LOS ANGELES — Oregon football players Matayo Uiagalelei and Keyon Ware-Hudson sat next to each other during media day for the Rose Bowl game. In previous chapters of their football careers, however, they were part of one of the most high-profile high school rivalries in the nation. Uiagalelei, a sophomore linebacker, prepped at St. John Bosco and Ware-Hudson, a defensive lineman, played for Mater Dei. The recruiting pipeline linking SoCal and Oregon brought them together – and has attracted plenty more talent from the region. “A lot of kids my age will say this was their dream school growing up,” Uiagalelei said. St. John Bosco’s Matayo Uiagalelei catches a touchdown pass over Mater Dei’s Daryus Dixson during the second half of the 2022 CIF-SS Division 1 championship game at the Rose Bowl. Uiagalelei now plays for Oregon. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) Ducks head coach Dan Lanning is well aware of that and he intends to keep that pipeline flowing. Oregon has already made one trip to Pasadena to play UCLA earlier this season, but playing in a CFP quarterfinal here on New Year’s Day can only help heighten the Ducks’ profile in the region. “California is a hotbed for us in recruiting,” Lanning told reporters. “It’s a place that we want to make sure we have a stand. “Getting to play in premier games like the Rose Bowl, I think that’s something that kids on the West Coast grow up dreaming of and being here. Having that opportunity is certainly something that’s going to help us in recruiting.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Haley Sawyer (@haleyherself) Long Beach Poly product Daylen Austin remembers watching the Rose Bowl on television growing up – Saquon Barkley’s performance in the 2017 matchup between Penn State and USC stands out in his mind. “It’s surreal. It doesn’t even feel real,” the Oregon defensive back said of what it’s like to play in the Rose Bowl. “Coming back home, pretty close to your hometown, it’s a good feeling. Especially with your team, too.” Ohio State doesn’t have the same hold on Southern California as Oregon does, but two of the four SoCal players on the roster came from St. John Bosco and Mater Dei. Uiagalelei thinks part of Oregon’s appeal is the distance from Southern California. It provides high-level college football far enough away for players to experience living outside the area but close enough that they can take a quick flight home. Players were also willing to follow Lanning. Both Uiagalelei and Austin first had contact with the coach when he was a defensive coordinator at Georgia. “I had that relationship with him,” Austin said. “I just felt right at home at Oregon when I was taking that visit and it ultimately led to the decision to me flipping from LSU to Oregon.” Long Beach Poly’s Daylen Austin runs with the ball during the first half of a game at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach on Sept. 24, 2021. Austin is now a defensive back at Oregon. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr, Contributing Photographer) The aesthetic of Oregon is one of the first characteristics of the program that can catch the attention of a recruit at a young age. The Ducks are known for their countless uniform combinations and still debut new threads on a regular basis, often involving metallic or neon shades of yellow, green, black and white. But at the end of the day, the decision still comes down to the meat and potatoes. “(Oregon) had everything I needed as far as player development,” Uiagalelei said. “Looking at my future career, trying to make it into my goal in the NFL. The cherry on top is to have all the nice stuff.” The rivalries that SoCal high school football produced live on at the college level, especially between the St. John Bosco and Mater Dei players. If anything, it shows how competitive Southern California players can be. The Braves and the Monarchs played twice this season and Mater Dei came out on top, 31-24, in the second contest to win a CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship. “I watched a little bit, but I wasn’t watching the whole (championship) game because I already knew we were gonna win,” Ware-Hudson joked. “So I didn’t waste my time on that.” Southern California products in the Rose Bowl Oregon DB Daylen Austin: the 6-foot-1, 200-pound redshirt freshman and Long Beach Poly product has played in 13 games this season and logged a tackle or more in five of those games. DB Xavier Barksdale (Steele Canyon) TE Travis Brashear (Lawndale) OL Bryce Boulton (Palm Desert) DL Aydin Breland (Mater Dei) WR Gary Bryant, Jr.: The 5-11 Corona Centennial High product transferred to Oregon from USC in 2023. He missed multiple games due to injury this season but hauled in 30 catches for 442 yards in 2023. According to reports from OregonLive, he is undecided if he will return to Oregon for his sixth season of college football or declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. DB Solomon Davis (Charter Oak) DB Jahlil Florence: Florence, a 6-1 Lincoln alumnus out of Southeast San Diego, suffered a knee injury in November 2023 and has not played in a game this season. DB Dakoda Fields (Gardena Serra) OL Dillon Gresham (San Jacinto) K Grant Meadors (Liberty) OL Lipe Moala (Mater Dei) ILB Kamar Mothudi (Los Alamitos) WR Ryan Pellum (Millikan) DB Rodrick Pleasant (Gardena Serra) WR Jack Ressler (Mater Dei) OL George Silva (La Habra) WR Jalen Saint Paul (Carlsbad) OLB Matayo Uiagalelei: The 6-5 linebacker who prepped at St. John Bosco is a former Pac-12 Freshman of the Week and has continued with success in his sophomore year. He’s had at least half a sack in nine different games this season and had a season-high six tackles on Nov. 30 against Washington. DT Keyon Ware-Hudson: The 6-2, 305-pound senior represented Mater Dei at Oregon in 12 games this season and has recorded 10 total tackles. ILB Dylan Williams (Long Beach Poly) Related Articles College Sports | Swanson: Oregon coach Dan Lanning takes every advantage he can get College Sports | Boise State, Penn State square off in Fiesta Bowl for berth in CFP semifinals College Sports | Former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly returns to the Rose Bowl with Ohio State’s confidence College Sports | USC’s Kyle Ford finds vindication in one shining moment College Sports | USC rallies past Texas A&M for thrilling Las Vegas Bowl victory DB Peyton Woodyard: The 6-2, 205-pound St. John Bosco alumnus has had a productive freshman season with five games with at least one tackle. Ohio State DB Glorien Gough (Mater Dei) QB Julian Sayin (Carlsbad) OL Josh Simmons: Simmons, who prepped at Helix, transferred to Ohio State from San Diego State and has spent the last two seasons as the Buckeyes’ starting left tackle. He missed most of this season due to an injury sustained against Oregon in Week 7. The 6-5, 310-pound lineman declared for the NFL Draft on Dec. 4. LB Kourt Williams II: The St. John Bosco alumnus from Harbor City retired this year due to injuries after spending four seasons with Ohio State. He finishes his college career as a three-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and a two-time Academic all-Big Ten Conference honoree.