BRUINS SURVIVE AND ADVANCE; UCLA TRIPS, WINS ANYWAY : UCLA 28 CAL 16.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

It rained in Strawberry Canyon. Their bus broke down, causing a 30-minute delay, and the sure-handed UCLA Bruins fumbled on their first two touches.

Then it got strange.

Their best runner was the quarterback. Their best passer was the tailback. Their kicker made a 45-yard extra point and the defense had two - count 'em, two - goal-line stands.

``The thing that amazes me about this team is our attitude,'' UCLA offensive tackle Kris Farris said. ``We really have the belief that no one can stop us. We don't care if we win by three in overtime or by 78-7. We don't think we're going to lose. We stumble, stumble, stumble, then turn it on.''

Turn it on, turn it up, turn it around - it seemingly makes no difference to the Bruins, who defeated Cal 28-16 on Saturday before 55,000 at Memorial Stadium to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 16 games.

Each week, the postseason picture gains focus. The requiem for success in the NCAA basketball tournament is ``survive and advance,'' and the same is true for these Bruins (6-0, 4-0). One loss, and they're out of the Fiesta Bowl hunt. One loss, and their national championship dreams evaporate.

This is Fall Madness, an 11-round, single-elimination tournament.

``Each week, there's more pressure,'' Bruins coach Bob Toledo said. ``I feel like the gunslinger. Everybody's out to get us.''

That may explain why their sense of satisfaction Saturday was thicker than morning fog. This was hardly their most dominating victory of the season. They sputtered on offense with their lowest point and yardage (381) totals of the season. They committed 12 penalties, including three in succession, forcing Chris Sailer to kick a 45-yard extra point. And they needed a watershed performance from the defense - albeit against the Pac-10's most inept offense - to survive and advance.

For much of the game, in fact, the No. 2 Bruins were outplayed by a two-touchdown underdog.

``They definitely didn't look like the No. 2 team,'' Cal receiver Dameane Douglas said. ``Maybe No. 27 or 28, but not No. 2.''

It doesn't matter.

Six rounds down, five to go.

``Each team is coming after us,'' linebacker Santi Hall said. ``We just have to find different ways to shut them down or score ourselves.''

It can't get much different than Saturday, beginning with the morning rain that caused 88 traffic accidents and a late-arriving crowd. The Bruins dodged through traffic with their police escort, but they could not overcome a broken bus and horrific start.

On the first play, quarterback Cade McNown fumbled. On the second, tailback Jermaine Lewis lost a kickoff return. Eventually, the Bruins found their groove, and McNown found Brian Poli-Dixon for back-to-back touchdown passes.

The second, from 35 yards, required Poli-Dixon to make a diving, full-extension catch on the left sideline - the prettiest stroke on the afternoon canvass.

``Cade put it where they couldn't get it,'' Poli-Dixon said.

From there, the defenses dominated. Cal placed nine defenders on or near the line of scrimmage and dared the Bruins to beat man-to-man coverage. Time and again, the Bears pressured McNown before his receivers could break free.

``We expected this,'' Farris said. ``I kept telling people how close it would be. Cal's defense made Nebraska look silly and they made Washington look ridiculous last week.''

Horrific field position - caused by penalties and Cal punter Nick Harris, whose right leg is a sand wedge - created rare trouble for Bruins offensive coordinator Al Borges. Of UCLA's 15 possessions, nine started inside the 20 and six inside the 10.

Hoping to avoid turnovers, Borges stuffed half the offense in his back pocket and waited for a chance to pounce.

It came early in the fourth quarter, after a Cal touchdown trimmed UCLA's lead to 21-16.

Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards, and the Bruins finally had room to maneuver. On first down, McNown hit Poli-Dixon for 14 yards. Then he found tight end Ryan Neufeld for 6 more. Once in Cal territory, McNown ran left for 16.

Two plays later, Lewis started to sweep right, stopped, and fired a 30-yard strike to freshman receiver Jon Dubravac, alone near the end zone.

We stumble, stumble, stumble, then turn it on.

``We've been working on that in practice,'' Lewis said. ``I knew (Dubravac's) eyes were really big, and I didn't know if he was going to drop it or not. It all worked out.''

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Bruins receiver Brian Poli-Dixon makes a diving, full-extension catch for a 35-yard touchdown in the first quarter of UCLA's victory over Cal.

Bob Galbraith/Associated Press