21/50 · Closeness 25/35 · Overtime 0/15
46
Game score
2022Week 10
California at USC
California 35, USC 41
Winner: USC
Unranked California vs. No. 9 USC · 6-point margin
Ranking 17/50 · Closeness 29/35 · Overtime 0/15
46
Game score
2008Week 11
California at USC
California 3, USC 17
Winner: USC
No. 21 California vs. No. 7 USC · 14-point margin
Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 21/35 · Overtime 0/15
45
Game score
1937Week 6
USC at California
USC 6, California 20
Winner: California
Unranked USC vs. No. 2 California · 14-point margin
Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 21/35 · Overtime 0/15
45
Game score
1952Week 7
California at USC
California 0, USC 10
Winner: USC
Unranked California vs. No. 6 USC · 10-point margin
Ranking 20/50 · Closeness 25/35 · Overtime 0/15
45
Game score
2007Week 11
USC at California
USC 24, California 17
Winner: USC
No. 12 USC vs. No. 24 California · 7-point margin
Ranking 16/50 · Closeness 28/35 · Overtime 0/15
44
Game score
1976Week 9
California at USC
California 6, USC 20
Winner: USC
Unranked California vs. No. 4 USC · 14-point margin
Ranking 22/50 · Closeness 21/35 · Overtime 0/15
43
Game score
1975Week 9
USC at California
USC 14, California 28
Winner: California
No. 4 USC vs. Unranked California · 14-point margin
Ranking 22/50 · Closeness 21/35 · Overtime 0/15
43
Game score

Methodology

How each game earns up to 100 points

AP ranking, 50 points: each team earns 26 minus its game-time AP rank. Unranked teams receive zero.

Closeness, 35 points: the final margin is subtracted from 35, with margins of 35 or more receiving zero.

Overtime, 15 points: overtime starts at nine points and rises by two per additional period, capped at 15.

Regular-season rankings use the AP Top 25 recorded for the game's week. Postseason meetings use the final regular-season AP poll before bowl and playoff results. Games before 2005 remain in the ranking but do not link to unsupported box-score pages. Videos are matched by canonical game ID or by a rematch-safe season matchup.