Skip to content

USC covers statues in duct tape ahead of rivalry game vs. UCLA

Twitter/LindseyThiry

USC might not play UCLA for another 10 days, but the school isn't taking any chances and has already covered statues on campus with duct tape.

The move is done to protect the statues from being defaced by UCLA students ahead of the rivalry game between the two Los Angeles-based schools.

It may sound silly that these measures must be taken, but the vandalism concerns are well-founded, given the history of this rivalry.

Ten days before the big game in 2014, USC students snuck onto UCLA's campus and spray-painted the Bruin bear statue with an "SC runs LA" slogan.

That incident caused UCLA to undertake some safety measures the following year, placing the bear in a protective box with the sign "The Bear is Hibernating."

Poor #BruinBear...

A photo posted by Arthur Wang (@wangarthurrr) on

Will UCLA students be able to penetrate the duct-tape defense system in the next 10 days, or will USC's foresight prove to be enough to save its statues from vandalism?

Stay tuned to find out.

- with h/t For The Win

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox