Decision on Miami Game Due Soon

Athletic Director Pete Dalis said he expects to decide by the end of the week, next Monday at the latest, whether UCLA will reschedule its game against Miami. It will go against the wishes of many in the football program if he chooses to have the Bruins play Dec. 5 in the Orange Bowl.

“Ultimately, it’s my decision,” Dalis said Monday. “I’m certain I’ll disappoint people one way or another.”

The strange part is, it may well be his own team, which isn’t thrilled about going to Miami two weeks after playing USC in what now stands as the regular-season finale. Most notably, rescheduling would cost the Bruins the weekend during the valuable time when high school recruits are able to make campus visits, and also cut into the chance for players to go home for Thanksgiving.

Miami wants to play--and by saying so publicly has put pressure on UCLA to come to South Florida the first weekend of December or risk the appearance, whether deserved or not, that the Bruins are ducking a game. That, in turn, could influence some poll voters.

Chances of rescheduling would have been better if Miami had been able to delay its Nov. 28 game at Syracuse for a week, but the Orangemen already have basketball scheduled at the Carrier Dome on Dec. 5.

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When Jermaine Lewis and Keith Brown each ran for two touchdowns Saturday against Washington State, it was the first time the Bruins had two players rush for a pair of touchdowns since Cade McNown and Skip Hicks did it against USC in 1996. Then there was DeShaun Foster, behind Lewis and Brown on the depth chart at tailback, averaging 6.4 yards in his 12 carries, worth 77 yards in all.

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Kickoff for the Oct. 17 game against Oregon at the Rose Bowl has been set for 12:30 p.m. It will be televised by Channel 7.