Bruins know they can play spoilers
UCLA FOOTBALL
If UCLA can beat USC on Saturday, it would deprive the Trojans of a trip to the Rose Bowl.
Defeating USC on Saturday wouldn't erase UCLA's losing record. It wouldn't give the Bruins bowl eligibility, either.
But UCLA (4-7, 3-5 in Pacific 10 Conference play) knows the ramifications of an upset over the No. 5 Trojans (10-1, 7-1).
"There's no better way to go out than to beat 'SC, and send them to the Holiday Bowl or something like that," UCLA senior wide receiver Marcus Everett said.
With a victory, USC would play Penn State Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl. A UCLA victory would lock the Trojans in a three-way tie with Oregon and Oregon State for the conference title and, by tiebreaker, send Oregon State to the Rose Bowl.
In 2006, UCLA played the spoiler role when it beat USC, 13-9, preventing the Trojans from competing in the Bowl Championship Series title game. Instead, USC played in the Rose Bowl game against Michigan.
"When you're playing an opponent that is as highly thought of as USC is, you look for ways to see how you're going to knock them off," UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel said.
UCLA senior defensive tackle Brigham Harwell thinks the team shouldn't look to the 2006 upset too much as the Bruins prepare for the Trojans this week.
"We've spoken a little bit, but that team was a different team," Harwell said. "This is a whole different team. This is a whole different year."
Medina is a Times staff writer.
mark.medina@latimes.com
