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UCLA-Oregon Preview

Oct 19, 2010 - 3:03 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

UCLA (3-3) at No. 2 Oregon (6-0), 9:00 p.m. EDT

Oregon is the nation's No. 1 team for the first time in its history, but is just shy of the top spot in the BCS.

The top-ranked Ducks will try to do their part to move up in the BCS standings with another convincing performance Thursday night when UCLA visits Autzen Stadium.

After Ohio State's lost at Wisconsin last week, Oregon (6-0, 3-0 Pac-10) took over the No. 1 spot in the AP poll without hitting the field. The Ducks are second in the BCS rankings behind Oklahoma, but that matters little right now to coach Chip Kelly.

"Whether we're No. 1 in the country or 101, it won't affect how we prepare," Kelly said. "The only important thing is to be No. 1 ... on Dec. 5."

To keep their potential spot in the BCS title game, the Ducks will likely need to maintain their perfect record over their next six games, a stretch that begins against another well-rested team in the Bruins (3-3, 1-2).

The bye came at an opportune time for Oregon. Quarterback Darron Thomas is expected to be fully healed from an awkward fall on his throwing shoulder in the Ducks' last game, a 43-23 win at Washington State on Oct. 9.

"We had a nice week to rest and (the shoulder) got better. Now I'm ready to go," he said.

Led by Thomas (14 touchdown passes) and sophomore running back LaMichael James (848 rushing yards with nine TDs), Oregon leads the nation with 54.3 points and 567 yards per game.

James, who leads FBS with 169.6 rushing yards per game, had 152 yards on 20 carries in last season's 24-10 victory at UCLA.

Bruins sophomore Johnathan Franklin, currently second in the conference with a 113.2-yard rushing average, was limited to 32 yards on nine carries in that game.

The victory was Oregon's seventh in the last nine meetings against UCLA, which still leads the all-time series 39-24.

Like Oregon, UCLA hasn't played since Oct. 9. The Bruins entered their bye week following a 35-7 loss at California to snap a three-game win streak. Two of those victories came against ranked schools - then-No. 23 Houston on Sept. 18 and at then-No. 7 Texas the following week.

UCLA fell 35-0 to then-No. 25 Stanford on Sept. 11.

The Bruins had to deal with off-field trouble during their time off. Coach Rick Neuheisel has suspended Josh Smith and Morrell Presley for this week's game due to unspecified violations of team rules.

Smith is averaging 27.4 yards on 14 kickoff returns. The junior transfer from Colorado has also rushed for 74 yards on three carries and caught three passes.

Presley has started all six games, totaling three receptions. He was also of four UCLA players suspended for one game in 2009.

The off-field difficulty is merely the latest in a recent strong of it for the Bruins. Three freshmen were arrested in June on suspicion of theft from a dorm and dismissed from the program. Offensive tackle Mike Harris ended a streak of 18 consecutive starts when he was suspended for the team's season opener, also for violating team rules.

"It's going to be rough without (Smith and Presley), but we've got to close ranks and go out there and compete," junior wide receiver Taylor Embree said.

The Bruins, last in the Pac-10 with 95.5 passing yards and 318.5 total yards of offense per game, might need to rely on sophomore Richard Brehaut if starting quarterback Kevin Prince's bothersome right knee keeps him out of the lineup.

While filling in for an injured Prince earlier this month, Brehaut scored the go-ahead touchdown on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter of a 42-28 victory over Washington State.

UCLA is 4-10 all-time against top-ranked teams, but hasn't defeated one since the 1976 Rose Bowl against Ohio State. The Bruins have dropped six such matchups since.