Week 6: Washington State at UCLA

The Rose Bowl has a history of pairing up championship teams directed by veteran coaches and filled with pro-bound players. This is not one of those match-ups. Instead, two second-division Pac-10 entries with first-year head coaches will go at it inside this storied stadium, probably determining little more than who has fewer problems to solve.

Washington State might be the worst Pac-10 defensive team in modern times. The Cougars are serving up 44.4 points per game.  In two Pac-10 outings, they’ve waved across 66 and 63 – both at home. Now Paul Wulff’s team will see if stopping a conference opponent on the road is any easier. There has been so much unsteadiness across this defensive unit, through injury and poor play, senior linebacker Greg Trent and senior defensive tackle Matt Eichelberger are the only players to start all five games at the same position. Sophomore Myron Beck is another five-game defensive starter, splitting time between free safety and weakside linebacker, a highly chancy proposition at the latter spot with his 6’0” 207-pound frame. The Cougars rank next to last among the 119 major college teams in rushing defense (269 yards per game) and turnover margin (minus 2.6), and 117th in scoring defense.

UCLA, rebuilding under new coach Rick Neuheisel, has nearly as many loose ends. The Bruins have given up 37.5 points and 415 yards of total offense per game, failing to stay in anyone’s way long. Nonstop injuries have stripped Neuheisel of several veteran players, with senior offensive lineman Micah Reed typical of the coach’s misfortune. Reed sprained his right medial collateral knee ligament, forcing him from a previous game; he returned last week against Fresno State only to sprain his left one, knocking him out of action for two to four weeks. Kevin Craft’s quarterback inconsistencies have left the Bruins ranked last in the conference in scoring offense (17 ppg) and passing efficiency (98.52). The porous Cougars should provide an instant cure.

Notes:

The Cougars and Bruins have one thing in common: They’re both down to their third starting quarterbacks. Washington State lost junior Kevin Lopina and senior Gary Rogers to neck fractures against Portland State; UCLA had seniors Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson go down in the same practice with knee injuries. That leaves redshirt freshman Marshall Lobbestael taking snaps for the visitors, while Craft, a sophomore and former San Diego State player, pulls his third start.

Neuheisel will be facing the Cougars for the first time as UCLA’s coach, but he’s 5-0 against them at Washington (4-0) and Colorado (1-0).

The Bruins are 35-18-1 against Washington State, but have dropped the last two meetings, including 27-7 at Pullman last season.

UCLA has used 11 true freshmen players, one shy of the school record set in 2004; Washington State has played five. The Cougars have had 22 first-time starters so far this season.

Key Player (Cougars) – Greg Trent, LB

He’s the one real constant on defense. He leads his team in tackles with 33. He’s made 29 consecutive starts. He ranks 13th all-time with 268 career tackles. If only the Cougars had 10 more like him, think of the defense they could send on the field.

Key Player (Bruins) – Kahlil Bell, TB

UCLA seemed to get a much-needed offensive boost with Bell, back from an ankle injury, in the lineup against Fresno State. The senior contributed 73 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. He’d probably like another shot at the Cougars. Last year, he broke a 50-yard scoring run against them on his third carry; he blew up his right knee on his fourth carry and was lost for the season.

Bruins by 17