BIG-PLAY BRUINS ROLL ON : UCLA 35, CAL 17.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

For all the trickery, for all the dynamic pass plays and multiple formations, UCLA coach Bob Toledo and offensive coordinator Al Borges are conservative play-callers at heart. They believe an offense must run the ball to be successful.

But they are not extremists. If a defense is wholly committed to stopping the UCLA ground game, Borges and Toledo will not force the issue. They'll take what the defense gives, and Cal gave so much in UCLA's 35-17 victory Saturday - before 52,858 at the Rose Bowl - that the Bears should write the loss off as a charitable contribution.

Cal committed nine players to its run defense, a strategy that contained Skip Hicks but made the Bears vulnerable to UCLA's aerial attack. Quarterback Cade McNown took advantage, completing three passes longer than 50 yards - one to Danny Farmer, two to Jim McElroy - that proved decisive in UCLA's sixth consecutive victory.

``We needed the big plays to win the game,'' McElroy said. ``We can't beat everybody 66-3 or score 66 points a game. A win is a win. We made ourselves bowl-eligible.''

The No. 13 Bruins (6-2, 4-1) did not dominate as expected, given Cal's inexperience and porous defense. They did not control the ball or the clock. They did not generate long scoring drives or force game-changing turnovers. But they jumped to a 21-3 halftime lead and made enough big plays - particularly on offense and special teams - to maintain a comfortable margin throughout.

``Cal kept the score close,'' Toledo said. ``I believe their plan was to do that and try to win at the end. But we made big plays to foil their plan.''

As three-touchdown underdogs, the Bears hoped to control the ball - and keep UCLA's offense off the field - with an effective running game of their own. They had 25 runs and five passes in the first half, and they held the ball for 20 of 30 minutes.

``That was our game plan all week,'' quarterback Justin Vedder said. ``We wanted to pound it and try to be more physical than them.''

But Cal (2-5, 0-3) could not muster a consistent rushing game, and when obvious pass situations arose, the Bruins unleashed their blitzers on Cal's overwhelmed offensive line. Nine of Vedder's 13 completions were to star receiver Bobby Shaw, but UCLA accomplished its No. 1 goal: It contained Shaw's run-after-catch ability and kept him out of the end zone.

The Bruins were not surprised by Cal's defensive strategy. While examining videotape, Borges and Toledo noticed that Cal's safeties are unusually aggressive against the run. At the first hint of a handoff, they charge the line of scrimmage. Houston, Oregon and Oregon State tried similar tactics against UCLA with moderate success earlier this month.

The Bruins devoted substantial practice time this week to refining their countermeasures: a fake handoff to draw the safeties in, then a deep pass to Farmer or McElroy that would puncture the pass defense at its weakest point - deep and down the middle.

Sure enough, Cal used nine defenders against the run. The Bruins had 15 yards rushing in the first quarter and 51 in the second, and they had 132 total yards in the first half - a meager total for an offense that had been averaging 429 yards per game. What's more, McNown attempted just six passes in the first half.

The Bruins' 21-3 halftime lead came courtesy of three big plays: Tod McBride's blocked punt; a 54-yard pass to Farmer; and a trick play, the swinging gate, in which McNown hiked the ball to McElroy, who followed his blockers 23 yards past an unsuspecting Cal defense.

It was not a lead built of dominance at the line of scrimmage; UCLA's longest drive consumed 3:32.

``We were running the ball too much and that's my fault,'' Borges said. ``In the second half, we decided to make them cover our wide receivers. The problem is it's hard to control the ball when you have big plays. It's hard to get a methodical drive going. It was frustrating.''

Toledo and Borges unleashed the play-action game in the second half. McNown hit McElroy for touchdown passes of 56 and 58 yards in the third quarter - executed precisely as they were practiced.

``We felt we could get by them because they support (the run defense) so hard with the safeties,'' McNown said. ``We thought we could take advantage of that.''

The second touchdown, which gave UCLA a 35-17 lead, is destined for McNown's personal highlight reel. On second down at the UCLA 42, he faked a handoff and was chased from the pocket. Scrambling left, he somehow spotted McElroy deep downfield. The pass was perfect, just over cornerback Derrick Gardner's fingertips, and McElroy grabbed it over his shoulder without breaking stride.

``I can't remember Cade making a better play,'' Borges said. ``McElroy was the third guy on the read progression.

MAKING THEM COUNT

The Bruins did not control the ball or the clock, but they made enough big plays to defeat Cal 35-17 on Saturday.

First quarter: Tod McBride's blocked punt led to a touchdown.

First quarter: 54-yard pass to Danny Farmer sets up a TD.

Second quarter:Jim McElroy runs 23 yards on trick play for a TD.

Third quarter: 56-yard pass to McElroy for a TD.

Third quarter: 58-yard pass to McElroy for a TD.

UCLA vs. CALIFORNIA: A CLOSER LOOK; Blocked punt gives Bruins the momentum

One of UCLA's most unlikely players made one of the game's biggest plays.

It came midway through the first quarter, when Tod McBride blocked a Cal punt at the Bears' 18. DuVal Hicks grabbed the loose ball and raced into the end zone to give the Bruins a 7-0 lead.

``That was a big momentum play,'' Bruins coach Bob Toledo said.

And a big play for McBride's confidence. He returned to the team a few weeks ago after a one-month suspension and six months of rehabilitating his surgically repaired knees.

``It feels good to contribute,'' said McBride, who hopes to replace Shaun Williams as the starting free safety next year. ``We're on a roll. We're winning and I'm trying to make plays any chance I get.

UCLA detected a weakness in the Bears' punt alignment - they shift a blocker in motion before the snap and leave the left wing vulnerable - and the Bruins took advantage by sending two rushers against one blocker. McBride simply overpowered his man on the way to punter Nick Harris.

``I was close every time,'' McBride said. ``Maybe next week I'll get another.''

Hicks' touchdown was UCLA's first special-teams score of the season (excluding Chris Sailer's field goals and extra points).

Through the gate: The Bruins scored their third touchdown on one of the rarest trick plays in the book - the swinging gate, of which Toledo is a big fan.

The play, which the Bruins practiced all week, worked as follows: The UCLA players mingled near one of the hashmarks as the official set the ball. Then quarterback Cade McNown walked over and quickly hiked it to McElroy, who was positioned behind the linemen. While Cal got organized, McElroy ran untouched into the end zone.

``Coach Toledo showed us film of that play when he used it as Texas A&M with Leeland McElroy running it,'' McElroy said of the former Aggie (no relation). ``I thought if one McElroy scored, another should.''

Wide left: Sailer missed two field goals, each from 42 yards, ending his streak of 15 in a row that began in the season opener at Washington State.

``It's gonna happen,'' Toledo said. ``Chris is human and I'm sure he'll learn from his mistakes.''

Odds and ends: Representatives from the Holiday Bowl attended the game. In the bowl pecking order, the Rose picks first. If the Cotton does not exercise its option to select any of the remaining teams, then the Holiday chooses. Skip Hicks' second-quarter touchdown increased his career total to 46, seven behind Pac-10 career leader Charles White. McNown passed Tom Ramsey to become UCLA's career passing leader with 6,261 yards. UCLA had three turnovers; Cal, one. Linebacker Brian Willmer led the Bruins with 12 tackles.

THE HERO

UCLA receiver Jim McElroy, who scored three touchdowns and caught three passes for 127 yards.

THE GOAT

Cal safeties Pete Destefano, David Burnside and Marquis Smith, who charged too hard on UCLA's play-action and became susceptible to decisive downfield throws.

STAT OF THE GAME

UCLA quarterback Cade McNown completed just 11 passes, but they totalled 259 yards.

QUOTE OF THE GAME

``I told them we had to win October to guarantee a winning season. . . I also said championships are won in November.''

- UCLA coach Bob Toledo

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, 2 Boxes

PHOTO (1--color) Jim McElroy

(2) With UCLA's Jason Bell (12) defending, Cal's Philip Pipersburg can't come up with this pass.

(3) UCLA's Danny Farmer hauls in a pass in the first quarter and is chased by Cal's David Burnside in the Bruins' 35-17 win.

Phil McCarten / Daily News

BOX: (1) MAKING THEM COUNT (see text)

(2) UCLA vs. CALIFORNIA: A CLOSER LOOK (see text)