BRUINS HOPE TO BE GAME SUN BOWL VICTORY WOULD BE BOOST.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

EL PASO, Texas - UCLA football players have been busy working the controls of their new Sony Portable PlayStations, gifts from Sun Bowl officials.

If only they could master a way to ensure a victory over Northwestern in today's Sun Bowl game.

The Bruins (9-2) have had a good season, there's no doubt about that. It has been breakthrough year for coach Karl Dorrell, the kind that could signify success for years to come. But UCLA desperately needs a bowl victory to solidify its resurgence.

Dorrell is 0-2 in bowl games, with the losses coming to Wyoming and Fresno State, defeats that are particularly damaging to a program with elite-status aspirations.

For all the good they've done this season, UCLA's players and coaches realize that a bowl win is a must in order to continue their ascent.

``That's the lasting impression that affects what's going on for you the following year,'' Dorrell said. ``It's important. We feel we made some positive steps in the program this year. Nobody thought we'd be in the position we were this season. With an opportunity with a win, it says a positive about what's happening in 2005 and we'd like to bring some of that momentum in 2006.''

The 24-21 loss to Wyoming in last year's Las Vegas Bowl still stings. When the subject is broached, everyone in powder blue seems to have the same orchestrated response about the past being the past.

The last time UCLA won a bowl game was in 2002, just after Bob Toledo was fired. Interim coach Ed Kezirian led the Bruins over New Mexico in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Dorrell admitted the necessary focus and intensity in bowl preparation weren't present the last two years. That's probably why the losses - particularly last year's - stunned players so much and had such a lasting effect.

``That was probably the worst feeling I've ever had,'' senior linebacker Spencer Havner said of the loss to Wyoming. ``I was disgusted. I was angry and sad. It was a mix of emotions.''

This year is different, which is UCLA's unofficial theme, but that difference can't be fully measured until after today's game. Freshman receiver Gavin Ketchum wasn't around last year, but he knows enough to know he doesn't want this year's momentum to come to a halt.

``I've heard about (the bowl losses), but this is a different team,'' Ketchum said. ``We've all learned from that.''

Seniors usually talk about winning their final game to finish their careers on a positive note. However, most seniors say they want a win in order to leave the program in good shape. UCLA appears to be a program on the rise, but no rebuilding project can be complete when bowl losses are commonplace.

``We need to win this bowl game to be considered one of the better teams or one of the best teams in Division I for next year and for this program,'' Havner said. ``If we win this bowl game, (UCLA) will start high in the BCS (rankings) next year.''

UCLA may be in need of a bowl win, but so is Northwestern (7-4). The Wildcats don't have the winning tradition like many of their counterparts in the Big Ten and want that to change.

Northwestern has had precious little bowl experience, at least until coach Randy Walker arrived. Today's game is the third bowl game Walker has led the Wildcats to in his seven seasons as their coach.

Northwestern has played in six bowl games in the history of the program and has one win - a Rose Bowl victory over Cal in 1949.

A win for the Wildcats would mean credibility.

``It kind of brings the team to the next tier,'' Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez said. ``My freshman year we were 3-9, then 6-7 and 6-6. We've been growing ever since. The bowl would be the next notch for these seniors before they go out.''

For UCLA, a victory would be more of a relief. The Bruins' two losses this season were blowouts, one to Arizona (52-14) and the most recent a 66-19 debacle against USC. A bowl win won't erase either loss, but it sure would make for a nice ending.

A win would mark just the seventh time UCLA has posted a 10-win season.

A loss? No one from UCLA wants to even think about it. The season would end with back-to-back losses, not to mention three consecutive bowl losses.

UCLA quarterback Drew Olson assured reporters that the Bruins are happy to be here.

``When you go into a bowl game at 6-5, it's never a good feeling,'' Olson said. ``Coming into this bowl game, we're 9-2 and we have a chance to win 10 games. It's a whole different atmosphere. We're going to be excited not matter what. Everybody is excited to be here and play.''

If only this was a video game.

Jill Painter, [phone]

jill.painter(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Karl Dorrell hopes to celebrate his first bowl win as UCLA's head coach today at the Sun Bowl.

Box:

SUN BOWL