UCLA defensive end Bruce Davis didn't want to leave. He wandered back out to the Rose Bowl field, took his usual spot on the bench, and listened to the ghosts after playing his last regular-season game in the stadium.
"I thought about my first game here against Oklahoma State," Davis said. "We had a couple guys hurt and I had to go in. I was 215 pounds soaking wet. I still remember my stats -- five tackles, two tackles for a loss. You always think about the beginning."
Davis then strutted back into the locker room and began to dissect a future that looked a little brighter after a 16-0 victory over Oregon in a Pacific 10 Conference game Saturday in front of an announced 72,434.
The Bruins (6-5 overall, 5-3 in conference play) smothered the Ducks, handing them their first shutout in 267 games over 22 seasons. And by doing so, the Bruins extended their inclusion in Rose Bowl discussions for at least another week.
Kai Forbath kicked three field goals, and the offense proved capable of driving 31 yards for a touchdown. That was enough for a defense that harassed three Oregon quarterbacks and limited the Ducks to 148 yards.
It made the Rose Bowl a simple equation for the Bruins, who ended a three-game losing streak. A victory over USC and an Arizona victory over Arizona State would earn UCLA an encore visit to the Rose Bowl.
"It's a funny year in college football, isn't it?" said quarterback Ben Olson, who replaced Osaar Rasshan at quarterback at the start of the second half. "A lot of things still have to happen."
One thing definitely has to happen.
"We've got to go out there and handle our business next weekend," Davis said. "I'm trying to stay away from saying anything about that right now, because we're playing 'those guys.' "
Those guys?
"We don't really like to talk about 'those guys,' you know," Davis said. "I don't want to add any fuel to their fire."
A little gas to the Bruins' own offense would help. Yet even that wasn't a problem against a team that currently tops even UCLA in injury woes.
The Ducks (8-3, 5-3) were being fitted for the national title game two weeks ago, after victories over USC and Arizona State left them as the No. 2 team in the Bowl Championship Series standings. But then star quarterback Dennis Dixon suffered a knee injury against Arizona State and aggravated it to a season-ending one against Arizona.
