IN BRIEF
Pac-10 likely to have
two BCS representatives
The way things are going in the Pa
cific-10 Conference, there could be as
many teams playing in the four Bowl
Championship Series games as there
are in the other 24 bowls.
No. 1 Southern California can
clinch a berth in the Rose or Orange
bowl with a win against Arizona
this week, and No. 4 California is in
good position to grab an at-large
spot in the BCS with wins in its final
three games.
Arizona State and the winner of
this week’s UCLA-Oregon game also
will be bowl bound. But after that it
gets dicey. The conference could
have anywhere from zero to three
more bowl teams, leaving four spots
possibly open.
Being unable to fill all of its bowl
slots is less important to commis
sioner Tom Hansen than getting two
teams into the BCS for the third time
in the system’s seven years.
“That’s the important measure
ment,” Hansen said. “We’ve been
the best conference top to bottom
for a number of years. People said,
‘You have good teams but not great
teams.’ This year we have two great
ones. It’s a very fine development.
I’m proud of it.”
It also has some outside
observers very interested in how
the next few weeks play out in
the Pac-10.
Because every bowl berth the
Pac-10 doesn’t fill is one that could
open up for a school from the Mid
American Conference or an inde
pendent such as Navy.
Hansen has already given the Sili
con Valley Bowl and Emerald Bowl
permission to talk to other teams in
case the Pac-10 doesn’t have teams
for those games.
— The Associated Press
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should be strong for Oregon
Continued from page 2B
particularly against the run. UCLA
ranks dead last in the Pac-10 against
the run and the pass.
According to Bellotti, the Bruin de
fense has struggled due to youth and
inexperience up front, but isn’t
counting on them to fold in front of
the Oregon offense.
“Their defense, though at times
not playing the way they want,
shutout Stanford a couple of weeks
ago, which is a huge statement to
me,” Bellotti said. “I think their de
fensive line has been their problem
all year based on injuries and lack of
experienced personnel.”
A bright spot for the UCLA defense
has been the stellar and consistent
play of linebacker Spencer Havner.
The Butkus and Rotary Lombardi
Award semifinalist, given to the na
tion’s best linebacker and best line
man, respectively, is averaging a con
ference-high 12.2 tackles per game.
He leads the nation in solo tackles
with 8.1 per game.
Another bright spot for the Bruins
might be that three Oregon starters
are currently nursing injuries and are
seen as day-to-day decisions.
Wide receiver Demetrius Williams
continues to nurse a case of turf toe.
Tight end Tim Day’s ankle and calf
are healing, while offensive lineman
Robin Knebel is still recovering from
a previous ankle injury.
While the Ducks may be down a
few players, they still have dynamic
juniors in quarterback Kellen
Clemens and running back Terrence
Whitehead.
Clemens continues to step up his
game level, ranking just ahead of
Oregon State’s Derek Anderson to
lead the conference in total offense.
He ranks third in passing efficiency
and is tied for third in touchdown
passes after throwing four touch
downs against Cal last weekend.
But for the Ducks, their running
game will be the key against a weak
Bruin defense.
Whitehead is second in the confer
ence in rushing and fourth in all-pur
pose yardage.
Fullback Dante Rosario said his
team should have success this week
running the football.
“Washington State ran the ball for
300 yards, and it’s an opportunity for
us to have a big rushing game,”
Rosario said. “Terrence or whoever
runs the ball, if they run the ball
hard, they will have a big game.”
For Oregon, the win means more
than a bowl bid; it guarantees its
record-setting 11th consecutive win
ning season.
“A winning season is the first rally
ing cry,” Bellotti said. “Bowl eligibili
ty is the bonus on top of that... We
have the opportunity to go to a very
good bowl game.
“We just have to do our job.”
claytonjones @ dailyemerald. com
Pac-10: Arizona's defense will
be tested against No. 1 USC
Continued from page 11B
third, fourth and fifth, respectively,
in the conference in tackles and will
need to use good technique to put
Arrington to the turf and not allow
a second effort from him.
On Tliesday, Cal head coach Jeff
Tedford commented on Washington’s
defense and the Huskies in general.
“When you watch them on tape,
they have been snake-bitten a lot,”
Tedford said. “But their defense
straight win a career day for their
junior quarterback Matt Leinart,
who is a legitimate Heisman Trophy
candidate. Leinart leads the Trojans
and the second best offense in the
Pac-10 into this Saturday’s game
looking to stay undefeated and
bound for the Orange Bowl in early
January. If the Trojans win, they will
capture at least a portion of the Pac
10 Championship.
On Tliesday, Southern California
is piaying
pretty well.
They’re fly
ing around;
they’re play
ing hard,
and there is
no evidence
of quit any
where in
them.”
“We don’t have any consistency,
and more than that, we
haven’t been able to make big
plays... Everything’s hard
right now offensively. ”
Keith Gilbertson | Washington head coach
neaa coacn
Pete Carroll
expressed his
team’s excite
ment for this
Saturday and
the close of
the regular
season.
“It’s really
fun for us, af
Eidintri m int* vvciMimgiuii
head coach Keith Gilbertson ex
pressed little concern for his defense
in this Saturday’s game but acknowl
edged his dismay for his team’s lack
of offense.
“We don’t have any consistency,
and more than that, we haven’t
been able to make big plays,”
Gilbertson said. “Everything’s hard
right now offensively. ”
Arizona (2-7, 1-5)
at No. 1 Southern
California (9-0, 6-0)
It is a good thing that Arizona beat
Washington last weekend to give
first-year head coach Mike Stoops the
first conference win of his career be
cause this Saturday they go on the
road to face the top-ranked team in
the nation.
The Trojans of Southern Califor
nia have amassed an 18-game win
ning streak in the course of two sea
sons and aim to make their 19th
ter all of these games, to now have
an opportunity to play for a Rose
Bowl bid,” Carroll said. “It’s an in
credible accomplishment for us. We
have to do a tremendous job in
preparation this week to focus and
get our job done.”
Arizona’s defense will have
its hands full all game trying to
keep pace with Leinart and sopho
more tailback Reggie Bush. The
Wildcats are currently ranked fifth
in the conference in total defense,
but did not fair well last time they
faced Cal — a team of similar cal
iber in offense to the Trojans. In last
week’s 23-13 win over Washington
in Thscon, Ariz., the Wildcats
shutout the Huskies in the second
half and scored their first defensive
touchdown of the season on fresh
man cornerback Wilrey ‘ 33-yard
fumble recovery.
Scott J. Adams is a freelance sports
reporter for the Daily Emerald
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