Manning Is Ready for Matchup With Woods

It’s the first marquee matchup of the UCLA season, and it couldn’t be more visible.

UCLA’s Ricky Manning Jr., a two-time All-Pacific 10 cornerback, will cover Oklahoma State’s Rashaun Woods, an All-Big 12 receiver who had 80 catches last season.

One on one. Manning o mano.

Woods will split out wide. Manning will crowd the line of scrimmage and crouch a few feet from the receiver’s face.

They’ll talk, saying things no one but them can hear.

They’ll bump at the snap, race downfield, leap and struggle for a spiral, doing things everyone at Oklahoma State’s Lewis Field can see.

And they’ll repeat it for four quarters. Woods is a go-to guy and Manning is a guy who makes opponents sorry they went to their go-to guy.

“I’m more excited about this week than last week,” Manning said. “I can put myself on the map, prove myself as a premier cornerback, represent my school, myself and my conference.”

Woods has already done plenty of proving. The junior had nine catches for 175 yards last week against Northern Iowa and 10 catches for 126 yards and three touchdowns in the Cowboy opener against Louisiana Tech.

He led the Big 12 with 1,023 receiving yards last season and is already No. 2 on Oklahoma State’s career receiving list with 128, trailing Hart Lee Dykes (203).

“They isolate [Woods] as much as possible, and as soon as they see him one-on-one with somebody, they throw to him,” said Phil Snow, the Bruin defensive coordinator.

Snow is shrewd enough to have a contingency plan as well.

“We’re working on other things in case Ricky isn’t playing, in case he’s injured,” Snow said. “He’ll line up one-on-one against him throughout the game, although sometimes that will be to disguise something else.”

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Guard Eyoseph Efseaff sat out the first series against Colorado State for violating a team rule. Efseaff, a sophomore two-year starter, will start Saturday.

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Asi Faoa’s request for work furlough will be addressed today in Los Angeles Superior Court. The junior defensive end was sentenced to 180 days in jail a year ago for misdemeanor assault stemming from a March 2000 fight at a fraternity party.

Faoa settled a civil suit last summer with the victim, Rodrigo DeZubiria. Faoa will pay DeZubiria $100,000 if he makes an NFL roster within three years after leaving UCLA.

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Thunderstorms are forecast for Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, which could help UCLA.

The Bruins displayed a strong ground game against Colorado State, pounding for 215 yards behind a veteran offensive line. Oklahoma State is a pass-oriented team.