About 616,000 yards separate the Rose Bowl from Cal’s Memorial Stadium. UCLA might as well have conceded that number of rushing yards to its rival from the north during their last two meetings.
In this classic Nor Cal-So Cal turf (or natural grass) war, recent history has been eerily repetitive. Two years ago in Berkeley, the Golden Bears (2-2, 0-1) got 115 yards on the ground from Jahvid Best and 99 from Shane Vereen in a 41-20 win. Last season, in a 45-26 victory at the Rose Bowl, Cal got 154 yards from Vereen and 102 from Best.
“With that type of team, you really have to be more disciplined,” UCLA safety Rahim Moore said. “Because if you don’t, they can put up the kind of numbers they have these past couple years on us.”
It was the Bears’ first win in Pasadena since 1999, and it was a win founded on the strength of a ground assault ““ not just because they chose to bus down for the game instead of flying.
Now, UCLA (3-2, 1-1) will look to return the favor. Not only will the Bruins attempt to win in Memorial Stadium for the first time since 1998, they will try to do so behind a revitalized running game, which has emerged as one of the best in the country.
“Winning on the road’s a big thing,” defensive tackle Nate Chandler said. “If you want to be successful in the Pac-10, you’ve got to win on the road.”
The pistol offense has ignited the ground attack in a number of ways, a transformation most evident in the performances of running backs Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman. In the Bruins’ win over Washington State, the two combined to pick up more than 400 yards on the ground.
What makes this showdown particularly intriguing is the fact that the Bears have already dueled with the pistol this season, for better or worse. On Sept. 17, Cal traveled to Reno to face a Nevada team that is credited with perfecting the pistol. The UCLA coaches consulted heavily with their Wolfpack counterparts when they chose to install the offense this season.
Nevada’s pistol left Cal in the dust. The Bears yielded 316 yards on the ground in a 52-31 defeat. It was a game that had everyone ““ UCLA included ““ taking notice, even though the Bruins don’t feature a running quarterback threat quite like Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick.
“We’re continuing to try to evolve with our offense,” UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. “That incorporates the quarterback as more of a threat, but also the throwing game. We’ll see what makes the most sense, and most importantly, see if we can execute it.”
Cal, meanwhile, has lost Jahvid Best to the NFL but retains Shane Vereen, who has emerged from his predecessor’s spotlight to become one of the best all-around running backs in the country. He’s also one of the most respected.
“Shane Vereen is an NFL back,” Moore said. “He’s a great competitor, a great cut-back runner. He looks stronger and bigger than I’ve ever seen him.”
Before getting chased out of Reno by the Wolfpack, the Bears had put up 52 points themselves in each of their one-sided victories over UC Davis and Colorado. After opening its conference schedule with a 10-9 loss to Arizona, Cal has had two weeks to prepare for UCLA and its version of the pistol.
That extra preparation could end up making a significant difference for a team like the Bears.
“They just execute well,” Moore said. “That’s one thing that Cal beats people on. (Cal) coach (Jeff) Tedford has a great staff.”
The matchup is shaping up to be a critical one for both teams. While Cal seeks its first Pac-10 win, UCLA is looking to move above .500 in the conference ahead of a brutal stretch that has the Bruins traveling to Oregon before hosting Arizona and Oregon State.
To achieve that mark, the Bruins will have to win in a stadium that’s been unkind to them in the new millennium.
“It’s an important game for both teams,” UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
With reports from Eli Smukler, Bruin Sports senior staff.