The year was 1993. Terry Donahue was the coach of a Bruin
football team that traveled to Pullman and walked away with an easy
victory.
Two coaches, 12 years and hundreds of players later, the seniors
on this year’s No. 12 Bruin squad are yearning for that one
elusive win against the Cougars that they have yet to experience in
their careers as they travel to Martin Stadium this Saturday.
“I don’t even think I knew what football was back in
1993,” said UCLA senior offensive tackle Ed Blanton, whose
team has lost four straight to the Cougars.
“I think about it all the time. USC and Washington State
are the only teams I haven’t beaten here. It definitely
weighs on my conscience.
“We’re all going out like we have a chip on our
shoulder because (we have) never beat them. It’s something
that I want ““ to beat them before I leave.”
Last year’s loss to the Cougars was especially
disheartening. Coming off an impressive showing against Stanford,
the Bruins were aiming to build momentum.
UCLA trailed 21-10 at the half, and was able to mount a
comeback, only to fall short 31-29. UCLA would go on to drop two of
its next three games, including a loss to Wyoming in the Las Vegas
Bowl.
“It’s a huge motivating factor for us (to
win),” senior quarterback Drew Olson said. “I felt like
we didn’t go out there (last year) and play as we should
have. We let down for whatever reason.”
Fast-forward to this season and the undefeated Bruins (5-0, 2-0
Pac-10) still remember last year.
“Man, last year they embarrassed us in the Rose
Bowl,” senior tight end Marcedes Lewis said.
“We’re ready to go in there, and we’re not going
to leave without a win.”
While thoughts from the Bruin skeptics continue to swirl over
which game will show the Bruins’ true colors, senior
cornerback Marcus Cassel is confident that this team has no
vestiges of the past and will not buckle to Washington State (3-2,
0-2).
“We have an entirely different team this year,” he
said. “Everything that happened in the past is gone
now.”
A disadvantage for the Bruins is the fact they will travel
outside of California for the first time this season.
After having the luxury of playing four consecutive games at the
Rose Bowl and one at neighboring San Diego State in immaculate
weather, the Bruins will be heading over to an isolated area in
Pullman.
Weather forecasts show that it will be cold and there will be a
slight chance of showers.
But aside from the weather and atmosphere, UCLA coach Karl
Dorrell believes that extracurricular activities like traveling
from the hotel to the stadium, curfews, and plane tickets, will not
be a distraction.
“It’s a small town; different from Los
Angeles,” he said. “It is going to be a big trip. There
will be a lot less distractions than there are here in Los
Angeles.”
While the Bruins, who are ranked sixth in the nation in scoring
offense, (43.20 points per game) have flexed their strength on the
scoreboard, the Cougars are apt to keep pace.
Washington State averages 506.0 yards of total offense, eighth
in the nation and third in the Pac-10.
And, once again, UCLA’s defensive line will be tested.
Cougar running back Jerome Harrison leads the conference in
yards on the ground per game with 148.2. Last season against the
Bruins, he ran for 247 yards on 42 carries and scored three
touchdowns.
The deciding factor in what could be a high scoring affair on
Saturday will be the Bruins’ ability (or lack thereof) to
stop the Cougars rushing attack.
Nobody is more aware of this than the UCLA coaching staff.
“We will definitely have a challenge this weekend against
the Cougars, and their offense will be quite a test for us,”
said UCLA secondary coach Gary DeLoach. “Our defense needs to
improve as a whole.
“Going up (against) a back like Harrison will tell us how
much our team has improved.”