Toledo Lectures Against a Letdown

Bob Toledo won’t forget it, and he won’t let anybody else forget it. UCLA has gotten a dose of history this week, the latest chapter coming Thursday.

As the Bruins huddled around him at Spaulding Field, he recited chapter and verse of a game during his first year as offensive coordinator at UCLA.

“We had just beaten a good Tennessee team,” he said. “And we were playing SMU, which had come off the death penalty. And we beat them, what, 10-7?”

It was 17-10, and embarrassingly so. And the victory came only when the Bruins turned a Southern Methodist charge back in the late going.

“You have to respect your opponent,” Toledo said. “We respect Houston. They’ve got some good football players over there.”

The Cougars also have a 1-3 record and a defense that has given up an average of 39.3 points a game. They are injury-laden and gave up 43 points in the game they won, against Minnesota, 45-43.

And UCLA is a prohibitive favorite.

“But remember SMU,” said Toledo, repeating it again.

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Javelin Guidry’s knee is sound enough for him to start Saturday, but look for freshman Jason Bell to get playing time at cornerback. Also expect to see Damian Allen, as coaches try to determine which one has the best future at the position. . . . Shaun Williams will start at free safety for the second week in a row after missing two games because of a sprained ankle. Toledo calls him “80%,” though Williams slightly re-injured the ankle in last week’s victory over Arizona.

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NEXT UP FOR UCLA

WHO: Houston

WHERE: Rose Bowl

WHEN: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: Fox Sports West 2

RADIO: AM 1150