The Test of Time Is Now

There has been time spent licking emotional wounds suffered against Arizona and Arizona State.

Time for introspection.

Time for bruises to heal.

More important, time for Stanford to spend preparing to play UCLA today.

Time can be a precious commodity in a football season, often curing all ills. Pacific 10 Conference teams are 6-1 this season in games after open dates, and the Cardinal, 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the conference, has just had one.

UCLA has played six games in a row.

That the 12th-ranked Bruins (6-2, 4-1) have won all six is a factor, as is their relative injury-free status. But time is on Stanford’s side.

“It’s been a great time for a week off,” said Cardinal quarterback Chad Hutchinson, who contributed to Stanford’s woes with two interceptions in a 31-14 loss to Arizona State two weeks ago. “It’s something we really needed.”

Hutchinson’s mistakes have been only a small part of Stanford’s problems in its last two games, both losses. The Cardinal had won three games in a row with Anthony Bookman and Mike Mitchell running for 100 yards each in all three, but in the last two games, the running game has become the fumbling game. There have been eight fumbles over that span.

“We can’t exactly pinpoint how much of it is fundamentals, how much of it is just lack of concentration, how much of it is our opponent,” Stanford Coach Tyrone Willingham said.

If the Cardinal hasn’t pinpointed the problem in the last two weeks, it could be in serious trouble. UCLA has recovered 16 fumbles and intercepted 15 passes. No other team in the nation has generated more turnovers, and Willingham’s worst nightmare is that the pins aren’t yet pointed, that Stanford’s fate today rests on following the bouncing ball.

UCLA Coach Bob Toledo is having nothing of that.

“They’ve had a week off, so they should be a little fresher, well prepared,” said Toledo, talking himself into a headache and preparing a speech for the Bruins, reminding them that they are playing against Stanford, but also against complacency. They have won six games in a row, but what have they done lately?

Lately, in this case, means a three-hour period this afternoon.

“They’re coming off two very difficult losses, and Ty hasn’t lost three in a row since he’s been there,” Toledo said.

“They’ve been 6-1 in November since he’s been there. It’s homecoming, I believe. I’m concerned about a lot of things. They’ve got a lot of weapons. They can run the ball and throw the ball. Defensively, they’ve got some talented athletes.”

They are things Toledo has talked about with the Bruins all week. Much of the talk has been heated.

“You win six in a row and you start thinking you’re pretty good,” he said. “And you forget what got you there, so I’m hard on them. I want them to know it’s going to be a tough, tough football game and they’ve got to be prepared to play.”

Willingham is a bit more understated.

Two weeks helps to “look at your opponent a little bit,” he said.

UCLA’s defense vexes coaches with its intricate stunts, blitzes and disguised pass coverage. Particularly coaches who have three days to prepare for it.

Stanford has had almost two weeks.

“They can do a lot better job in analyzing what you do, breaking down your tendencies, in two weeks than if they have only three or four days,” Toledo reminded.

And Stanford has had two weeks to home in on tradition.

It’s Nov. 1, and the Cardinal is 20-6 in the season’s final month since 1989.

“The real season is still in front of us,” Willingham said. “We have four games left to play.”

Four games to determine Stanford’s bowl destiny.

UCLA, which has won the last two times it has played in Stanford Stadium, has three games left, and after today, the Bruins will have an open date.

Two weeks to prepare for Washington. Two weeks to lick wounds, suffered today against Stanford. Or two weeks to relish a seventh victory.

Two weeks for introspection. Or two weeks for celebration.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NEXT FOR UCLA

WHO: Stanford

WHERE: Stanford Stadium

WHEN: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: Channel 9

RADIO: AM 1150