For two weeks, UCLA players have enjoyed the lingering contentment that resonates from a victory. Now they are shooting for something even rarer -- winning consecutive games for the first time this fall. Times staff writer David Wharton looks at some of the key issues and matchups as the Bruins travel to the desert to face Arizona State tonight:
One and done
The similarities abound. Both teams are 4-6 overall. Both are 3-4 in Pacific 10 Conference play with victories over the same three teams. And both will be mathematically eliminated from postseason play if they lose.
Is there any wonder this game has been dubbed the "Survivor Bowl"? Arizona State quarterback Rudy Carpenter called it "a very important game for us to win. Obviously we're playing one-week seasons right now, to stay alive."
Oh lines
UCLA and Arizona State find themselves in this predicament largely because of subpar play along the offensive line. Though the Bruins' ground game showed improvement against winless Washington two weeks ago, they still rank 116th in the nation at 85.7 yards a game.
The Sun Devils are a little better at an average of 101 yards but have given up 2.8 sacks a game, a fact not lost on UCLA's defensive linemen looking to boost their tackles for loss. "We know they've been struggling," defensive tackle Brigham Harwell said.
Rush hour
UCLA's pass defense represents a bright spot in a rebuilding season, ranking second in the conference. It will be tested tonight by Carpenter, the Pac-10's top passer, who averages 226.8 yards a game.
"Rudy's a very talented player, a cerebral player, has great touch," UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel said. "When he's protected, he's very dangerous."
Carpenter was equally complimentary when talking about the Bruins' defense: "They struggled a little bit early in the year, and as the year has gone on, they've gotten a lot better . . . they were 3-3 with Oregon State at halftime."
Hang time
This game offers another intriguing matchup that starts with UCLA punter Aaron Perez averaging 44.5 yards. That's best in the Pac-10 and seventh in the nation. The Sun Devils, meanwhile, return punts for a healthy average of 14.6 yards.
Despite his noteworthy stats, Perez has been working on consistency. Neuheisel called him "the victim of his own ability. Sometimes when he doesn't hit a great punt you're mad at him . . . we just want so much because he's such a factor in the field position of the game."
