BRUINS LOOKING LIKE THEY CAN WIN IT ALL.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

It is not too soon to wonder. Premature to declare it but not too soon to think it can happen. Not too soon to suspect it could become likely.

UCLA, national champion.

Now there are three words to ruin the breakfast of every Southlander in cardinal-and-gold silk pajamas. Three words that normally get about as close to UCLA football as ``a dominating defense.''

Only they're that good, that special. They think so, too, but one of the many nice qualities of this UCLA team is that it's learned to act all modest on you.

``We have goals, we just don't want to pound on our chest and tell everyone what we're really thinking,'' said UCLA coach Bob Toledo.

What they're really thinking is, they can play in the Rose Bowl this season for the national title. That they have a chance to run the table.

The ninth-ranked Bruins are an early 4-0, with four more undefeated teams still on their schedule. All kinds of things could happen and anyone who's been watching UCLA football the past few years can be forgiven for suspecting this is all some kind of evil ploy to ultimately dishearten the faithful once again.

And certainly there are plenty of other good teams out there - Miami, Oklahoma, Florida, Nebraska, Texas, Oregon. It isn't like the Bruins stand clearly alone.

But these Bruins are a different breed from what normally emerges from the Westwood laboratory. This is a top, all-around team without glaring weakness.

This is not like the point-a-minute UCLA team of '98, with a weak underbelly of a defense. This is not the too-young and injury-riddled team from last season that started 3-0 with a pair of victories over third- ranked teams and then finished 3-6.

This is a balanced team. It is deeper, more experienced, more well- rounded, parks its cars better, and is thus far healthier than anything Toledo has had. One that has him feeling special about the 2001 Bruins.

``I like this team,'' Toledo said. ``I'd probably like it if they get beat, because I like what they're doing. They're keeping their nose clean, they're giving great effort and they're winning.

``We have great attitude, great leadership. We have experience and quality depth at a lot of positions. Now they just have to overcome coaching.''

Hey, it's always something. Typically for the Bruins, it's defense. Judging by recent years, that term is used more loosely at UCLA than, ``Ooooh, scary team colors.''

Only this defense is for real. This is a talented, veteran, hard-hitting, dominating defense. Toledo calls it the best he's seen in the seven years at UCLA (two as offensive coordinator). This defense is currently the best in the conference, ranked 14th in the country and improving.

Its starting unit hasn't allowed a touchdown the past two games.

The offense, a traditional Toledo strength, is beginning to hit its stride. It has a confident quarterback in Cory Paus and a potential Heisman Trophy winner in tailback DeShaun Foster. The Bruins scored 38 points last week against Oregon State, which last season led the Pac-10 in defense.

It's a team with a top kicker (Chris Griffith) and punter (Nate Fikse). A team that has already faced three ranked teams and won. A team that already has won on the road three times.

This is not Virginia Tech, beating 10 schools you didn't know played football and then gearing up for one big game. This is a legitmate title threat.

And one that does not appear to be getting carried away by success. These Bruins are not overconfident, they're hungry. They're not cocky, they're motivated.

``We have to stay focused,'' Foster said. ``You can't let up right now. You have to keep going, keep driving, keep fighting. There's a goal out there at the end of the tunnel; we have to try and get there.

``Maybe if last year didn't happen (we'd be overconfident). We had the same hope and then it just went downhill. I think that's always in the back of our minds, that's why we have to take it week by week.''

If the Bruins stay grounded and success doesn't suddenly cause their helmets to be a tight fit, and they pull off this Rose Bowl berth, they can all thank little-used No. 3 quarterback Ryan McCann.

It was McCann, filling in an injured Paus, who said after the Bruins started 3-0 last year that they should be ranked first in the country. Then came a lot of humble pie.

``He did us a favor,'' Toledo said. ``You learn from your experiences and all these guys learned from that experience.''

So they're keeping the low profile, saying the right things, letting their play draw the attention, not their boasting.

It's part of their formula for a national title. The Bruins claim only one in their 82-year history, and that was only the coaches' half back in 1954. USC can handle it. It claims eight. And can afford the dry cleaning.