Signs displayed prominently on fraternity and sorority houses near Memorial Stadium in Berkeley underscored the deep-seated animosity between students at the University of California, Berkeley (Cal) and UCLA as the two schools prepared to renew their athletic rivalry. The displays, featuring messages such as “WTF is a Bruin” and “F–k U(CLA),” signaled that the move of UCLA to the Big Ten Conference and Cal’s shift to the Atlantic Coast Conference has done little to cool the historical tensions between the sister institutions.
The sentiment was echoed by students interviewed on Piedmont Avenue, steps from Cal’s stadium. "You know, they thought they could run from us by leaving the Pac-12, but here we are, so we want blood today," said Cal senior Zoe Eastham. Another student, Andre Risz, stated, “UCLA screwed us a couple of years ago, so this is our get-back — we are going to kill UCLA today. We’ll show them who No. 2 is.”
The rivalry extends beyond athletics, encompassing a long-standing competition for the title of the best public university in the United States. While U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Cal higher, the education research platform Niche named UCLA as No. 1. Risz dismissed UCLA’s standing, saying, “I think it’s pretty clear who No. 2 is. They’re our little brother, we created them, they know that, they’re just sad about it.”
Some students found playful ways to engage with the rivalry. Members of the Acacia fraternity organized a “Dunk A Bruin” fundraiser for Shriners Children’s Hospital, charging $5 for two throws at a target with the possibility of sending a willing UCLA fan into a water tank. Despite the outward displays of animosity, one UCLA student attending the game reported no direct negative interactions. "I mean, I’ve just been being friendly, trying to make friends," said Chase, who was wearing a Troy Aikman jersey. "It’s a friendly rivalry, you know?" He added that while signs might be displayed, there are “no hard feelings.”
However, other students wore shirts that read “fucla,” and some found amusement in the financial arrangement stemming from UCLA's departure from the Pac-12. The University of California Regents ordered UCLA to pay Cal $10 million annually for leaving the conference. "Hey, free money to demolish them? We’re about to obliterate them. I love it," commented Paul Nguyen.
Eastham, whose friends had hung a “Fucla” sign above their house entrance, clarified her perspective. “It’s not so much a dislike for them, but it’s a pride in our school — UC Berkeley, No. 1 public university in the world and Bruins, eat s–t today,” she said, as her friends joined in cheers reflecting the shared rivalry sentiment.