Advertisement

Different Approach to Bowl

Share
Times Staff Writer

When UCLA played in the Las Vegas Bowl two years ago, the trip to the desert marked the end of a disappointing season.

That’s not the case this year for the 6-5 Bruins, who are more than happy to be playing anywhere in a bowl game after having been picked to finish eighth in the Pacific 10 Conference.

“It’s like night and day, compared to the last time we were here,” senior running back Manuel White said after Thursday’s news conference for the game Dec. 23 against Wyoming at Sam Boyd Stadium. “It’s a totally different attitude this year.”

Advertisement

In 2002, Coach Karl Dorrell had already been named to replace the fired Bob Toledo but he watched the game on television as interim coach Ed Kezirian presided over the Bruins’ 27-13 victory over New Mexico.

Since then, UCLA has had its ups and downs, but the Bruins believe that they are on the rise after defeating Oregon on the road and giving No. 1 USC all it could handle in their last two games.

“I don’t look at it like, ‘Oh, it’s [just] the Las Vegas bowl,’ ” Dorrell said earlier this week. “It’s any bowl opportunity you can get. I’m looking at the progress of what our team did from last year to this year.”

A year ago, UCLA limped into the Silicon Valley Classic with a four-game losing streak and lost to Fresno State, ending a 6-7 season. This year, the Bruins have shown improvement in their final games, which is an important step to Dorrell.

Like UCLA, 6-5 Wyoming also proved critics wrong this season. The Cowboys were picked to finish in last place in the Mountain West Conference, but here they are, playing in their first bowl game in 11 years.

“This is all new to us,” senior linebacker Guy Tuell said. “This is the first bowl game for any of us since we’ve been in college.”

Advertisement

Wyoming, which has not won a bowl game since defeating Florida State in the Sun Bowl in 1966, is expected to have plenty of support here. The Cowboys have sold nearly 5,000 tickets for the game in a week and Tuell said there probably would be a lot more.

*

Senior Chris Kluwe, a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s top punter, finished behind Baylor’s Daniel Sepulveda, who won the award Thursday. Junior Marcedes Lewis, a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end, finished behind Virginia’s Heath Miller, who won in the closest finish ever for the award.

Advertisement