UCLA’s hopes hinge on stopping pass against Washington State

There was a mano a mano attitude prevalent as UCLA and Washington State prepare to play at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

“My mind-set is the guy across from me is not going to win no matter what, 10 out of 10 I’m going to win,” Washington State receiver Dominique Williams said.

The counterpoint was offered by UCLA safety Jaleel Wadood.

“That might be his mind-set, but we have a mind-set of our own that we’re not going to get beat,” Wadood said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Those individual moments will do a lot to frame the big picture in the Pac-12.

The stakes are high, with UCLA chasing Utah in the Pac-12 South. Washington State is enjoying something of a football renaissance after playing in only one bowl game during the last decade.

The Bruins (7-2 overall, 4-2 in Pac-12 play) need only to win out to advance to the conference championship game. The Cougars (6-3, 4-2) are trying to climb the conference’s bowl game ladder.

“If you’re going to be a good team, you’ve got to do something different than the other guy,” Washington State Coach Mike Leach said. “Otherwise that’s who you are, the other guy.”

Washington State has had enough of being “other guy.” Still, the Cougars come into the game as 10 1/2-point underdogs. That led linebacker Kache Palacio to say, “They probably don’t expect much from us.” The response, he said, would be to “go in and shut them down.”

That would seem to rest more in the hands of Luke Falk, one of the nation’s most prolific quarterbacks. He directs a pitch-and-catch offense that can run opponents in circles. Falk leads the nation in passing yards with 3,376 and is tied for second in touchdown passes with 33.

“That’s the kind of pirate, gunslinger mentality that Mike Leach has,” UCLA Coach Jim Mora said. “When you really believe in something and you get the right athletes, like he has been able to do, it works.”

UCLA offers in response an extreme makeover defense that has been shuffled around because of injuries, yet has demonstrated the ability to handle pass-happy teams. The Bruins blunted California quarterback Jared Goff, considered a top prospect by NFL scouts, in a 40-24 victory. Goff was sacked five times.

“We have to get after the quarterback,” UCLA linebacker Deon Hollins said. “You are going to see some interesting personnel combinations with different pressures.”

All are designed to disrupt Falk before he can disrupt the Bruins.

Falk can carve up a defense, as he showed in throwing for 497 yards and five touchdowns in rallying the Cougars to a 38-24 victory over Arizona State last week.

His quick release combined with the team’s short passing game can make it difficult to apply pressure. Still, the Cougars have allowed 29 sacks this season.

It will require a group effort from the Bruins’ defense.

“Pass rush is the best pass coverage,” UCLA defensive back coach Demetrice Martin said. “It forces the quarterback to make a quick decision.”

On the other hand, “coverage gives the defensive line time to get there,” UCLA defensive line coach Angus McClure said.

The Bruins did that dance well in a 41-0 victory over Oregon State last week. UCLA had three sacks and intercepted three passes.

But Oregon State now occupies the spot that was recently Washington State property — the lowest rung on the Pac-12 ladder. The upswing in Pullman (Wash.) has made the Cougars more formidable.

“It doesn’t matter what defense they run,” Williams said. “It doesn’t change our routes. Whether they are aggressive or in a zone, we don’t really pay attention. There are a thousand different ways to get open.”

UCLA’s defense has been able to whittle that number down. The Bruins rank first in the Pac-12 in fewest passing yards (199.4) and lowest passing efficiency (106.5).

“It’s not so much a challenge to us,” Wadood said. “It’s more opportunities for us to make plays and get interceptions.”

chris.foster@latimes.com

Twitter: @cfosterlatimes