WATCH: Jake Bobo Talks Arizona Ending, Thoughts on UCLA-USC Game

The transfer wideout had experience with another classic local rivalry while at Duke, but he will get his first taste of the Trojans on Saturday.

UCLA football wide receiver Jake Bobo spoke with reporters following Tuesday morning's practice session at the Wasserman Football Center. Bobo talked about how the UCLA-USC rivalry matches up to Duke-North Carolina, his thoughts on the crosstown rivalry as an out-of-state transfer, what he expects to see out of the Trojans' defense, how much he's looking forward to the sellout crowd at the Rose Bowl and how he is moving on from the end of the Arizona loss.

How does this compare to Duke/Carolina in terms of buzz?

Yeah, it’s definitely comparable. I’ve been Duke-Carolina the last four years. I’m excited to be a part of this one. Obviously heard all the stories, funny they’re both – you win a bell, both rivalries, which is cool, but it’s definitely buzz around it. But it’s definitely cool to be a part of this game, be a part of this rivalry, so I’m excited about it.

Feel different just getting dropped in here vs. growing over years at Duke?

I think it does a little bit, but at the end of the day though, it’s a big game. I don’t think anybody, the fan bases might have something to say about this, but I don’t think anyone on the team really hates anybody on the other team so at the end of the day, it’s just a big game, we need a win right now, they obviously need a win as well so I’m excited. But like I said, the buzz around campus is definitely present, but we’re doing our best to stay focused on X’s and O’s, scheme and game plan, stuff like that.

Haunted by the Arizona last play?

Yeah, it’s going to hurt for a while. Obviously would have loved to have made that play. But yeah, if it touches your hand, you gotta catch it, so gotta come down with that one. Obviously try to turn the page on that, but like you said, that will stick around for a while.

Team's response to the loss?

I think the blessing is that it’s this game that comes after that one. I think we’d probably be talking a little bit more about turning the page and having a hard time turning the page if it wasn’t this game. So looking at it like that as a positive, it’s hard not to get up for this game so even coming off a loss, guys are excited, guys are ready to go, it’s USC-UCLA, so it should be fun.

Watch UCLA-USC growing up at all?

Just growing up, early, Reggie Bush days almost and then Saturdays in November, late November, you have rivalry week and USC-UCLA, so flip the channel over there for a couple minutes. But I haven’t, like you said, been really grown in this rivalry, I haven’t been present for a while. So it’ll be fun to watch.

USC's defense?

They’re good. They’re fast, fly around, good front, so we’re going to have to handle that, but in terms of schematically, we’re going to do what we always try to do, which means we’re going to try to run the ball, establish the run and everything kind of comes off of that so we’re excited about that.

Is it Movember right now or what?

A little bit of Movember right here. I gotta cut this, my mom is upset about it.

Your mom bring it up when you talk?

Oh my gosh, ‘When are you going to cut your hair? Shave your face!’

Transfers diminish bitterness in rivalries?

Um, you know, I don’t think so. I think – I have a general disdain for SC just for being here for a couple months, just because that’s what you’re supposed to do you know. But I don’t know if that necessarily plays a role in it. Going back to Duke-Carolina, there were guys who played with each other in high school or played against each other in high school on either team so there wasn’t a real, like, hatred. Now the fan bases get after it a little bit so I’m excited to see how that plays out, but I don’t think having an abundance of transfers really impacts how we feel going into this one.

Sell-out and removing some tarps?

Is that right? How about that?

Excited?

Absolutely. Anytime you get to play in front of 70,000, that’s awesome, that’s what you dream about as a kid, that’s why I came out here to play in games like this and I’ll tell you, 100% of the guys in that locker room feel the same way so we’re excited. 

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