UCLA Hopes to Continue Roll to a Bowl

After staying at home and watching other teams play in bowl games the past two years, UCLA is on the verge of joining the postseason party again.

The Bruins, 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference, are two-touchdown favorites to beat Washington State today at the Rose Bowl, so they should keep bowling along, right?

Not necessarily. UCLA Coach Terry Donahue remembers only too well what happened in 1988, the last time his team played Washington State in Pasadena.

The Bruins had a 7-0 record and the No. 1 national ranking. Then, the Cougars upset the Bruins, 34-30, even though UCLA led, 27-6, early in the third quarter.

Washington State (3-4, 2-2), is evidently an improving team, having upset Arizona State, 17-3, two weeks ago at Tempe, Ariz.

The Cougars are led by Drew Bledsoe, a 6-foot-5, 231-pound sophomore quarterback.

The Cougars lead the conference in passing offense, averaging 268.7 yards. They use a wide-open, single-back attack with Bledsoe, tailback Shaumbe Wright-Fair and wide receivers Phillip Bobo and C.J. Davis.

Wright-Fair, a junior, is the Pac-10’s second-leading rusher behind California’s Russell White, averaging 101.7 yards.

After losing their first three games, the Cougars have won three of their last four, barely losing to USC, 34-27, on Oct. 12 at Pullman, Wash.

The Cougars are not as efficient defensively. They rank eighth in the conference in total defense, yielding an average of 386.1 yards.

However, in close games, Washington State has an edge because of kicker Jason Hanson.

Hanson, a senior premedical student from Spokane, is seemingly in another world, especially as a long-range kicker.

For his career, he has made 63% of his field goal attempts from 40 yards or farther. He is even more accurate, 64%, from 50 yards or farther.

Earlier in the season, he set an NCAA record for a field goal without a tee, kicking one from 62 yards against Nevada Las Vegas.

Cougar Coach Mike Price told Sports Illustrated: “When we get within 70 yards, I’ll look at him.”

Hanson was lined up for a 66-yard field goal attempt against Oregon State on Oct. 5, but the holder juggled the snap and the kick was not tried.

For the season, Hanson has made seven of 12 field goal attempts, with three of his misses coming from 50 yards or farther.

The NCAA rule narrowing the width of the goal posts to 18 feet 6 inches this season has hampered him to some extent. He narrowly missed a 57-yard try against Ohio State on Sept. 21.

Hanson is also the Pac-10’s leading punter, averaging 41.5 yards.

“I’ve never seen anyone kick a ball like that,” Donahue said. “He’s in a class by himself.”

Hanson has achieved most of his goals except one. He said he hasn’t attempted a game-winning kick with time running out.

Donahue hopes he doesn’t get that opportunity today.

Bruin Notes

UCLA tailback Shawn Wills is still listed as questionable for today’s game because of a bruised knee. Kevin Williams, who has a sprained ankle, and Ricky Davis, with a hamstring injury, are expected to play, but not extensively. They would be used when the Bruins are in passing formations, according to Coach Terry Donahue. . . . So the new Bruin tailback is Kevin Smith, a 256-pound fullback. Smith has had only limited playing time the last two games after sitting out three games because of a sprained left knee. . . . Washington State Coach Mike Price said UCLA is probably the best team his Cougars have played. “We’re a young, improving team, but we’re not where we need to be,” he said.

UCLA split end Sean LaChapelle, who has set a school record with 11 touchdown catches this season, is aiming for the Pac-10 record of 14 set by Arizona State’s Doug Allen in 1984. Bruin quarterback Tommy Maddox said one of the problems in trying to double-cover LaChapelle is that he lines up in so many different places. “By moving him around, we keep him open,” Maddox said. “I don’t know what (defenses) can do, but they have to start paying attention to him.”