UCLA gets best of USC for 3rd consecutive time

PASADENA, Calif. — Brett Hundley passed for 326 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another score, leading No. 9 UCLA past No. 19 Southern California 38-20 on Saturday night for the Bruins’ third consecutive victory in the annual crosstown showdown.

Devin Lucien, Thomas Duarte and Eldridge Massington caught touchdown passes as the Bruins (9-2, 6-2 Pac-12) confirmed their Los Angeles supremacy and closed in on the Pac-12 South title with a one-sided romp over their biggest rivals at a festive Rose Bowl.

Paul Perkins rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown for UCLA, which hadn’t won three consecutive over USC since 1998.

After five consecutive victories down the stretch of a slow-starting season, UCLA can advance to the Pac-12 title game with a victory over Stanford on Friday.

Cody Kessler passed for 214 yards for the Trojans (7-4, 6-3), who struggled against UCLA’s inspired defense.

Not much went well for USC in its first rivalry game under new Coach Steve Sarkisian after linebacker Anthony Sarao returned Hundley’s only interception 17 yards for a score on UCLA’s opening drive.

The Bruins scored all of their 38 points in less than 30 minutes, and their defense limited the Trojans’ offense to 200 yards and seven points in the first three quarters.