UCLA’s Goal in Berkeley: Not Allow Cal to Ruin Its Fiesta

The previous two opponents, both ranked and well-regarded, are in the rearview mirror, behind UCLA on the timeline and in the standings, having been disposed of with a sense of accomplishment offering instant gratification.

In its place comes survival. That, and, barring unexpected developments, a delayed payoff that may not happen until January, offering instead something of a methodical existence that starts today at Memorial Stadium. No 10th-ranked Arizona on the road. No 11th-ranked Oregon.

It’s California, a respectable 4-2 overall but also scoring at a rate of almost a touchdown per game fewer than any other team in the Pacific 10.

Followed by 1-6 Stanford.

And then Oregon State, which is 4-3, but at the expense of Nevada, Baylor, Utah State and the aforementioned Cardinal.

To think each of those games will be bigger to UCLA than actual showdowns against Arizona and Oregon. Such is life in the single-elimination tournament that is its pursuit of the national title, now a goal so realistic that the course is to hold the spot against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

If the regular season had ended this morning, the Bruins would be ticketed for Tempe, Ariz., a direction finder that can be an inspiration for the lofty aspiration. Comfort also comes in the possibility that, while mostly being in control of their destiny, allowing wiggle room for the whims of poll voters and the computer chips, they may not face another ranked team until the bowl, depending on the fluctuating fortunes of USC and Washington.

“They had a lot of success last year, winning 10 in a row, had a great bowl effort and carried that on into this season, so they have a lot of confidence,” Cal Coach Tom Holmoe said. “If they think of it as destiny, so be it. Whatever it is that they’re thinking, they’re confident. And there’s nothing like momentum or confidence for a team.”

And then there’s the caution, coming with the reality that more pressure comes with each week they remain undefeated, that every opponent knows it will make national headlines by beating the No. 2 team in the country. Life in the cross hairs.

“It’s real hard,” senior fullback Craig Walendy said. “I remember days, my first years here, when we were the underdogs and were always trying to knock off the big guys. We always wanted to beat those teams. I didn’t know what kind of pressure goes with it.”

Said tight end Mike Grieb, another senior, “When you’re that highly ranked, you know you’re going to get the best game that your opponent has to offer. It’s difficult when you have young guys that you’re trying to bring along that haven’t really been in that situation before. They might be a little wide-eyed. But that’s what the seniors are for. We need to make sure that they are focused and concentrating.

“There’s a greater sense of urgency whenever you’re playing a game with so much riding on the line. . . . There is pressure. I don’t think our season would be completely ruined if we lost a game, but it would definitely kill our chances at a national championship.”

As much as they stick to the prescribed one-game-at-a-time mantra, no Bruin is unaware of the stakes that each game now brings, massive even against Cal or Stanford or Oregon State. They can lose and still win the conference title, get an admirable prize like a berth in the Rose Bowl game, but wouldn’t that be a disappointment?

So welcome to their biggest game, updated list. To be followed Monday by a new version.

“They know that,” Coach Bob Toledo said. “Like I told them, it’s a carrot out in front of ‘em. And the thing that I try to emphasize to them is that there’s some things in life that you don’t get many shots at, and right now we’ve got a chance. We’ve positioned ourselves to possibly play for a national championship, but we can’t stub our toe. And they know that, and that’s pressure. But, again, if they respond to that pressure, then we’re going to be fine.

“The young guys understand, and it’s part of my job to make sure they understand. If you lose the game, [Cal is] in the driver’s seat [in the conference race]. They win the rest of the games, they go because they beat us. We can’t afford to lose the game.”

And the shot at a national championship.

“And that too,” Toledo said.

Yeah, that too.

UCLA at Cal

Today, 12:30 p.m.

Ch. 7, AM 1150