Stanford may have UCLA on the run
UCLA FOOTBALL
Cardinal's strength was the Bruins' weakness against Oregon, but UCLA may be able to move the ball through the air.
The second half of UCLA's season today with the Bruins hoping to play less like they did in the first half of the season. Stanford has bowl aspirations and still a shot at the Pacific 10 Conference championship. However, the Cardinal has lost five in a row at the Rose Bowl. Times staff writer Chris Foster looks at the issues and key matchups in today's game:
Grounded
UCLA spent the last week trying to shore up its run defense. The Bruins seemed to be thinking they were playing flag football against Oregon last week. The Ducks finished with 323 yards rushing, the most given up by a UCLA defense coached by DeWayne Walker.
The Cardinal has the Pacific 10 Conference's second-best running game, averaging 184 yards a game. Stanford has not lost a game this season in which it has rushed for more than 200 yards.
"This is a power running offense that puts a lot of pressure on the defense," UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel said. "We've got our hands full."
UCLA defenders had their hands full during last week's game as well, but only momentarily. The Ducks shed tacklers like investors have been shedding bank stock. The Bruins' defense fiddled with personnel this week. Glenn Love will play some at strong safety and Datone Jones will play more at defensive end.
Passing grade
Norm Chow, UCLA's offensive coordinator, has a take-what-they-offer-us philosophy. Of course, Stanford didn't offer Chow its head coaching job in 2005, giving it to Walt Harris instead.
Stanford's defense may be much more accommodating. The Cardinal has given up more than 300 yards passing three times this season. Meanwhile, the Bruins and quarterback Kevin Craft have put on a few aerial shows this season -- the fourth quarter against Tennessee, cameo appearances through the Washington State game, and the second half against Oregon.
This could be a harmonic convergence that pleases UCLA.
Bowl market
This game has significant bowl ramifications for Stanford.
A victory leaves the Cardinal one shy of being bowl eligible. The last bowl game Stanford played in doesn't exist anymore -- the Seattle Bowl, where the Cardinal lost to Georgia Tech, 24-14, in 2001.
The Bruins' bowl chances hover somewhere between those of the Dodgers retaining Manny Ramirez (it's going to take a lot) and Pete Carroll dressing up as Joe Bruin for Halloween (yeah, right).
Still, UCLA fans can take heart, and some joy, in what second-year Coach Jim Harbaugh has done at Stanford. He upset USC in his first season and has his team looking at postseason possibilities in his second.
Neuheisel and UCLA would like to take a similar path.
Pointless
Stanford has not scored a point in the Rose Bowl since Michael Sgroi kicked a 42-yard field goal for an 18-10 lead with 6:47 left in the first half in 2002. The Bruins have outscored the Cardinal 70-0 since, a scoreless streak that has reached 156 minutes 47 seconds of game time.
Scary tune
Warning to UCLA fans: The Stanford band is expected to attend the game.
Be afraid.
By the numbers
UCLA CATEGORYSTAN20.0Scoring24.330.7Points given up27.0205.5Passing off.149.791.7Rushing off.184.1297.2Total offense333.9196.2Passing def.271.7171.3Rushing def.114.3367.5Total defense386.0chris.foster@latimes.com
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