UCLA Studies History Lesson

Cornerback Matt Ware will not suit up for today’s Pacific 10 Conference game at Stanford, but the UCLA junior made sure his presence was felt this week, hobbling from player to player to deliver a message as the Bruins stretched before Tuesday’s practice.

“He talked to each guy, and he said, ‘Remember the last time we went to Stanford, remember that game, remember what we’ve got to do,’ ” said Eyoseph Efseaff, UCLA’s junior offensive guard. “This one has a little extra meaning to it.”

There is concern in some Bruin circles that UCLA will take Stanford lightly today, making the Bruins vulnerable to an upset, much as they were when they eked out a 24-21 victory over lowly Arizona on Oct. 11.

The Bruins have won five in a row and are tied with Washington State for the conference lead, the Cardinal has lost four in a row and is in last place, and a peek past Stanford reveals the real challenge of UCLA’s schedule -- games against Washington State, Oregon and USC.

But those who have been in the Bruin program for three years, the seniors and juniors who played in 2001, probably will be consumed by the one emotion that is sure to block out even the slightest trace of complacency: revenge.

The Bruins were 6-0 and ranked fourth in the country the last time they played in Stanford Stadium, their hopes for a national championship buoyed by an improved defense that was good enough to rival their high-powered offense.

The game began with Bruin linebacker Ryan Nece returning a fumble 39 yards for a touchdown, glaring into the television cameras and thumping his chest after he reached the end zone.

“We were like, ‘Hey, we’re going to get these guys,’ ” Efseaff said.

By the third quarter, UCLA trailed, 31-7. A furious fourth-quarter rally led by reserve quarterback Scott McEwan fell short, and the Bruins, who turned only two of six Stanford turnovers into points, lost to the 20th-ranked Cardinal, 38-28.

“Everybody thought we were hot stuff,” UCLA junior cornerback Matt Clark said. “We overlooked them and got a loss.”

UCLA also lost its next three games, to Washington State, Oregon and USC, before salvaging a season-ending victory over Arizona State. Instead of closing in a BCS bowl game, the Bruins played in no bowl game.

“They came out and played harder than we did; we had our opportunities and fell short,” Efseaff said of the Stanford game. “We should have won, and they knocked us off. That killed our season. We ended up losing four straight games.”

Though neither team is ranked this season, there are some parallels to 2001. UCLA is riding a winning streak and is a heavy favorite against a struggling Stanford team that was shut out by Oregon last week, 35-0.

“When you think a team is down, that’s when they should scare you the most,” defensive end Dave Ball said. “When a team is 2-4, you’re not going to look at them the same way you would an Oklahoma -- that’s just natural -- but we can’t take this game lightly. We need this win.

“The meat of our schedule is coming up, and we need as much momentum as possible, going into the Washington State game. Plus, depending on what happens in the Washington State-USC game [today], Washington State could be coming off a loss, and we could be alone in first place ... but I’m getting ahead of myself.”

Which is exactly what Coach Karl Dorrell doesn’t want his players to do. It’s November, UCLA is in first place, and some Bruin fans are talking about the Rose Bowl, but Dorrell wants the focus to remain firmly on the present.

“It’s hard to ignore the fact that we’re in the Pac-10 race,” Dorrell said. “We’re 4-0 with four games left, and as much as you want to guard against it ... my challenge is to keep them focused for this week and worry about succeeding weeks when we get to them. We’re in a good position now, in the top tier of the conference, and we have to take advantage of what we have before us, which is Stanford.”

The Cardinal may be young and inexperienced -- of Stanford’s 94 players, 47 are true freshmen or redshirt freshmen -- and it may have the conference’s least productive offense at 295.3 yards a game, but it has a decent defensive line, an outstanding safety in Oshiomogho Atogwe and an elusive and extremely pesky little wide receiver in Luke Powell, a 5-foot-8, 175-pound senior.

And UCLA will be without three of its best players -- Ware and defensive tackle Rodney Leisle, with high ankle sprains, and running back Manuel White, with a broken shoulder blade.

But quarterback Matt Moore will be making his second start since recovering from a season-opening knee injury, and Dorrell said the sophomore will be more effective, having knocked the rust off against Arizona State last Saturday.

And the offensive line, with the addition of freshman Kevin Brown, a converted defensive tackle, at right guard, is coming off its best game, having cleared the way for a season-high 213 yards rushing against Arizona State.

“Last week we faced eight men in the box -- that’s a lot of guys -- and we rushed for more than 200 yards,” Efseaff said. “That was the biggest boost of confidence we’ve had all year, because that’s what we pride ourselves on, running the ball. Stanford’s defense is a little different, but they’re coming after you. They blitz from every different direction, and they have nothing to lose.”

Unlike the Bruins, who have plenty to lose.

Just like the last time they played at Stanford.