A Loss May Have Upside

Add one more absurdity to the bowl scenario.

UCLA could find itself in a better bowl game playing against a better opponent by losing to Washington State on Saturday.

A UCLA loss would put Washington State in the Rose Bowl as Pacific 10 Conference champion, leaving second-place USC to accept an invitation to a BCS game -- probably either the Orange Bowl or Sugar Bowl.

Arizona State would be alone in third place, but if the Holiday Bowl prefers UCLA, the Bruins would head to San Diego for the Dec. 27 game.

The Holiday Bowl contract allows it to choose any bowl-eligible Pac-10 team if two teams from the conference gain BCS bids. And the Holiday could very well choose UCLA because of its proximity to San Diego and a solid television potential.

However, a UCLA victory would put USC in the Rose Bowl and knock Washington State to the Holiday. The Sun Bowl would have first choice between the teams tied for third -- UCLA and Arizona State -- and the Insight Bowl would get the other. It is expected that the Sun Bowl would take Arizona State, leaving UCLA to play in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 26 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix.

UCLA’s opponent in the Holiday would be Oklahoma (if the Sooners lose Saturday to Colorado) or Kansas State. The non-Pac-10 team in the Insight Bowl probably will be Pittsburgh.

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UCLA is preparing as if Washington State’s Jason Gesser will play Saturday. The senior quarterback will practice today and split repetitions all week with backup Matt Kegel.

Gesser, who has passed for 5,932 yards the last two seasons, suffered a high ankle sprain in the Cougars’ triple-overtime loss to Washington on Nov. 23. He is undergoing six hours of treatment a day.

“He’s 50-50, and I’m staying firm on that until Saturday,” Coach Mike Price said. “We’re not going to play him if he’s going to get himself hurt. He has to be able to move. He has to be pretty healthy to play.”

Price admitted that he plans to keep UCLA off balance and not announce until game time whether Gesser will play.

“[UCLA defensive coordinator] Phil Snow doesn’t need any more information,” Price said.

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Much has been made of UCLA’s talented freshman class, but the four Bruins chosen to the All-Pac-10 team are seniors -- tight end Mike Seidman, tackle Mike Saffer, cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. and punter Nate Fikse.

Manning was picked for the third year in a row and Fikse is a repeat choice.

Coach Bob Toledo said he was disappointed that junior defensive end Dave Ball, who has 10.5 sacks, was not a first-team pick.

Ball made the second team along with tailback Tyler Ebell, tackle Bryce Bohlander, guard Eyoseph Efseaff and linebacker Marcus Reese.

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Bruin receiver Tab Perry is questionable with a high ankle sprain, defensive tackle C.J. Niusulu is out because of appendicitis and receiver Ryan Smith will have ankle surgery Wednesday.