Every week, it seems, UCLA has some sort of crucial conference game.
After losing to Oregon 39-10 in Eugene to start the Pacific-10 Conference schedule, the Bruins needed to beat Arizona State.
They did.
Then, after a triple-overtime loss to California in the Bay Area, the Bruins needed to beat Oregon State to stay afloat in the Pac-10 standings.
They didn’t.
Now, UCLA (4-3, 1-3) takes on No. 24 Arizona (5-2, 3-1) in what could be the Bruins’ most important game yet if they want to salvage a spiraling season.
The Wildcats, on the other hand, need a win to be mentioned with Oregon, Oregon State and Washington as contenders for the Rose Bowl.
“Both teams desperately need a win, and both teams really want to win,” Arizona coach Dick Tomey said.
Saturday’s game, then, could come down to pure desire.
“On any given Saturday anybody can win,” UCLA head coach Bob Toledo said. “It usually just comes down to the team that plays just a little bit better, ends up winning the football game.”
Arizona’s defense wins football games for the Wildcats. Arizona averages only 24.6 points per game on offense — sixth in the Pac-10 — but gives up 16.0 points on defense, good enough for second in the conference.
The Wildcats’ defense is anchored by a few key players. One is cornerback Michael Jolivette, who got spectacularly nailed by Wesley Mallard in last week’s Oregon-Arizona game. Jolivette is one of the best cornerbacks in the country, and had eight of the Wildcats’ 12 interceptions on the season.
The other key player is defensive end Joe Tafoya, who has been one of the hardest hitters on a hard-hitting Arizona defense this year. Named the defensive player of the week for Sept. 5, Tafoya has nine tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and four broken-up passes this season.
On UCLA’s side of the ball, not much has been going the Bruins’ way recently. UCLA finally returned top running back DeShaun Foster last week, but the junior tailback rushed 18 times for only 56 yards, a 3.1 yards-per-carry average.
But the Bruins will need a lot more than a breakout game from Foster if they want to beat the Wildcats and start thinking about a bowl game.
There’s the road thing. UCLA can’t seem to win on the road, and should face a reasonably rough crowd in Tucson. The Bruins carry an eight-game road losing streak into Saturday’s game.
But UCLA may never return to top form this season. If it does, it must start this weekend in Arizona.
This is, after all, another crucial game for the always-exciting Bruins.