2024 has certainly not been the most fun year for USC football fans. The Trojans currently sit at 6-5 and have been completely out of the College Football Playoff race for over a month. With all five losses coming by seven points or fewer, it has certainly been a season full of frustration.
However, there is still one thing that USC fans can be thankful for in 2024.
When the Trojans defeated crosstown foe UCLA at the Rose Bowl this past Saturday night, it accomplished two things. Number one, it clinched bowl eligibility for USC. Number two, and perhaps just as importantly, it ensured that UCLA will NOT be going to a bowl game this winter.
Obviously, going to the Sun Bowl or Las Vegas Bowl is not the conclusion to the season that USC fans were hoping for. However, getting to play one additional game—and the extra practices that come along with it—will be an invaluable experience for the program’s younger players.
Perhaps just even sweeter for USC fans, however, Saturday’s victory handed UCLA their seventh loss of the season, ensuring that the Bruins will not be playing football in December.
There is something spitefully sweet about knowing that you were the very reason that someone you hate did not get what they want. While it is not like UCLA had any shot to go to the playoff, USC fans can hold their heads high knowing that the Trojans are the reason the Bruins’ season will conclude after this week.
To quote Kevin Malone from The Office, “It’s just nice to win one.” In a season as frustrating as 2024, USC fans should be thankful for every victory, even one as minor as this.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: One thing USC football fans can be thankful for in 2024
