UCLA can boost bowl hopes by beating USC

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Although UCLA is bowl-eligible after winning three straight games, the Bruins still aren’t terribly bowl-attractive.

UCLA (6-5, 3-5 Pac-10) could change all that and more by beating No. 24 Southern California on Saturday night in the Bruins’ annual rivalry game and regular season finale.

UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel understands the uncertainty of his team’s bowl prospects as the possible seventh-place team in a strong conference with only six bowl affiliations, but he has little interest in looking beyond the Bruins’ crosstown showdown on Saturday night.

“I mentioned right after the game to our team that I hope that all works itself out,” Neuheisel said of last weekend’s 23-13 victory over Arizona State. “We can certainly help it work out by being successful this week. But the game we’re about to be a part of this weekend is one of the most exciting games you’re ever going to be a part of, no matter if you go on to the NFL or whatever you do. That’s why we have to be diligent in advance.”

If the Bruins win, they could be in position to earn an automatic bid by jumping over another bowl-eligible Pac-10 team. If they lose, they’ll likely have to hope for an at-large bid from the Humanitarian Bowl or another lower-tier game—which still would be a fine reward for a team that missed the postseason altogether last year.

But any bowl game won’t carry the excitement of Saturday’s trip to the Coliseum for the Bruins, who can erase many negative memories of this season by knocking off the staggering powerhouse at USC.

“How can we talk about anything except USC?” fullback Chane Moline asked. “I’ve only beaten them once in my career, and that would be the perfect way to finish, bowl game or not.”

Neuheisel beat the Trojans while he coached at Washington, but USC won 28-7 last year in his first rivalry game in charge of his alma mater. Much has changed in the year since that defeat last fall, with UCLA enjoying the highs of two three-game winning streaks this season—with a five-game skid sandwiched in between.

With a defense that has allowed more than 27 points just once all season, the Bruins’ struggles have hinged on their offense, which again struggled to produce against Arizona State. The UCLA defense force six turnovers to earn the victory—and if the defense again must come through against USC’s struggling offense, the Bruins’ veteran leaders are confident they can do it one more time.

“We just have a lot of energy these days,” said senior linebacker Reggie Carter, who won’t know until after the game whether his college career is finished. “Guys are confident they can make plays. Everybody wants to be the one who makes that tackle or catches the interception. We’re playing on a higher level now than earlier in the season.”

The Bruins will wear their blue-and-gold home jerseys at the Coliseum on Saturday night, continuing the revival of a longtime Los Angeles rivalry tradition that was restarted by USC coach Pete Carroll last season at the Rose Bowl. Neuheisel loved the scheme, which was abandoned after the early 1980s, when Neuheisel was the Bruins’ holder on field goals.

“I know the excitement of this game,” Neuheisel said. “I’ve been on both sides of the emotional roller coaster. It’s just one of those great, great evenings that you’re going to cherish for as long as you can. You’re going to remember what happens on Saturday for a long time.”