Bruin Spotlight Burns in Shadow

Spent the day in college football's biggest shadow, and you know something?

It was pretty cool, and I don't mean cold.

Down the road from Exposition and Heisman and history, UCLA is unbeaten, unknown, and, let's face it, unbelievable.

On yet another Saturday when everyone was talking about U-S-You-Know-Who, the Rose Bowl was filled with shadow dancing from Maurice Drew, shadow boxing with Drew Olson, and bunches of eyes peeking at the sunlight of six weeks hence.

That would be Dec. 3. Those who have been afraid to risk ridicule by acknowledging that our schools could both be unbeaten when they meet on that day, fear no more.

They can, and here's guessing they will, after UCLA passed its biggest final test with a 51-28 beating of resurgent Oregon State at the Rose Bowl.

Seven and oh, with a coach who had never before won seven games in a season.

"It's great to get over \o7that \f7hurdle," said Karl Dorrell with a laugh.

Seven and oh, for only the second time in 17 years, with two one-loss teams still ahead of them in the polls.

"We're not going to get the respect until the 11th game of the season, we all know that's how it is, we just have to keep proving people wrong," said quarterback Drew Olson.

From those shadows to a de-facto national championship semifinal game against USC in the Coliseum, that's where the improbable Bruins are probably headed, their eyes wide and their clenched fists searching for wood.

Literally. After watching his quarterback-by-default throw for six touchdowns and his embattled defense cause three turnovers, Dorrell purposely rapped on the postgame interview table.

"I like what our opportunities are," he said.

Later, offensive coordinator Tom Cable figuratively repeated the act.

"Knock on wood, but today you were seeing it the way it was supposed to be," he said.

It, meaning the way the Bruins trailed by a touchdown less than two minutes into the game, but responded by scoring barely one minute later, on a 43-yard pass down the left sideline to a streaking receiver named ... Maurice Drew?

"It's fun, running down there, having a guy chasing you," Drew said.

It, meaning Olson's fastball into the mitts of wide-open Ryan Moya down the middle for a 49-yard touchdown, another ball lofted gently on the fingertips of Brandon Breazell for a 46-yard touchdown, seven Bruins catching passes, five rushing for positive yardage.