11-21-2012, 05:18 PM
Call me naive (I hear worse almost daily) but I think Stanford and UCLA both want to win this game to prove something and will play as if it's for all the marbles. We shut down Oregon and the football world says so what. We need to beat UCLA convincingly and advance to the conference final to get some national respect. If we are down 17 with 5 minutes to play we should play as if it's the last five minutes in the world.
UCLA was a doormat a year ago. Now they control their own destiny for the Rose Bowl. They desperately want to beat us first because we have trampled them the last two or three years. And we are a respectable opponent nationally -- not with the recognition we deserve but an opponent that enhances their standing if they beat us.Â
They might feel a bit conflicted because if they win they will have to play Oregon at Eugene. But once the juices are flowing, I don't think that matters. They will want to win in the here-and-now. So will we. I think it's unlikely that either team will play this game as part of a larger strategic picture rather than treat it as a stand-alone contest they have to win.
UCLA was a doormat a year ago. Now they control their own destiny for the Rose Bowl. They desperately want to beat us first because we have trampled them the last two or three years. And we are a respectable opponent nationally -- not with the recognition we deserve but an opponent that enhances their standing if they beat us.Â
They might feel a bit conflicted because if they win they will have to play Oregon at Eugene. But once the juices are flowing, I don't think that matters. They will want to win in the here-and-now. So will we. I think it's unlikely that either team will play this game as part of a larger strategic picture rather than treat it as a stand-alone contest they have to win.