It’s only an odd coincidence, but the UCLA football team
appears to have had several helpings of sloppy seconds. After this
weekend’s game against Washington State, the Bruins will have
played three opponents who were each coming off losses against
crosstown rival USC. This season’s schedule has matched UCLA
against California, Arizona State and Washington State one week
after each team lost to the Trojans. “It’s weird, I am
getting sick of watching USC’s offense,” said
quarterback Drew Olson, describing the game tape preparation for
each week’s game. “I mean, it’s just the way
it’s scheduled and I don’t know if I’ve even
really thought about it too much.” The Bruins first faced the
Trojans’ leftovers when they traveled to Berkeley over three
weeks ago. California was then coming off its only loss of the
season, at USC 23-17. The scenario was replicated the next week
when UCLA continued its road trip against Arizona State, who had
also lost to the undefeated Trojans 45-7. Both of those games
resulted in losses for the Bruins. “We all have to play one
another at some point in the season,” coach Karl Dorrell
said. “There’s nothing really of significance of that.
We get all the games of all the previous opponents so there’s
not much difference there.” This week UCLA will once again
try and tackle USC’s leftovers with Washington State, a team
that is coming off a 42-12 loss at the hands of the Trojans.
“I don’t care if they lost or not, we just need to
win,” said safety Jarrad Page. “We need to win Saturday
against Washington State. It doesn’t matter if they’re
coming off a win or a big loss and it doesn’t matter who to,
we just know we have to beat them.”
POLITICAL PLAYERS: Just hours before the polls
closed on the 2004 Presidential Election, Olson was asked who was
the most political-minded player on the team, but said he was not
the right one to ask. “I hate politics and hate talking about
them, so I’m the last guy to find out about that
stuff,” he said. However, Olson did fulfill his civic duty,
saying he had sent in an absentee ballot.
INJURY REPORT: Center Mike McCloskey did not
practice Tuesday after suffering from a serious headache for
several days. During Saturday’s win against Stanford,
McCloskey apparently got kneed in the head on a tackle. No decision
regarding his availability will be made until he is checked by
doctors today.
TV TIME: There will be no live broadcast of the
UCLA-Washington State game this Saturday. Fox Sports Net West 2
will carry a delayed broadcast of the football game on Nov. 7 at
noon.
ODDS AND ENDS: As part of their “Heisman
Tour,” Suzuki and ESPN The Magazine will be at the Rose Bowl
for the Bruins’ game against Washington State. The event has
been making stops at college campuses across the nation with games,
contests and giveaways for fans of all ages.