Welcome back to The Rival Rundown! If you’ve always wanted to give props to your school on CC, now’s your chance! Shoot us an email explaining what’s awesome and unique about your school (or what stinks about Rival U) at rivalrundown@collegecandy.com!

This week we hit up the West Coast as we examine the two hottest schools in Los Angeles- the University of Southern California and the University of California- Los Angeles. Amidst the beautiful SoCal climate and a city rife with movie sets and superstars, private USC and public UCLA compete to find out which is most elite in the City of Angels.

1. Superior Sport

USC – The Trojans are known as “the football school” and have been awarded the NCAA national title in football eleven times, including back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004.  They are perennially ranked in the Top 10 football programs in the BCS by ESPN, USA Today, and other publications. And Trojans have taken home the Heisman Trophy seven times.
UCLA - Meanwhile, the Bruins are known as powerhouses in basketball–also earning eleven NCAA titles. Seven of these championships were won consecutively, from 1967-1973.  UCLA is also the all-time leader in total NCAA national titles across all sports.

Meanwhile, the Lexus Gauntlet is an annual all-sports competition between the two schools sponsored by Lexus. Points are awarded for every victory (particularly in head-to-head match ups)  in NCAA-sanctioned competitions, with the school with the most points declared as the winner. (There is also a separate Lexus Gauntlet awarded to the winner of the Stanford-Berkeley rivalry.)  In the eight years of Lexus Gauntlet tradition, USC has walked away with five titles.

Three credits to: TIE.  The two schools pulled a draw in NCAA titles in their respective predominant sport.  On the one hand, the Lexus Gauntlet record gives the Trojans the edge, but UCLA also has the most NCAA titles of any school. Too close to call!! Read More »

And so it begins. After 11 long, tortuous, pain-staking months of waiting… the Big Dance is finally here.

Once you get past the fact that the NCAA Selection Committee made the mistake of not including some of the best teams that could have been this year’s Cinderella (Arizona State instead of St. Mary’s? come on), the board actually came up with a pretty good draw. And for the next 2 weeks, I will be fully immersing myself in the insanity and awesomeness that is the most exciting sporting event of the year: March Madness.

The best conference in the country (and maybe in history) is hands-down the Big East. 3 out of the 4 number 1 seeds are from the Big East: UConn, Louisville, and Pitt. Even Barack Obama believes in the dominance of this conference, since his bracket that he filled out on Wednesday (live on ESPN! what a cool prez) shows it filling half of his Elite Eight. Although Obama didn’t have our lovely school in his Final Four, Coach K isn’t worried. Read More »

So, tonight is the big BCS National Championship between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Florida Gators. Who is gonna win? I don’t care; I just wanted a good excuse to drink on a Thursday. And eat wings. And dip. And wear sweats to the bar.

Anyways, in honor of this major match-up, we at CC decided to have our own championship. We come from the school of thought that the hotter the QB, the better the team. Just think about USC and, at one time, Michigan. Hot, hot, hot.

So, tell us: based on the hotties quarterbacks, who is gonna win tonight?

Hello, 2009!

We didn’t start the year off in the best way (laying on the couch, chugging water and eating breakfast sandwiches while watching USC dominate on the field), but now we’re ready! And not hungover! And we couldn’t be more excited to get 2009 going. We have huge plans and goals and lists of things to do.

In the spirit of the new year, we decided to sit down and list our resolutions for 2009. We probably won’t keep ‘em, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

John – UConn: I think the only New Year’s resolution I know I can keep is to diligently turn 21. Pounds can leave, come back and leave again, and friends are the same way, but drinking age is forever.

Leah – Ryerson University: Stop dating, getting involved with, and/or having sex with douchebags. 2009 will be a douchebag free year!

Elise – UCLA: No Diet Coke!!!!

Elizabeth – UC Berkeley: To keep running for fitness health, and wellbeing – not weight loss.

Carly – Grinnell: To get at least one step closer (whatever that might be) to becoming a pastry chef.

Elizabeth – UA Hunstville: To find the easiest, most slacker way possible to make tons of money.

Lauren – University of Michigan: Get out and flirt with boys more. What? I like to make resolutions I can keep. Read More »

Break out your Spandex and get ready to Limbo! After descending on USC, UC-Boulder, ASU and the University of Arizona, Havaianas’ Color War college tour is wrapping up at NC State, giving students one last chance to design their own sandals and score a trip to Brazil.

Traveling around the country for over a week and a half, Havaianas Color War is a two day event with free make-your-own flip-flop booths and a fierce, four-part challenge. Students in teams of six compete against other teams in games of Twister, Sliders, Limbo and Balloon Darts. Each challenge features a special Havaianas twist. The team with the highest score at each school will win the title of Ultimate Havaianas Color War Champion and win a free four day vacation to Havaianas’ headquarters – beautiful, gloriously sunny Brazil! Read More »