The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 17

C4 Online: For in-game updates and analysis, visit the Fabulous Forum blog at latimes.com/ucla UCLA atOREGON STATE 12:30 p.m. today TV: Prime Ticket Six undefeated schools will lose Saturday. not a prediction, afact. The pruning process features 12 of the 33 remaining unbeaten schools playing each other. This a four-out-of- seven sport, cutthroat.

Others may also fall. The in record is at risk at 2-1Arizona State. Clemson has to host one-loss Florida State. California is 3-0 but is playing at Washington this week, not home against Presbyterian. Wisconsin should be 4-0 after mowing over a South Dakota team with a coach, Ed Meierkort, who says going to ask Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson for his autograph.

Six schools with hopes for perfection, though, will get dinged. The Southeastern Conference West, college premiere division, absorbs a mandatory hit when Arkansas plays at Alabama. Arkansas be what it wants to be until it gets over Alabama. Razorbacks Coach Bobby Petrino is 0-3 against Nick Saban. The high-powered offense Petrino promotes always comes to a stop against Wall-abama.

Arkansas has averaged 13.7 points per game in three Crimson Tide defeats. The Hogs had a20-7 lead last year at home and blew it. had our chances to get in the end Petrino said this week. up to us to score more Victory catapults Arkansas feet first into the national title discussion. Defeat might prompt Petrino to request a transfer to the SEC East.

Arkansas and Alabama the only SEC West teams on stage. Louisiana State puts its No. 2 ranking on the line with another huge nonconference test at No. 16 West Virginia. LSU has already taken down Oregon in a neutral- site opener at Arlington, Texas, and it knocked not- ready-for-prime-time Mississippi State to the bottom of the cowbell rung.

LSU, playing its third game away from Baton Rouge, has strayed from the usual SEC formula of scheduling easy in nonconference. West Virginia almost counts as an extra league game. say a wonderful place to Coach Les Miles said of taking his team into Morgantown. much like an SEC opponent and Wonderful? Fire officials have ordered hundreds of people to remove flammable furniture from their properties. West Virginia fans have a long tradition of torching couches to celebrate victories.

The best fire retardant at the fire will be defense. The Tigers have the look of something special. They have given up 1.6 yards per carry and 4.4 yards per pass. Mind you, two of the opponents in this equation were Oregon and Mississippi State. West Virginia is the latest high-tech attackto risk its reputation.

First-year MountaineersCoach Dana Holgorsen is known as a prolific play producer. West 42 points-per- game offense, though, meets adefense that gives up 12. Holgorsen swears LSU has 13 defenders on every play. are wherever the ball he said. get there really pretty impressive once they get Suffering a first loss easy, but for some inevitable.

Will it be San Diego State (3-0) breaking into the top 25 with a shocker at Michigan (3-0), or the Wolverines taking another step toward redemption? daydream gets challenged when it plays at 3-0 South Carolina, although Steve Spurrier, as the coach, is only 4-2 against the Commodores. Vanderbilt is off to its best start since opening 5-0 in 2008. South Carolina is looking for its first 4-0 start under Spurrier. In other matchups of unbeatens, Oklahoma State plays at Texas in a battle of Big 12 title contenders. How will night-owl Oklahoma State adjust to this 3:30 p.m.

EDT start? Last week, the game at Tulsa ended at 3:35 a.m. CDT. North Carolina, scandal- plagued yet 3-0 under interim coach Everett Withers, has the unenviable task of attempting to slow Georgia triple-option offense. The Yellow Jackets lead the nation with a 59.3 scoring average and 675 yards per game in offense, including an average of 427 yards rushing. The strangest undefeated matchup, though, is Nebraska at mile-high Wyoming.

Nebraska want to get caught napping in advance of next huge Big Ten game at Wisconsin. The odds favor Nebraska. Wyoming, seeking its first 4-0 start since 1996, has lost 14 consecutive games by an average of 34 points to ranked opponents. chris.dufresne@latimes.com twitter.com/dufresnelatimes Thinning out unbeaten ranks Alabama-Arkansas is one of six games featuring a matchup of undefeated teams. CHRIS DUFRESNE ON COLLEGE FOOTBALL Oregon State defensive tackle Kevin Frahm told the Oregonian newspaper this week, vultures are circling the in Corvallis.

UCLA comesto town with its own ominous warnings. Neither team has impressed with itsbody of work thus far: State opened with a lossto lower-divisionSacramento State. UCLA beat the Cal State team it played, though it wobbled throughout its victory over San Jose State. was throttled by Texas, which picked off three of Kevin first seven passes and scored on six of its first eight possessions. Oregon State was blasted by Wisconsin, but at least the Badgers are a top-10 team andit happened atMadison.

State settled its quarterback controversy and will start Sean Mannion. UCLA has settled its quarterback controversy this week and will start Richard Brehaut over Prince. The loser faces more trouble next week. UCLA plays fifth-ranked Stanford. Oregon State gets Arizona State, amongthe preseason favoritesto win the division.

Tackling a problem UCLA has become a running back school as long as the running back is from the opposing school. An opposingback has rushed for more than100 yards eight times in the last 10 games, including two California backs last season. Joe Tresey, defensive coordinator, attributes the recent troubles to poor tackling and players being out of position. Texas had 284 yards rushing, with freshman Malcolm Brown getting 110. things will get rectified sooner or Tresey said.

needs to, we all know Oregon State will be without tailback Malcolm Agnew, who gained 223 yards in the opener against SacramentoState, because of a hamstring injury. His replacement, Jordan Jenkins, is a former walk-on. Better to receive? Although the Beavers have running-game issues they had 23 yards against Wisconsin they have a dangerous receivers group, which should get stronger this week with the return of James Rodgers. Rodgers suffered a knee injury early last season that required two surgeries. He is expected to return Saturday, though his playing time may be limited.

Oregon State also gets back tight end Joe Halahuni, who had off-season shoulder surgery. The Beavers already have Markus Wheaton and freshman Brandin Cooks, a onetime commitment to UCLA. The Bruins havetwo veteran cornerbacks in Aaron Hester and Sheldon Price, but littledepth with Jamie Graham (knee surgery), Andrew Abbott (concussion) and Anthony Jefferson (back surgery) out. Brandon Sermons is the only cornerback on scholarship behind Hester and Price. Sidelined Oregon State will be without two of its top defensive linemen because of issuesunrelated to football.

Tackle Dominic Glover, a senior, is out because of anacademic problem Coach Mike Riley has declined to comment on. Castro Masaniai, a junior, was suspended for thisgame as punishment for pleading guilty to one count of misdemeanor coercion. By the numbers UCLA is 2-11on the road in conference play since Rick Neuheisel became coach. The Bruins have lost six consecutive road games, five in conference play. chris.foster@latimes.com Oregon trial Bruins 1-2, 0-0 Pac-12 Beavers 0-2, 0-0 Pac-12 Both UCLA and Oregon State are hoping to use this Pacific 12 Conference opener as a springboard or at least as an antidote for what has been ailing them.

UCLA is still stinging from last 49-20 loss to Texas at the Rose Bowl. Oregon State had last Saturday off after being routed 35-0 at Wisconsin. Staff writer Chris Foster examines the issues and matchups: PER GAMEUCLAOSU Points scored27.014.0 Points allowed34.732.0 Passing offense214.3245.5 Rushing offense215.0144.5 Passing defense209.7242.5 Rushing defense215.0139.5 Luis Sinco Los Angeles Times CORNER KEY: UCLA might need a big game from Sheldon Price, center, against a dangerous group of Oregon State receivers. COLLEGE FOOTBALL UCLA quarterback Richard Brehaut and wide receiver Nelson Rosario carry vividmemories from their last visit to Oregon Reser Stadium. One would like to forget, the other would like to repeat.

took place in one series. was my freshman year and it was, put Richard in there; get him some Brehaut recalled, laughing. was a deer in the The Bruins lost, 26-19, that Halloween Day in 2009, but Rosario was scary-good the whole game, with six receptions for 152 yards. be Rosario said. Brehaut is ready for a do- over, while Rosario just wants to do it again when UCLA (1-2) playsOregon State (0-2) Saturday afternoon in aPacific 12 Conference opener at Corvallis.

Brehaut is a better player than he was two years ago, butCoach Rick Neuheisel wouldstill like him to be more consistent. Consistency is also an issue withRosario, whoseper- formance against the Beavers two years agoled to J.J. Stokes comparisons. Rosario had one great game. Stokes had a formidable career at UCLA.

Brehaut and Rosario had entirely different experiences again last year against Oregon State, whenthe Beavers were the only victory for the Bruins in their last seven games. Rosario, hobbled by ahigh ankle sprain, played little while fingerprints were all over the 17-14 win. On one play, he scrambled before flipping a pass to CoryHarkey for a 12-yard gain to set up a touchdown. Later, he drove the Bruins for a last-second field goal. flip to Harkey is probably the favorite play of my Brehaut said.

The flip side was his performance two years ago. Brehaut entered the game during the second quarter, recalling that he was certain was ready for anything they could throw at Not quite. forgot to put a guy in motion on one play. He forgot a protection call on one play. He fumbled on one play.

Other than that, he was Neuheisel remembered, laughing. The highlight? UCLA recovered the fumble. amazing to remember how I thought I knew it Brehaut said. come along way since that That performance was one for the scrap heap. Oregon State last season was one for the scrapbook.

Brehaut ran for 61yards, including a 21-yard scramble on the first touchdown drive. He also passed for 37 yards on the last drive to get kicker Kai Forbath in range. were watching that game tape this week and Richard looked like a pro wide receiver Randall Carroll said. got to the play where he flipped the ball to Harkey and someone said, Brett Neuheisel would like something close to a repeat performance on Saturday. at the point of the season where we have to do things Neuheisel said.

still have high hopes with respect to what he can The same is said about Rosario. Two years ago against Oregon had 126 receiving yards in the fourth quarter, including a leaping one-handed grab over a defender for a 58-yard touchdown pass. happened the way I wanted it to happen that Rosario said. Said Neuheisel: was what I had been waiting Since then, he has been waiting more. Rosario, a senior, has made circus receptions, such as the one-handed catch he made while bear- hugging a Houston defender in the season opener.

But his vanishing act is just as well known. The potential he showed in 2009 teases coaches. the guy weneed. We need that guy back running down the field snatching the balls with one offensive coordinator Mike Johnson said. That guy spent last season hobbling around on an ankle so sore Rosario said he needed painkiller injections to play.

Toting around the comparison to Stokes make things any easier. understand that I need to give more Rosario said. have dropped a couple of balls because of lack of focus. I need to focus Starting today? get a return Neuhei- sel said. chris.foster@latimes.com twitter.com/cfosterlatimes They will always have Corvallis Brehaut ready in 2009, but Rosario had a big game.

Much has changed since. Chris Foster Stephen Dunn Getty Images HANGING ON: Nelson Rosario runs with the ball after making a catch in the victory over San Jose State. Cody Hoffman returned akickoff 93 yards for a touchdown and Brigham Young forced three turnovers in a 24-17 victory over Central Florida on Friday night at Provo, Utah. Bryan six-yard touchdown run with 10:29 left gave BYU a 24-17 lead, and the Cougars stymied a last-minute drive by the Knights. The victory was a much- needed boost for the Cougars (2-2), who were coming off a 44-point loss at home to rival Utah.

Central Florida (2-2) has dropped two in a row after outscoring its first two opponents 92-3. third-quarter score was first kickoff return for a touchdown in 13 years, a string of 160 games. Neinas to Big 12 Needing someone strong and savvy to mend the Big 12, the league has turned to a former Big Eight commissioner who also helped usher in the era of college football as big business. Chuck Neinas who is known across the college landscape as a smart consensus builder, will take over the Big 12 as interim commissioner Oct. 3.

The Big 12 dumped former commissioner Dan Beebe on Thursday in a mutual agreement after the conference nearly fell apart for the second time in 15 months. Neinas, 79, said he is going to the Big 12 to work, not just sit around until his successor is picked. He is not a candidate for the permanent job. am not a caretaker. My mission is to bring the conference closer together and move forward and make progress in all Neinas told the Associated Press on Friday, adding that he expects to be on the job six months or longer.

Etc. Redshirt freshman Clint Trickett will possibly make his first start for 11th-ranked Florida State on Saturday against No. 21Clemson while star quarterback EJ Manuel nurses an injured shoulder. NOTES Kickoff return big for BYU associated press CMYK.