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 It’s probably not right to compare a college football team to a pastry, but the key to Saturday's Oregon State-UCLA tilt is turnovers.
The 2-2 Beavers beat Utah at home, 24-7, to open the season, committing two turnovers to none for the Utes. Then they went to Cincinnati, committed seven turnovers (to two) and were walloped, 34-3. Back at home against Idaho State, OSU had just one turnover and forced four during a 61-10 rout. Then last week in Tempe, a 19-0 lead against Arizona State vaporized thanks to six turnovers (against two) in a 44-32 loss. OSU is a Pac-10 worst -8 in turnover margin and averages four turnovers a game!
UCLA has committed eight turnovers this season and forced seven, but five of its eight giveaways were in one game at Utah. In the Karl Dorrell era, when UCLA wins the turnover battle, the Bruins are 20-2, but just 12-20 when tied or losing on turnovers.
So what can we expect?
>> Neither side will be able to run the ball. Oregon State gives up only 29.5 yards a game and the Bruins only 85.5.
>> Both defenses are porous against the pass: Oregon State gives up 259.5 yards a game and a 59.6 completion percentage while the Bruins give up more yards, 304.2, but a much lower completion rate at 51.1. That’s good for the Bruins, since OSU quarterback Sean Canfield is completing 58.6% of his passes, but for only 223.8 yards a game and has nine interceptions. UCLA’s Ben Olson (pictured) has four interceptions in three games, three of which were against Utah.
>> Look for both defenses to apply lots of pressure: Oregon State leads the conference with 14 sacks and UCLA is tied for second at 13.
>> Oregon State will try to step on UCLA’s throat immediately. The Beavers have outscored their opposition 40-3 in the first quarter! Over the next three quarters in their four games so far, the Beavers have been outscored by 12 points. UCLA has a 23-7 edge in first-quarter scoring against its first four opponents, then loses the last three quarters by a combined three points.
>> One area that might make a difference is punting. UCLA’s Aaron Perez is averaging a league-leading 44.3 yards a kick compared with Alexis Serna’s 34.5 yards. That could help the Bruins in field position.
No one wants to win this game worse than Oregon State’s Mike Riley. He’s 0-8 against UCLA, with four losses as an assistant coach at USC and four more as Oregon State head coach. The Bruins have won four in a row against Oregon State, but haven’t played in Corvallis since 2002, the last year of the Bob Toledo era.
The other things you need to know:
>> Weather could be an issue with a high of 66 degrees projected and a possibility of afternoon showers.
>> The latest line shows the Beavers favored by two with an over-under of 54, so the experts project a final score of 28-26. CollegeFootballNews.com sees the game this way: "In a defensive struggle by Pac-10 standards, Oregon State will pull out a poorly-played nail-biter on a late field goal from Alexis Serna." Their prediction is Oregon State 24, UCLA 23.
>> The game will kick off at 3:41 p.m. and be televised in Los Angeles on FSN West with Barry Tompkins, Petros Papadakis and Jim Watson on the call. On the radio, the game will be available on KLAC-AM 570 with Chris Roberts, Matt Stevens and Wayne Cook at the microphones.
I will be providing in-game commentary on this site on a more-or-less continuous basis as we have for the road games at Stanford and Oregon, plus a quick post-game analysis and statistics.
Ben Olson photo courtesy of UCLA
We hear from an unimpeachable source that Sporting News will join Athlon and Lindy’s in declaring UCLA the nation’s No. 1 college basketball team when its preview issue hits the stands in the coming days. So far, the Bruins are 3-for-3, with basketball practice scheduled to start Oct. 12.
 With the start of classes today, UCLA’s sports teams enter a new phase of the season in which they actually become students and athletes. The women’s volleyball team and both soccer teams have stiff tests this week to see if they are truly national contenders or just good squads.
Cross Country:
>> Both the men’s and women’s teams will be in Eugene, Ore., for the second annual Bill Dellinger Invitational. The men are ranked 22nd nationally, but will face tough sledding against top-ranked Wisconsin and third-ranked Oregon, among others. The women’s squad is still without No. 1 runner Allie Bohannon and will be running against a strong field that includes No. 4 Arkansas.
Football:
>> The 3-1 Bruins are on the road at 2-2 Oregon State in a 3:30 p.m. game that will be shown on Fox Sports West in Los Angeles. Ben Olson will be back to quarterback the Bruins, who are also getting healthier on defense as end Nikola Dragovic and linebacker Aaron Whittington return. The game started as pick-it, but Oregon State is now favored by 1 1/2-2 points.
Men’s Soccer:
>> UCLA is 4-2-1 and ranked between 10th and 18th in the nation depending on the poll. The Bruins have played five of their first seven matches on the road and continue the trend with a match at Cal State Northridge (3-2-1) at 4 p.m. Saturday. A live audiocast of the match can be heard on CSUN’s athletics site, www.gomatadors.com.
>> UCLA will benefit from the return of its leading scorer from last season, David Estrada (pictured), who has been recovering from foot surgery on August 20. He scored 11 goals in 2006 and was named a preseason All-American.
>> The Bruin soccer program is mourning the loss of Jonathan Moore, 60, who played for outstanding UCLA teams in 1968 and 1969 that had a combined record of 26-3-1. A fixture at Bruin soccer matches to the end, he was a teacher in the Santa Monica school system for 35 years and actively involved in community work.
Men’s Water Polo:
>> The 8-1 Bruins are ranked third in the nation and have a serious challenge this week against No. 4 Stanford at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Palo Alto. The Bruins beat Stanford, 13-9, in the third-place match at the NorCal Invitational two week ago, after losing to No. 2 California in the semifinals. UCLA will play a doubleheader Sunday against lesser-regarded Santa Clara and UC Santa Cruz.
Women’s Golf:
>> The No. 1-ranked UCLA golf squad finished third at the Fall Preview event in Albuquerque this week behind Duke and USC with Arizona State fourth. Those four teams have been identified as the best in the nation and probably will trade places in tournaments right through the long season that will end on the same Albuquerque course in late May.
>> The Bruins had two top-10 finishers in Albuquerque: All-American Tiffany Joh tied for sixth (-6) and freshman Maria Jose Uribe tied for eighth (-4), the latter with a four-under 69 on the final round that included seven birdies.
Women’s Soccer:
>> UCLA (4-2-1) was ranked No. 1 in the nation in some polls to start the season, but is currently eighth or ninth and faces No. 2 Portland (7-1) at Drake Stadium on Friday, starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students with identification and children. UCLA students with a valid Bruin Card can attend for free. Live audio of the game can be heard on uclabruins.com.
>> The Bruins got more help this week with the return of Kara Lang, who had been in China as a member of the Canadian national team playing in the Women’s World Cup. She redshirted last season, but led the Bruins in scoring with 40 points in the 2005 season, including 17 goals.
>> Sophomore Lauren Cheney, who scored five goals last week in UCLA’s draw with Pepperdine and win over Hawaii, was named Soccer America’s National Player of the Week. She also won weekly honors from the Pac-10 and was named to the Soccer Buzz Team of the Week.
Women’s Volleyball:
>> The 10-1 Bruins are ranked fifth in the nation and are on the road for crucial tests at No. 10 California (10-2) tonight at 7 and tomorrow night at No. 2 Stanford (12-0). UCLA’s only loss was on the road at No. 1 Nebraska, so a test of how ready UCLA is to be a contender for national honors comes with this weekend’s matches. The match with Stanford will be shown on a tape-delayed basis by CSTV at 5 p.m. Sunday.
David Estrada photo courtesy of UCLA
UCLA is celebrating its status as the first school to achieve 100 NCAA team championships with a change of the color on the letter "C" in many of its team uniforms this season.
One example: check out the contrasting-color "C" on All-American setter Nellie Spicer’s jersey below:
MBA candidate Erkki Corpuz, also a talented artist, wasn’t so impressed with the dropped-C version of the logo used in the Rose Bowl end zone, so he suggests the following style for the UCLA men’s basketball uniforms:
The final style of the men’s basketball jerseys has apparently not been set yet, so we welcome your suggestions and are assured that members of the basketball staff check out this blog.
Nellie Spicer photo courtesy of UCLA; UCLA jersey photo courtesy Erkki Corpuz.
 UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell was pleased with Wednesday’s spirited and intense practice, which included almost an hour of work accompanied by very loud crowd noise.
"I thought the offense looked sharp," he said. "I thought Ben [Olson] looked sharp, he operated pretty well with all of our game-planning things. I like what we’re doing right now."
Dorrell noted the return of several players and some movement in the depth chart:
>> On offense, Aleksey Lanis will start instead of Micah Kia at left tackle and fullback Michael Pitre will travel. "Pitre has a chance of playing this week," Dorrell said. "He’s had two or three days with no setbacks. He does have a chance to help as a reserve."
>> On defense, Dorrell was happy to have both defensive end Nikola Dragovic and linebacker Aaron Whittington back from concussions. Freshman defensive tackle Brian Price will make the trip and is improving daily as he soaks up the defensive scheme.
Dorrell also noted that the Bruins will be facing a considerable challenge in the Oregon State defense: "They’re good. They’re good everywhere. They’ve had their health and that’s really a big part of the equation. The linebackers and defensive line have been playing lights out because their health is good and they’re a solid group that has returning starters."
A comic moment during the post-practice interview came when the annual pre-school, all-athlete meeting on Spaulding Field (complete with catering from two Carl’s Jr. mobile units) began with the announcement "I’m sorry that football practice ran late. Thanks for your patience." Dorrell responded to the assembled reporters, laughing, "We’re trying to win a game. I’m sorry I disappointed 700 athletes; we’re trying to win a game!"
Karl Dorrell photo courtesy UCLA
UCLA senior center Lorenzo Mata-Real attended tonight’s all-athletes get-together at Spaulding Field on crutches, with a large black boot on his right foot.
He apparently injured the foot – considered a minor sprain – during a pick-up game last night and it’s not considered serious. The boot will keep the foot immobile and hasten his recovery.
Basketball practice will start on Friday, October 12.
 With the about-to-be-sold-out Notre Dame and Cal games next on the UCLA home schedule, reader Jeff C. noted that "people may also buy vouchers for game tickets at Costco. They come in pairs, and you need to take your vouchers to the UCLA Central Ticket Office to claim tickets. The tickets [are] for seats mostly in the corners of the bowl and in one section behind the goalpost. Another caveat is that the vouchers are for a number of upcoming games, and it is not guaranteed that you will get tickets for the Cal or Notre Dame game.
"That being said, I just claimed tickets for the Cal game, and if people get desperate it's another option."
We asked UCLA’s Director of Marketing Scott Mitchell about the program and here are the details:
>> A total of 25 Southern California Costco stores are participating in the program. Each store has aisle displays promoting UCLA football and the vouchers.
>> "Customers can purchase vouchers that are redeemed for two tickets to any home game, other than Notre Dame," wrote Mitchell in an e-mail message. "As part of the package, customers receive a $5 coupon off of merchandise that can be used for Bearwear purchase at the game or at the campus store (minimum purchase of $25) and a free three-month subscription to Bruin Blue Magazine.
"The package costs $54 and is worth $85 on a stand-alone basis." A nice deal.
>> Mitchell said that to obtain the actual game tickets, the vouchers may be redeemed (1) in advance of game day at the UCLA Ticket Office (open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or (2) at the Rose Bowl on the day of a game. However, vouchers are redeemed on a first-come, first-serve basis and are subject to availability. Mitchell wrote, "Obviously, when the game becomes a sellout and there are no more tickets to distribute, customers need to choose another game."
Mitchell noted that "without an NFL team in market and USC not involved, it is the only true football [ticket] offer in Southern California."
The California game on Oct. 20 is close to a sellout, but tickets are available for the Arizona State and Oregon games in November. First come, first served.
Rose Bowl photo courtesy of UCLA.
UCLA announced its final (more or less) schedule for the men’s basketball team that will start with an exhibition game against Azusa Pacific on Nov. 2.
Of UCLA’s scheduled 31 games, 24 are slated to be televised over five different networks or stations: 16 games on various parts of Fox Sports Net, at least three and up to five games on various ESPN networks, one game on ABC and three on CBS, plus the Wooden Classic televised locally by KCAL 9.
That’s 24 games, and either or both of UCLA’s games at home against Stanford and California on March 6 and 8 could be added as "wild card" selections for television. In addition, UCLA could qualify for the CBE Classic semifinals and finals in Kansas City on Nov. 19 and 20 and those games will be televised by some form of ESPN.
Of the seven games not currently scheduled for television, two are exhibitions at Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 2 (Azusa Pacific) and 5 (Chico State). The others are the opener against Portland State in Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 9, Yale at Pauley on Nov. 23, Western Illinois at Pauley on Dec. 18, and the afore-mentioned Stanford and Cal games at Pauley on March 6 and 8.
All of UCLA’s games will be broadcast on the radio with KLAC AM 570 anchoring the Bruin Radio Network.
UCLA’s release on the schedule and game times is available here.
A busy week for the Bruins is already underway for the No. 1-ranked women's golf team, but last week's efforts brought some nice honors to Bruin athletes:
Cross Country:
>> The UCLA men’s and women’s teams will face some stiff competition this week in Eugene, Ore. at the second Bill Dellinger Invitational on Saturday. The UCLA men moved up to 21st in the national coaches’ rankings this week, but will be in a field that includes seven other ranked teams, including No. 1 Wisconsin, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Arkansas, No. 6 UTEP and No. 11 Portland, among others. UCLA’s unranked women’s team will face three ranked teams among the 15 entered: No. 4 Arkansas, No. 15 Georgia, No. 17 Washington and No. 24 Oregon.
Football:
>> Matthew Slater was named as the U.S. Bank Pacific-10 Conference Special Teams "Player of the Week." Slater had a key 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to help salt away a 44-31 win for the Bruins over Washington last week. It’s the third time in four weeks that a UCLA player has won weekly honors from the conference; quarterback Ben Olson did it in week one and punter Aaron Perez was named in week two.
Golf:
>> The men’s team was ranked second in the nation by GolfWeek and fifth in the GolfWorld coaches’ preseason poll. The Bruins return eight letter winners from the 2006 team that finished seventh in the nation. The season begins Oct. 21 with the Big Ten-Pac-10 Challenge hosted by Northwestern.
>> The No. 1-ranked women’s team is playing in the NCAA Fall Preview tournament in Albuquerque, N. M. that features the top 12 teams from last year’s NCAA Championships. The Bruins trailed by four strokes after one round of the three-round tournament.
Soccer:
>> Two members of the men’s team -– senior defenders Mike Zaher and Greg Folk -– were among 20 senior athletes nominated for the Lowe’s 2007 Senior CLASS Award. They’re co-captains this season, and were both Pac-10 All-Academic Honorable Mention selections in 2005 and 2006. The award is given in eight sports and recognizes a senior athlete who has excelled both on and off the field of play. Zaher was a preseason All-American pick while Folk captained the U.S. Pan American Games team this past summer.
>> The UCLA men’s team dropped in the national rankings this week to No. 10, 15, 17 or 18, depending on which poll you prefer. However, the Bruins get their leading scorer from 2006, sophomore David Estrada, back this week. He has been healing after foot surgery on Aug. 20.
Men’s Water Polo:
>> Scott Davidson’s five goals against sixth-ranked UC Irvine in a 12-11 Bruin win earned him Mikasa Mountain Pacific Sports Federation "Play of the Week" honors. The Bruins are now 8-1 and will face No. 4-ranked Stanford on Saturday along with a Sunday doubleheader at Santa Cruz. Davidson leads UCLA in scoring with 15 goals on the season.
Women’s Volleyball:
>> UCLA (12-1) remained fifth in the national rankings this week after beating Arizona and Arizona State at home last week, but travel to face No. 10 Cal on Thursday and No. 2 Stanford on Friday.
UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell talked about coaching "harder" last week, the definition of which was provided by defensive end Bruce Davis in a post-game interview with Kevin Pearson of the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
"He stayed in our face all week and he didn’t let up. That’s what a head coach is supposed to do and he did a great job of it.
"I didn’t like it so much when it was happening, but I appreciate it now. He did a great job of motivating us and keeping our heads on straight and keeping us focused."
The rest of Pearson’s Sunday story is here.
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