Like a kid who has been told he can’t see the contents of
a wrapped gift box, UCLA can’t afford to sneak a peek.
They might want to take a little glance at the fact that with
three straight wins, they’d have a shot at the Rose Bowl and
a Pac-10 title.
It might be irresistible to take a glimpse at the game in two
weeks when they could snap a three-game losing streak to USC. They
might be itching to take just a peep at the chance, in four weeks,
to knock off Washington State, the leading candidate to repeat as
Pac-10 champions.
But they won’t submit to temptation. The Bruins say
they’ll keep their hands in their pockets and just worry
about their next game in Arizona. It’d be easy to overlook
the Wildcats, who have yet to win a league game and were thoroughly
overmatched against Oregon State, when Arizona fell, 38-3. But in
lieu of last year’s fade down the stretch, UCLA says it has
learned its lesson and can’t afford to underestimate their
opponents.
“You have to respect your opponent,” head coach Bob
Toledo said. “They’ve got some good football players,
and they play well at home.
“What worries me the most is us. We need to play to our
standard and our level, and not worry who we’re playing
against.”
What started out as a promising season for the Wildcats has
become a mess, as knee injuries have claimed top running back
Clarence Farmer and top defensive back Michael Jolivette.
It is questionable whether or not Jolivette will return in the
match against the Bruins, but if he does, he would be returning to
a team that is last in the Pac-10 in total offense and
second-to-last in total defense.
“The injuries are difficult because you don’t have a
set lineup every week,” Arizona head coach John Mackovic
said. “We’re in the spoiler role now. We have to accept
that.”
Any offensive production for the Wildcats has had to come
through the air, and while there has been no running game,
quarterback Jason Johnson has still managed to connect with wide
receiver Bobby Wade 71 times for 974 yards.
Defensively, with a battered secondary, the Wildcats have had to
rely on linebacker Lance Briggs, who leads the team with 71 tackles
and has been a first team All-Pac-10 selection the past two
years.
“They’re a tough and battered team, but
they’re going to be ready for us,” said UCLA running
back Manuel White, who should be returning from a hamstring
injury.
The Bruins will continue to rely on a defense that has been
stellar as of late, and freshmen at quarterback and running back.
Drew Olson and Matt Moore are both expected to see time in the
pocket against Arizona, and running back Tyler Ebell has a streak
of five games with over 100 rushing yards. A win over Arizona would
make the Bruins bowl-eligible and undoubtedly send them into the
bye week with high spirits.
USC and Washington State loom on the horizon, holding wrapped
gift boxes that, when opened with victories over both teams, could
yield a Rose Bowl, Pac-10 title and respect.
But don’t worry ““ UCLA won’t be peeking.