LOSANGELES Some feelings will be hurt. Kelly green or powder blue feelings. But the question must be answered.Whom do the USC Trojan players consider their top rival:Notre Dame or UCLA?MORE: Most Trojans fans, especially baby boomers, will lean toward Notre Dame. They'll tell you that all national championships go through the Fighting Irish: 11 times,one of these teams' title hopes wereruined by the other.They'll expound on the fact thatboth teamsnever finished a season ranked outside the top 20 from 1972-78, andthat in 18 meetings, both teams have been ranked in the AP's top 10.Both schools have seven Heisman Trophy winners. That'sa historic, tradition-rich rivalry Willie Roaf Jersey .But what about UCLA?Most of the Bruins and Trojansare from Southern California.These players most likelyplayed with or against each otherin high school.MORE: The10-mile proximity between the two campuseshas created many "house divided" households. I grew up in such a house because my mother and father are UCLA and USC alumni, respectively. My neighbor was a UCLA cheerleader, but her son graduated from USC. A lot of families walk on egg shells in November.The cro stown rivalry has become more Alvin Kamara T Shirts relevant since UCLAbeat No. 2USC in 2006, taking the Trojans out of contention for the BCS Championship. UCLA has alsowon three consecutive gamesfrom 2012-14. Suddenly, aformerly predictable gamehasbecome much more compelling:The USC-UCLA rivalryhas morphed intoa conduit to the Pac-12 championship game and perhaps, the College Football Playoff.Players havea lot of respect for therivalry, but don't expect players to start singing "Kumbaya.""On the field, I hate them both, all right?" USC offensive lineman Zach Bannersaidmatter-of-factly of UCLA and Notre Dameat the Pac-12 Media Days two weeks ago.Banner said he doesn't see much difference in the intensity between those two rivalry games:He's an equal opportunity curmudgeon. And there's probably good reason for that.MORE: Because Southern Carl Granderson Jersey California is such a fertile recruiting ground, Power Fiveschools regularly snatch upthe local talent, including UCLA and Notre Dame. College players, oncehigh school teammates, becomeopponents in a fiercerivalry."Sometimes we hang out on and off the field," Banner said. It's a complicated relationship. But Banner deftly handled the subject matter.The 6-9, 360-pound linemanwas witty andrelaxed. And apparentlypretty smart.I asked him whether it was true that linemen were the smartest players on the team."I'm the smartest guy right here," he responded, with emphasis on "here." Didhe mean smarter thaneveryone surrounding him, as inwe, the media?Throwing delicious shade is an artform.Smart guy, indeed.Come on Zach, who is the biggerrival?"Honestly, whoever we are playing that week," he finally said. Well-played, young gra shopper.Maybe someone else can answer our question with more clarity.MORE: How about a player who was clocked last year by Notre Dame's GPS and still thought he wasn't running that fast? He has to be cocky, right?No such luck.Adoree' Jackson was even more charming and evasive.Jackson is from Belleville, Ill., a day's drive from South Bend, Ind., but he attended Juniperro Serra High School in Gardena, Calif. The receiver/cornerback, apart from USC, also received scholarship offers from Notre Dame andUCLA.He has to have an opinion on this rivalry thing."All I kept hearing was UCLA, UCLA, UCLA," Jackson said Tyrann Mathieu T Shirts . But then he went into I-won't-take-the-bait mode.Like Banner, Jackson appearsto have been well-rehearsed when answering questions from the media. There will be no locker room fodder posted on opponents' lockers. Coach Clay Helton, unlike some of his predece sors,seems to have things under control. There will be no distractions.Want proof?"I feel that every gameis a rivalry," Jackson said.MORE: I felt the wind beneath my sails go out. I was Steve Gleason T Shirts not going to have my question answered. I could not even get mad at Jackson. Hishair is styled much nicer than mine. His Twitter handle is , and his mother nicknamed him"Sweet Pea." Ishould have known better than to ask a nice guy to pick the more-hatedrival. But then the wind changed and my sails were full.Jackson said USC'snext opponent is the most important rivalry.That would be the defending national championAlabama Crimson Tide. Nick Saban's team. All that S-E-C stuff. I swear I muttered"boom diggity" under my breath."So basically Alabama right nowis going to be your rivalry," I reiterated, looking for a reaction from him."Exactly," Johnsonsaid. "Alabama is our rivalry for right now."That's new and different. And fun.Maybe this canbea permanent thing.