TAKE A KNEE & PICK SIX

 For UCLA to beat #2 Cal, the Bruin DEFENSE will have to score more than the OFFENSE gives up

 

This week, it’s OKAY for the Bruins to “look ahead,” without fear of overlooking another Utah or Notre Dame — because UCLA has a bye this week.  They won’t lose a single turnover on Saturday, and they will emerge from the Weekend still unscathed in the Pac-10.

Then comes Cal.  Cal is #2 right now, and they have the Beavers to  toy with on Saturday.  Meanwhile, #1 LSU travels to a ranked Kentucky team, so it’s POSSIBLE that Cal could come to Pasadena as the #1 team in the Country.

Can a UCLA team that just got beat by winless Notre Dame actually have a chance against Cal?  Hell yes, they have a chance.

First of all, the Bruins’ record in the Rose Bowl is a solid one — There  is definitely a home-field advantage.  Secondly, a team that sucks because of their horrible DEFENSE is unlikely to ever up-end a top-flite team.  But a team that has an Offense that sucks can easily be carried to victory by a shut-down D.

 An Offense can keep the opposing Offense off the field with ball-control, but cannot keep them from scoring, while a good Defense can actually put points on the board for the Offense.  In fact, all of Notre Dame’s points last week should actually be attributed to their Defense.  And for the Bruins to compete with Cal, their Defense will almost undoubtedly NEED to score at least one TD.

That’s because the Bruins will be Quarterbacked by Macleod Bethel-Thompson again, with possible aid from Chris Forcier and Osaar Rasshan.  Not even Karl Dorrell knows right now who will emerge as “The Man,” but all three are getting reps at QB in practice.

We would LOVE to see Osaar out there scrambling around, but if he can’t run and is forced to pass, expect lots and lots of incompletions.  Let’s just hope he eats his Wheaties… which brings us to the last little tidbit for today:

Kellogg’s is making a special box cover for their Frosted Flakes, that will be available only at local Albertson’s, adorned with 6 sc Heisman Trophy winners.  That’s every trojan who ever won one, except O.J.

Where was O.J.?  Out looking for the real Tony the Tiger?  How can you have Frosted Flakes without the biggest flake of all?  The REAL question is:  Why does Kellogg’s have CLASS, but usc and the Coliseum DON’T?  There is a REASON why O.J. is absent from the cereal box, and it’s not to avoid the OBVIOUS cereal/serial puns.  Rather, it’s because his image is OFFENSIVE to the millions of Americans who think that he is a double-murderer who has been taunting his victims’ survivors for ten years, and who has escaped justice to this very day.  Why can’t the Coliseum understand this, and REFUSE to display his larger-than-life (larger-than-2-lives?) jersey in the Peristyle end at every game?

Below, to take your mind off O.J., Notre Dame, and the thought of Reggie Bush getting away with murder too, here are 4 more CheerPix from Saturday.