BRUINS SAY THEY'VE FOUND LOST SPIRIT.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

The southwest stands of Oregon State's Parker Stadium tower over the surrounding landscape like a sequoia among maples. On a clear day, from the upper rows, you can see nearby Mary's Peak and the soothing green Coast Range mountains.

It will not be clear today, and it will not be warm.

UCLA visits Oregon State this afternoon for the first time since the 1993 Bruins escaped with their Rose Bowl lives, 20-17. Parker Stadium is as dreary now as it was then.

A crowd of 28,000 is expected. It won't be cold so much as chilly; winter has not yet taken hold. The wind may whip through the stadium's open corners and over the low-lying northeast stands. Most likely, it will rain - and rain. The clouds will be thick as clam chowder, only grayer, as the Beavers desperately try to keep their bowl hopes alive.

``I'm going to prepare the team mentally for that kind of an atmosphere,'' UCLA coach Bob Toledo said.

It's an odd place for a fresh start, but that's what the Bruins (7-0, 5-0) are after, isn't it? A few weeks ago, amid the injuries, the rugged October games and the ascension to No. 1 in the Bowl Championship Series rankings, they lost their spirit. They became lethargic, even burdened, for the first time since Toledo took command in Jan. 1996. A grueling month and lofty ranking had sapped them dry.

Now that they've dropped to No. 3 in the BCS poll, now that they're healthier and playing with purpose - they must impress the voters and the computers that comprise half of the BCS formula - will their energy return?

``Let's start something new,'' said quarterback Cade McNown, who lives in the Portland suburb of West Linn. ``Let's show what kind of team we are and play a better brand of football. . . . Sometimes, this team has been more concerned with not losing than with winning.''

McNown sensed the suffocation earlier than anyone else. Monday afternoon, he did something about it.

Moments before practice, as players dressed and chatted, McNown gathered the seniors in a corner of the locker room. His message: This is the chance of a lifetime - enjoy it, but don't waste it. It was up to the seniors, not the coaches, he said, to realign underclassmen who believed the hype and feared the pressure.

McNown was unusually vocal throughout the week. He screamed, ``Let's go, offense'' during routine drills against the scout team. He yelled, ``Come on, now,'' when enthusiasm waned and chastised himself for errant throws. He laughed, too.

He was not alone. Center Shawn Stuart and linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo were equally vocal and intense. Workouts were crisper, more physical, than during Stanford week. Attention to detail was priority one. It looked, and felt, like USC week at Spaulding Field.

``The seniors have taken a leadership role,'' Toledo said. ``They've encouraged guys to pick it up. There's a sense of urgency. We know we can't slip up.''

Nor can Oregon State (4-5, 1-5), which must defeat UCLA and Oregon to become bowl eligible. Under second-year coach Mike Riley, the Beavers actually believe - at least, they did. How they respond to back-to-back one-point losses, to Washington and Cal, will determine today's events.

If OSU plays as it did against USC and Washington, then UCLA's challenge is considerable. If the Beavers have lost hope, well, UCLA could secure victory by halftime.

``Everybody was pretty down,'' Riley said of the post-Cal mood. ``We've done a lot to get to the brink, but we're not over the hump and those things can wear on you.''

Just ask McNown.

``They could have won games the last couple weeks and came up a little short,'' he said. ``I know that feeling, and we've run off 17 (wins) in a row'' since close losses to Washington State and Tennessee last year.

``They'll take it to us,'' McNown continued. ``But we control how we react. We can fend them off, or we can take it to them. We need to go up there with 60 guys and say, `This is our second season. It starts right now.' ''

No. 3 UCLA (7-0, 5-0) at OREGON STATE (4-5, 1-5)

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. at Parker Stadium (capacity 35,362)

TV/Radio: Fox Sports West; XTRA-AM (1150).

Series: UCLA leads 33-11-4, but the teams have split the last two meetings, with UCLA winning last year in the Rose Bowl 34-10. This is the Bruins' first trip to Corvallis since 1993.

Injury update: For UCLA, linebacker Mike Wiley (sprained ankle) is out. Offensive lineman Josh Webb (sprained shoulder) is doubtful. Tailbacks Jermaine Lewis (bruised right calf) and DeShaun Foster (sprained left knee) will play.

Keep an eye on: UCLA tailback DeShaun Foster. How will his sprained knee react to the slick AstroTurf? He's the playmaker. . . . Oregon State freshman tailback Ken Simonton, who's quietly averaging 92 yards per game, second in the Pac-10. . . . UCLA's offensive line. Will it eliminate costly penalties and generate running room? . . . Oregon State quarterback Jonathan Smith, who threw for 380 yards at Washington. . . . UCLA cornerbacks Jason Bell, Ryan Roques and Marques Anderson. They don't have to stop every pass, but they can't miss tackles. . . . Oregon State defensive end Inoke Breckterfield, fast and disruptive and tough to block.

Oregon State update: The Beavers are ninth in the Pac-10 in total offense (345.9) but fourth in total defense (367.8). Terrance Bryant will rotate with Smith at quarterback. OSU's best athlete is quarterback-turned-receiver Tim Alexander. Kicker Jose Cortez, a Van Nuys native, has made 14 of 20 field goals, with a long of 55 yards.

- Jon Wilner

CAPTION(S):

Box

Box: No. 3 UCLA (7-0, 5-0) at OREGON STATE (4-5, 1-5) (See Text)