Although the biggest game of the season has passed, UCLA still
has one more to go. The Bruins (6-5) hope to end their season on a
positive note when they take on Wyoming (6-5) on Dec. 23 in the Las
Vegas Bowl. “It’s a great opportunity to finish this
season doing some strong things,” Bruin coach Karl Dorrell
said. “It’ll be fun.” Unlike most bowls, the Las
Vegas Bowl comes before Christmas, meaning UCLA will have less time
to prepare. The Bruins, who will leave for Las Vegas on Dec. 19,
will practice today through Saturday. They will have just two
practices next week because of finals. While UCLA was picked to
finish the regular season eighth in the Pac-10 in the preseason
media poll, a bowl win could further validate the Bruins. A win
would mean UCLA would finish the season with at least seven wins
for the third time in four years. “The expectations for this
season from an outsider’s point of view was that we would be
at the bottom of our conference,” Dorrell said. “I
adamantly disagreed with that at Pac-10 media day. I believed that
this team would finish in the upper half of the conference. And
we’re right there.” Kickoff for the Las Vegas Bowl will
be at 6:45 p.m., and the game will be broadcast nationally on
ESPN.
BOWL TICKETS: Tickets for the Bruins’ matchup against the
Cowboys are now available through the Central Ticket Office.
Student tickets are $19, but those with the Student Sports Package
can buy tickets for $12. General tickets are $50, and those with
season tickets can receive one free ticket for every ticket
purchased. Both offers are good until Dec. 17.
FRESHMEN AWARDS: The Sporting News named freshmen running back
Chris Markey, guard Shannon Tevaga and linebacker Aaron Whittington
to its end of the season awards list. Tevaga, who started the
season’s final five games, made the freshmen All-American
third team. Markey and Whittington, who both also played on special
teams, were named to the publication’s Pac-10 All-Freshmen
squad.
FOOD DRIVE: The Bruin Athletic Council will be conducting a
canned food drive outside Pauley Pavilion during Saturday’s 3
p.m., men’s basketball game against Pepperdine. The Council,
made up of members from every UCLA athletic team, will donate all
cans to the L.A. Food Bank.