Junior free safety Rahim Moore reaches out to the crowd.
The final game of the regular season. One city, two schools. And there’s blood in the water too, or at least some of that funny, pink dye.
It must be that time of the year again.
Celebrating the century-old rivalry once again, about 4,500 current and former Bruins gathered in Wilson Plaza on Wednesday night for the annual Beat ‘SC Bonfire and Rally.
Though UCLA’s football season has not met expectations, the rally was less about the season as it was about uniting Bruins past and present.
“The tradition embedded in me makes me want to come back,” said Johana Fiserova, an alumna and last year’s president of Student Alumni Association.
Hosted by SAA, the bonfire and rally were intended to boost school spirit and Bruin pride, said Madeleine Hulstrom, a second-year communication studies student and the marketing director for the Bruin Spirit Committee division of SAA.
The event featured pre-show entertainment by Samahang Modern and NSU Modern dance crews, and by Awaken and Scattertones acapella groups.
Columns of blue and gold lights lit up as the Yukai Daiko drumming group took the stage at the start of the rally.
Last year, the bonfire and rally were held on the Intramural Field, but this year’s event took place in Wilson Plaza.
Hulstrom said the decision to change locations was made to provide a more intimate atmosphere.
New additions to the event this year included the “8-Clap Heard Around the World” video, which contained footage of Bruins doing the 8-clap in locations across the globe.
Ryan Krebs, a third-year political science transfer student, said he was impressed by the spirit students showed.
“I just wanted to get ready for the game,” he said. “I thought it was really great doing the 8-clap.”
UCLA takes on its crosstown rival USC on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl. Neither team is eligible to play in postseason bowl games, and both schools are reeling from back-to-back losses.
“It has not been our best season. It has been difficult and frustrating, and there are a lot of things that we wished we could have changed,” Coach Rick Neuheisel said when the UCLA football team took the stage at the rally.
Neuheisel said he is committed to fixing the problems that have contributed to the team’s losses this season.
UCLA is emotionally invested in this game, said Travis Fuller, a fourth-year English and history student and the rally director for SAA.
“I feel the team that beat Oregon State and Washington State and especially the team that beat Texas can win,” Fuller said.
“I have confidence in my Bruins. If we win this game, the season is salvaged.”