For the third year in a row, the USC-UCLA football game will start at 7 p.m. Pacific Time or later.

A brawl preceded the Dec. 4 meeting at the Rose Bowl, leaving two men stabbed. Pasadena police commander Darryl Qualls was quoted as saying that alcohol consumption was involved in the incident.

The later the start time, the more opportunity fans have to tailgate … and drink. If this year's game were to start at 12:30, that wouldn't preclude another incident from taking place. But wouldn't it reduce the chances, at least a little bit?
The conference's TV partners are the ones who determine the kickoff times, in conjunction with the schools. This game fell to Fox, which selected the 7 p.m. slot. It's a convenient time for most Southern Californians, and there won't be much, if any, competition for eyeballs. But this decision shouldn't have been about ratings.
A USC spokesman said the stabbing incident has heightened awareness for increased security at the Coliseum, where this year's game takes place, on Nov. 26. You'd like to think it at least came up in the discussions with Fox.

I hope the game is free of off-the-field violence. But with another nighttime start, I worry that won't be the case.