Arizona, UCLA Face Historical Imperative

Even though it’s early and the Pacific 10 Conference race hasn’t been sorted out yet, today’s game at the Rose Bowl between UCLA and Arizona has special significance.

UCLA is the conference leader with a 2-0 record, 2-2 overall. Arizona is 1-1 in the league and 3-1 overall.

“If we win today, we’ll be 3-0 and in the hunt (for the championship),” UCLA Coach Terry Donahue said.

But Arizona can’t afford another conference defeat. Since 1957, only two teams--Washington in 1981 and UCLA in 1985--have won the conference title with as many as two losses.

The Bruins don’t have to be reminded that they had a 2-0 conference record last year when they were routed by Arizona in Tucson, 42-7.

That was a watershed game for UCLA, which was winless the rest of the season and finished 3-7-1 overall and 2-5-1 in the Pac-10 for ninth place.

Arizona finished in a tie for second in the Pac-10 with a 5-3 record, 8-4 overall.

Some UCLA players say that they spent a week preparing for Arizona’s wishbone offense last year and were stunned when the Wildcats ran a power-I formation.

Donahue says that was a factor, but not necessarily the definitive reason for the one-sided defeat.

“There was just no way that the speed and intensity of our players compared to Arizona,” Donahue said.

UCLA may not be much faster this season, but Donahue says the team has a better attitude and is more effective offensively.

Tommy Maddox, a redshirt freshman quarterback, has supplied the spark.

He didn’t start until the third game against Michigan after coming off the bench against Stanford the previous week to lead the Bruins to a 32-31 victory.

Maddox has already directed 13 scoring drives, the longest taking 4 minutes 15 seconds. He has completed 55.9% of his 111 passes for 976 yards and four touchdowns and has thrown five interceptions.

Arizona is a more run-oriented team. The Wildcats lead the conference in rushing offense, averaging 224.5 yards a game.

Coach Dick Tomey employs several running backs in his power-I and option offense. However, the team’s leading ground gainer, Art Greathouse, might not play today because of bruised ribs.

The Wildcats are averaging only 70.5 yards passing a game and are the only team in the conference not averaging at least 145 yards passing.

Nonetheless, Tomey is satisfied with his quarterbacks, Ronald Veal and George Malauulu, formerly of Carson High School.

“We have two good ones,” said Tomey. “I think it’s our strongest position on the team in terms of what they do to help our offense.

“Our offense is different than most teams in the league. I see no reason why we shouldn’t play both of them. They have a little bit different strengths. I don’t think we suffer in terms of confidence as a team, or they suffer at all individually if we take one of them out.”

Veal, the senior starter, has a strong arm and his completion percentage is 64% this season, but he is averaging only six passes a game.

He has run for 110 yards.

Malauulu, a sophomore who replaced Veal in last Saturday’s 30-25 loss to California, is more of a passer than Veal, although he completed only seven of 19 passes for 131 yards.