McDonald brothers meet again in USC-UCLA football rivalry

UCLA safety Tevin McDonald hasn't beaten his brother in a collegiate football game, but he does have the edge on him elsewhere.

When Tevin and T.J., a senior safety at USC, were growing up in Fresno, they spent countless hours playing games with their next-door neighbors. As soon as they heard a basketball bouncing in the nearby driveway, they'd run out and pair up with the Gilio brothers for a game of two-on-two.

Josh Gilio, who was T.J's age, teamed up with Tevin. Kevin Gilio, a year younger than Tevin, played with T.J.

The Tevin-Josh duo, outfitted in Jazz and Lakers jerseys, usually won - at least according to the younger McDonald.

The McDonalds will face off again this Saturday at the Rose Bowl, likely in their biggest matchup yet. No. 17 UCLA meets No. 18 USC at noon, the winner taking the Pacific-12 Conference's South Division title. But even with the stakes raised - hardly the case last year when the Trojans won 50-0 - the brothers don't spend get too worked up over the rivalry.

"We really don't have time," Tevin said.

Their father Tim, a former All-American at USC and a first-year secondary coach at Fresno State, will be able to use the Bulldogs' bye week to come watch his sons. Their sister Taryn is a Trojan as well. Still, Tevin said T.J. has been civil in the lead-up to the rivalry game. They spoke on the phone Monday so they could spend the rest of the week focusing on their own preparation.

But can T.J. really resist mentioning last year's blowout?

"Not really too much (talk)," Tevin said. "He laughed about it after last year. With 50-donut "