Holy Toledo! Big Game Becomes Tossup Again

I should know by now that you can’t fall asleep before a Bruin-Trojan football game thinking you already know which team is going to win. A little over three weeks ago I had it all figured out. See what I mean?

The Trojans go into this game as a team that no one expected would even be in the ballgame, so they can let it all hang out. Yet, they may be feeling a little pressure in that they have to win to get a bowl bid. The Bruin season seems to be going south. Yet, they’ve lost the last three games to pretty strong teams.

Because the game starts at 3:30, the only thing I know is that it’s not going to be over until after the sun goes down. That’s a sure thing. The game is too close to call.

Robert H. Williams

Monterey Park

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Amid the roller coaster season for UCLA football, Bruin fans have had to revise expectations considerably.

Before the season, we hoped for a defense that wouldn’t embarrass us and that we would be “bowl eligible.” After six games, we hoped for a spot in the Rose Bowl. After the Stanford loss, we hoped for a Fiesta Bowl berth. After two losses and DeShaun Foster’s suspension, we hoped for an improbable win against Oregon. Now that we have our season in ruins, our fervent last hope is to prevent USC from becoming bowl eligible and to finish ahead of them in the Pac-10.

Ron Nakamura

Duarte

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A gutty performance by an undermanned Bruin team was completely tarnished by the gutless play-calling of their coach against Oregon. If Bob Toledo is that afraid to throw the ball in that situation, then UCLA should have just quick-kicked on first down or forfeited the game in the first place.

Steve Ramsey

Arcadia

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While Peter Dalis has spent so much time (rightfully so) worrying that Steve Lavin would be his lasting legacy, he seems to have neglected the crumbling at the other end of the hall, in Bob Toledo’s office.

I have supported Toledo’s tenure, but now I see a trend where UCLA gets worse as the season goes along, not better, peaking somewhere around mid-October. I see a coach who is unable to stop the bleeding ... when a heartbreaking loss happens it is sure to be followed by another couple of losses.

Worst of all is what I hear. Leaving the Oregon game I heard a middle-aged UCLA alum proclaim, “We only lost by one point to a top-10 team. We’re getting there.” Bob Toledo has taken a program that he had growing into a regular BCS contender and turned it back into Terry Donahue’s gutty little Bruins.

Toledo’s football program is struggling. Lavin is, well, Lavin. Anyone know how I can get season seats for volleyball?

Tony Siracusa

Pasadena

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Bill Plaschke suggests that next season Toledo needs “to find new faith in his quarterback, or a new quarterback.”

The third alternative is to find a new coach to put an end to the disastrous conclusions of the last few seasons.

Dan Anzel

Los Angeles

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Rather than look across town for finger-pointers in the “Fostergate” saga, UCLA should look to USC for a solution. The answer is clear. Foster should marry Eric Laneuville’s daughter. Come on, DeShaun, take one for the team!

Hans Ghaffari

Santa Monica

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With UCLA visiting the Coliseum today, I’m so happy that USC has finally gotten to the soft part of its schedule.

Adam James

Newport Beach

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Here’s a quick quiz and reality check for die-hard Bruin fans and the entire Times sports section (sorry for the redundancy).

Which L.A. school most recently: 1. won a national championship in football; 2. won a national championship in baseball; 3. won a Rose Bowl game; 4. advanced to the Elite Eight in basketball?

The answer comes festooned in Cardinal and Gold.

Ed Olson

Eagle Rock