But Will the Wait Be Worth It?

With the runaway victory over Stanford still vivid in their minds, the Trojans enjoyed the first of two days off Sunday, pointing to their next game--Nov. 21 against UCLA, after this week’s open date.

“The biggest thing I want to accomplish now is get our team healthy and fresh and feeling good about themselves to go play UCLA,” said Coach Paul Hackett, who said he wouldn’t even go to the office Sunday.

“They’ve got to go up and play Washington [on Saturday], and we know what it’s like to play Washington. We’re going to take a few days off and really savor the win.”

Asked if they want UCLA to win or lose at Washington, Trojan players said they preferred the Bruins to be undefeated come Nov. 21 at the Rose Bowl.

“We have a chance to ruin their whole season,” senior cornerback Daylon McCutcheon said. “I want to be the one who does that.”

McCutcheon, of course, has never beaten the Bruins, because UCLA has a seven-game winning streak over USC.

“The thing about UCLA is that we’ve got to make the big plays against them,” McCutcheon said. “That’s what we haven’t done against them. It’s not like they’ve been blowing us out.”