Seniors Realize the End Is Near

Three games ...

For the Bruin seniors, that’s what remains of their college football careers, not counting a possible bowl appearance. An exciting chapter in their lives is closing, with another soon to open, and it all weighs heavily on the minds of some.

“The whole season, I’ve been playing like that -- knowing that I have only so many games left to be a UCLA Bruin football player,” said Craig Bragg, who starts Saturday’s game against Washington State with 175 catches, needing five more to become the school’s all-time leader.

“In some ways I’m excited, and in other ways it’s like, man, I wish I had more time.”

Safety Ben Emanuel, second on the team with 58 tackles, said that this season seems to be going faster than any of the previous three, but that he’s been having too much fun to think much about it.

“No sad feelings at all,” he said. “This is like the climax of our season right now. We’re doing good. We’re going in the right direction now, and, hopefully, we can keep winning and keep playing well. I’m having fun, and I’m at the time of my life where I’m looking forward to whatever comes next.”

Tab Perry, who has 77 career receptions for 1,389 yards, said he’s savoring every moment of a season that almost never came to pass. He was academically ineligible and sat out the 2003 season, then was readmitted in August after getting caught up with his schoolwork and gaining approval from the NCAA.

“I definitely feel like I accomplished something,” he said. “And my reward is being able to finish out with all my brothers out here. It just feels good to be back out here with them.”

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Also beginning to weigh on the minds of some -- especially the seniors -- is the season-ending showdown against USC, a team the Bruins haven’t defeated since 1998.

Said Emanuel: “It’s going to be our last game, so it’ll be a big one. There’ll be a lot of emotions. It’s going to be a good time for us, and hopefully we can win [Saturday] and the next one [against Oregon] and set us up for whatever is going to happen.”

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Center Mike McCloskey, who suffered a concussion in last week’s game against Stanford, is still experiencing headaches and is doubtful for Saturday against the Cougars. He was to undergo tests Thursday evening.

McCloskey would be replaced by sophomore Robert Chai, whose other start was Oct. 9 against Arizona.