Solid Start Improves Forecast

Braced to weather storms in consecutive road games, UCLA found Mother Nature surprisingly hospitable.

Wretched humidity, menacing thunderstorms and frightening lightning was forecast at Lawrence and Tuscaloosa, Ala. It was all true--but passed before game time.

At Alabama on Sept. 1, rain cut the humidity then stopped less than an hour before kickoff and UCLA won, 20-17.

At Kansas, tornadoes, hail and severe thunderstorms struck the night before the Bruins’ 41-17 victory on Saturday.

On Friday, breathless local weather reporters said hail near Wichita was “the size of peaches.” Later the description was downgraded to “the size of tennis balls,” and finally, “the size of golf balls.”

Three tornado watches were in effect and residents were told to secure themselves in their homes. Worse, the storms were headed straight to Lawrence.

Lightning and torrential rain hit Friday night, but by game time skies were blue and temperatures in the 80s.

The sunshine brought out the best in UCLA. DeShaun Foster had no trouble running to daylight, gaining 189 yards, 10 more than he was credited with Saturday because of an error by Kansas statisticians.

“People talked about the weather being a problem but both fields have been great,” Foster said. “The rain was never a factor.”

Snow, however, had an impact. First-year defensive coordinator Phil Snow’s retooled scheme has produced back-to-back solid efforts. UCLA has held consecutive opponents to fewer than 20 points for the first time since 1997.

Kansas had only one drive of more than 23 yards against the Bruins’ first-string defense. UCLA caused three turnovers, had four sacks and held Jayhawk running backs to 48 yards rushing.

“We’re off to a good start and are looking forward to playing at home, but that’s the extent of it,” linebacker Robert Thomas said. “We have a lot of work to do. We aren’t getting all full of ourselves.”

If it’s not the heat, it’s the humility.

Although the Bruins have displayed admirable resilience in traveling a long way two weeks in a row for nonconference games, they realize more important games are in front of them.

Several, of course, will be played at their home away from campus, the Rose Bowl. In the next six weeks, only a Sept. 29 game at Oregon State is on the road.

The Bruins face Arizona State on Saturday night in their home and Pacific 10 Conference opener. For the third week in a row, they must prepare for a team with a revamped coaching staff.

Challenges continue. But the threat of Southern humidity, Midwestern twisters and bizarre icy projectiles is behind them.