Finishing Kick Is His Wish

Recent UCLA-Oregon games have tended to come down to long field-goal attempts. If it happens again Saturday, redshirt freshman Justin Medlock says he’s ready.

“I’ve been waiting for this game,” said Medlock, who is 12 for 14 this season with two 48-yard field goals.

“I know it’s going to come down to a kick, just the types of teams we are. It’s not like we’re going to go kill them, 50-0.”

Last season, Oregon won, 31-30, after Chris Griffith had missed a 46-yard attempt in the final two minutes.

Two seasons ago, Griffith’s last-ditch 50-yard attempt failed as time ran out in a 21-20 UCLA loss.

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UCLA will play its 11th game in 11 weeks Saturday, and the Bruins’ game at USC on Nov. 22 will be their 12th in 12 weeks. There was no bye on the schedule.

But Coach Karl Dorrell doesn’t recommend a college football team’s going wire to wire with no pit stops, and he plans to take a more active role in arranging the Bruins’ future schedules.

“I got here and it was like, ‘Karl, here’s your schedule,’ “Dorrell said. “We’ll try to do a better job of getting some space in between some things....

“Sometimes, when you have no bye weeks and you have good health and a good rhythm, you don’t like to break that string, but you know how football is.

“You’re going to have injuries, and your bumps and bruises don’t have the proper time to heal. You need some time to get your legs back underneath you.”

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Reserve quarterback John Sciarra, who was arrested in Newport Beach over the summer on suspicion of public intoxication and providing false information to a police officer, pleaded guilty this week in Orange County Superior Court to a lesser charge of disturbing the peace.

Sciarra was put on three years’ probation, ordered to perform 10 days of community service and to attend 10 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

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Defensive tackle Rodney Leisle and cornerback Matt Ware, both limited by ankle injuries for much of the last month, are expected to start against Oregon.... Saturday’s game has been designated Veteran and Armed Forces Appreciation Day at the Rose Bowl. Current or former members of the armed forces in uniform or with ID will receive one free reserved seat with the purchase of a reserved seat, or they can receive free general admission tickets while supplies last.... Defensive end Dave Ball has been named one of 15 players to watch for the Walter Camp Football Foundation player-of-the-year award.

Times staff writer Mike DiGiovanna contributed to this report.