Bruins feel neglected in BCS talk

Every time No. 2 USC is billed as the future opponent for No. 1 Ohio State in the Bowl Championship Series title game, UCLA’s players feel a lack of respect.

“They want to go ahead and put them in the national championship now before we play, that’s how it is,” junior cornerback Trey Brown said. “But we get that opportunity to shut people up, prove them wrong and earn some respect for ourselves.”

UCLA has lost seven in a row to USC and hasn’t defeated the Trojans since 1998. Which is enough motivation without a berth in the BCS title game at stake.

“There’s nothing stopping us but us, UCLA,” Brown said about the Bruins, who are 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the Pacific 10 Conference. “We have to go out there and perform and get a ‘W.’ It’s been way too long. People have been working way too hard. It has to stop sometime.”

Losing to the Trojans has worn on UCLA center Robert Chai, a fifth-year senior.

“I don’t like them,” said Chai, who grew up in Orange County and attended Newport Harbor High.

“SC is the biggest game of the year. It doesn’t matter who you play or what you’re playing for. A lot of people tell me, ‘Don’t worry about those other games, just beat USC at the end.’

“You grow up hearing about this game and I’ve been blessed to be a part of it for five years. But we haven’t won.”

Two years ago, UCLA played USC tight before losing, 29-24, at the Rose Bowl. Chai said the Bruins expect an even better effort Saturday.

“In that game, we had a lot of players who were really emotional about it,” Chai said about the 2004 game. “We had some players make some big plays...we were so close.

“That’s how we’re looking at this year’s game.”

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Quarterbacks Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan split plays Tuesday with the first-team offense. Although Coach Karl Dorrell said he’ll name a starter later this week, he praised Olson’s work after practice.

“He did good,” Dorrell said of Olson, who has not played since he tore a ligament in his left knee against Arizona on Oct. 7. “We did a lot of instillation on both sides and I thought that he handled it pretty well.”

Olson said he’s close to full recovery and ready for USC.

“I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t looking forward to it,” said Olson, who returned to practice late last month. “This is a big game. I’ve been out six games or so and I feel like I’m back, but it’s Coach Dorrell’s decision.”

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Sophomore defensive lineman Kenneth Lombard, a valuable reserve for the Bruins, will not play because of a knee injury suffered in practice last week.... Junior outside linebacker Aaron Whittington, who has been sidelined because of an ankle injury for the last month, practiced Monday and is expected to play against USC. But Dorrell said sophomore John Hale has played well in Whittington’s place and could get his third consecutive start.... Through a 10-day EBay auction (www.ebay.com/thebiggame), fans can bid on a game-day outing with former USC players Charles White and Sam Cunningham, and former UCLA players Cory Paus and Freddie Mitchell. Winners will receive four tickets to Saturday’s game at the Rose Bowl and will be invited to a pregame tailgate party featuring former players.

lonnie.white@latimes.com