BRUINS' SAILER KICKS BAD KARMA.

Byline: Billy Witz

If UCLA goes on to win the national championship, the Bruins will remember Saturday as the day they nearly kicked it all away - literally.

Chris Sailer's 24-yard field goal lifted the No. 2-ranked Bruins to a thrilling 41-38 overtime win over Oregon. Yet, Sailer wasn't jumping for joy afterward.

As his kick sailed through the uprights at the north end of the Rose Bowl, the Notre Dame High alumnus merely clapped his hands and walked back toward the sidelines as his teammates mobbed each other.

Sailer, like many of the Bruins, didn't so much win the day as survive it.

He missed two field goals in the fourth quarter - a 42-yarder that was blocked and a 21-yard chip shot he missed on the final play of regulation. He also knocked a kickoff out of bounds that contributed to Oregon's last-minute, game-tying rally.

``The win has sunk in,'' Sailer said in a nearly-empty Bruins locker room, an hour after the game. ``I guess it's hard to say I'm proud. I think I'm just relieved.''

The entire season has been this way for Sailer.

He was an All-American punter and kicker last season as one of the Bruins' best weapons, making 19 of 24 field goals - including 15 in a row at one point - and averaging 43.1 yards per punt.

This season he has made just 3 of 8, including the game-winner and a 25-yarder in the first half.

Sailer has been troubled lately by a groin he strained two weeks ago against Washington State and hasn't kicked in practice since. He left the locker room Saturday with a bag of ice wrapped to his right leg.

He could have used one for his confidence, too.

``I'm not having the best season,'' said the senior. ``I was struggling throughout the game. . . . I think one of the strongest aspects of my mind is that I can block things out. I know I can make that kick. It's just a matter of going out and doing it and not worrying about what happened before.

``As a kicker you only get so many shots. It's important that you take advantage of every chance you get. A lot of times a game will rest on one kick or a couple of kicks.''

Sailer had a chance to put UCLA ahead 34-31, but his 42-yarder with 6:49 left was blocked by Anthony Martin.

When Cade McNown hit Danny Farmer for a 60-yard touchdown pass with 2:36 left that put UCLA ahead 38-31, Sailer sent the kickoff out of bounds, handing Oregon the ball at its own 35. The Ducks ended up tying the score at 38-38 on Akili Smith's 2-yard touchdown pass to Damon Griffin with 22 seconds left.

McNown's 53-yard Hail Mary pass to backup quarterback Drew Bennett set the Bruins up at the 3-yard line with eight seconds to play. UCLA coach Bob Toledo didn't use any of his timeouts, instead sending the field-goal team on.

Sailer, kicking from the left hash mark, missed left.

``He wasn't nervous at all,'' said holder Joey Strycula. ``That's the thing about Chris - he's so cool. He just said, `I . . . missed it.' Bless God, he got a second chance.''

After UCLA's defense held Oregon on downs to open the overtime, the Bruins took over at the 25-yard line and ran the ball five consecutive plays, all between the tackles, to set up Sailer again.

``I was going to take one more chance and kick it,'' Toledo said. ``Chris Sailer is a fierce competitor and he knew he missed one field goal and got one blocked and wasn't kicking good, but you know, superior athletes rise to the occasion and he rose to the occasion when we needed him to.''

It was the first time UCLA has won a game with a last-minute field goal since Louis Perez beat Oregon 9-6 in 1992. It was the first time Sailer has ever won a game with a field goal.

He may have won more than that.

``Our main goal is to compete for a national championship,'' Sailer said. ``I thought, `Did I blow it for this team?' All I care about is that we won the game.''

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1) UCLA's DeShaun Foster leaps over Oregon's Rashad Bauman in the second quarter. Foster later injured his left knee and did not return.

John Lazar/Daily News

(2) SAILER