ASU, UCLA both need win to boost bowl hopes

LOS ANGELES  — Arizona State and UCLA both will find it tough to reach a bowl game after the final two weeks of their up-and-down seasons.

And both teams' coaches realize it'll be all but impossible for the loser of their meeting Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

Devils must beat UCLA, UA for shot at bowl

Even if the Sun Devils (4-6, 2-5 Pac-10) and the Bruins (5-5, 2-5 Pac-10) both end up with six victories and bowl eligibility, it's no guarantee of a postseason invitation. The only sure dates on these schools' calendars are their in-state rivalry games on Thanksgiving weekend — and this meeting of two teams at crossroads.

"I know this game looms large for both programs," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "There's conversations all around about things that can't help us. Our conversations will center around the Sun Devils ... and we'll give ourselves a chance for all of those other conversations to matter."

UCLA has won two straight leading up to its home finale, but only after a five-game losing streak that drove the Bruins to the bottom of the conference. If the Bruins hope to compete for a berth in the Humanitarian Bowl or another lower-tier game, they'll have to beat either the Sun Devils or crosstown rival Southern California next week.

The Bruins and quarterback Kevin Prince have plenty of reason to play hard against Arizona State's aggressive defense. Neuheisel would like a bowl bid, but he'd also like the four weeks of December workouts allowed for bowl teams — often a key time in the development of rising programs.

"When you're dealing with a group as inexperienced as we are, that's unbelievably advantageous to get those extra practices," Neuheisel said. "That would be fun to think about, but that's not the focus now. The focus is to take advantage of these practices that we do have."

Arizona State heads to Pasadena with a four-game losing streak and its third starting quarterback of the season, needing two straight wins to even be eligible for a bowl invitation that might not be extended to the Pac-10's seventh- or eighth-place team.

"It hasn't been a very fun road for us," coach Dennis Erickson said. "We've got a chance to get to 6-6, get to bowl eligibility, and that's what we're shooting for right now. Obviously UCLA is the first one, and then next week takes care of itself."

That would be the season-ending showdown with Arizona in which the Sun Devils could crimp the Pac-10 title dreams of their archrivals.

Erickson announced Thursday night that Samson Szakacsy will make his first start at quarterback for the Sun Devils at the Rose Bowl. The former Camarillo, Calif., high school star is Arizona State's third starting quarterback in three games, following injuries and poor play by senior Danny Sullivan and freshman Brock Osweiler.

Szakacsy passed for 113 yards while playing the entire second half against Oregon last week, throwing for a score and running for another. Erickson seems willing to try just about anything to spark the nation's 92nd-ranked offense, even throwing in an athletic sophomore who once committed to Southern California for his first major action against UCLA's solid defense.

"We will do some things within our game plan to take advantage of his mobility," Erickson said. "But it's not like we're going to change things, really. ... He has good vision and he has a good feel for what goes on. He's always had that, (but) if he's a quarterback in a game, I don't know that UCLA would prepare any different for him than they would anyone else."

Elbow tendinitis has limited Szakacsy's progress during his first two seasons at Arizona State, but a strong finish to the season could set up an entertaining battle with Osweiler next spring — although the Sun Devils aren't thinking beyond their final two games and bowl eligibility.

Arizona State hasn't used three starting quarterbacks in a season since 2000.

Arizona State at UCLA

When: 2 p.m. Saturday

Where: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)

TV/Radio: ESPN/KTAR (620 AM)

Records: Arizona State 4-6, 2-5 Pac-10; UCLA 5-5, 2-5