April 25, 2011

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With USC's victories over UCLA in men's tennis and men's volleyball last weekend, the Trojans have scored enough points to clinch the 2010-11 version of the Crosstown Gauntlet.

It's an unprecedented fourth consecutive win for USC in the head-to-head all-sports competition with crosstown rival UCLA.

USC now has 62.5 points in the year-long competition to UCLA's 27.5, with only the outcome of 5 events this weekend (women's water polo, men's golf, women's rowing and men's and women's track) remaining in the point total.

There is the possibility that some already-awarded USC points could be won back by the Bruins in potential NCAA post-season meetings. But there is no scenario where UCLA can score enough points to prevent the Gauntlet Trophy from remaining on display in USC's Heritage Hall for a fourth straight year. At worst, USC would fall into a 55-55 tie in the final scoring, but the Trojans clearly own the first tiebreaker: head-to-head regular season wins. USC has won 17 of 25 regular season meetings over the Bruins, with only 3 such meetings remaining.

Before USC's current 4-year run, the winner of the Crosstown Gauntlet Trophy had alternated every year. After USC captured the inaugural trophy in 2001-02, UCLA won it in 2002-03, USC recaptured it in 2003-04, UCLA won it back in 2004-05, USC claimed it in 2005-06 and then UCLA won it in 2006-07.

Points are awarded to the winner of each Trojan-Bruin contest throughout the year and the Gauntlet Trophy is presented to the school with the most points at year's end. A minimum of 57.5 points is required to win the trophy outright.