IMMEDIATE GOAL FOR BRUINS: WIN UCLA TRIES TO ERASE BAD TASTE OF SKID.

Byline: BRIAN DOHN Staff Writer

UCLA's refocused goal is to get to a bowl, but after a month of losing, the Bruins would just settle for a win today against Oregon State at the Rose Bowl.

The last time the Bruins won came Oct. 7, when quarterback Ben Olson was injured, backup Patrick Cowan looked sensational and the season contained promise and anticipation.

``We need one (win) bad,'' UCLA fifth-year receiver Junior Taylor said. ``We've got three games left and we've got a four-game losing streak. This isn't the way we wanted our season to go. It's an opportunity for us to change it, and also we need a couple more wins to get that opportunity to play that extra bowl game that we all want and desire every year. So, it's a must win.''

Said Cowan, who will make his fifth straight start: ``I want to win. That's what the whole purpose is, to have fun and get victories. And you have a lot more fun when you win.''

The last month hasn't been peachy for the Bruins (4-5, 2-4 Pacific-10), who have lost to Oregon, Notre Dame, Washington State and California by a combined score of 125-76, and during that stretch saw their once top-10 defense shredded by opposing quarterbacks.

Oregon's Dennis Dixon, Notre Dame's Brady Quinn, Washington State's Alex Brink and California's Nate Longshore combined to complete 68.5 percent of their passes for 1,119 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in exposing UCLA's defense, and there is no question former UCLA quarterback Matt Moore wants to become the next one to destroy the Bruins' secondary.

Moore, who left UCLA after the 2003 season, has led the Beavers (6-3, 4-2) to four straight wins, including huge home victories over USC and Arizona State. He said his mind, as well as the mind-set of Oregon State, is much better than during last season's loss at the Rose Bowl, when Moore threw a pair of interceptions and was replaced late in the game.

``I think we're at a good level right now,'' said Moore, who starred at Hart High of Newhall. ``But it's the same thing after beating 'SC, not to get to `Oh, we just beat 'SC, let's just put it in cruise mode.' It's the same thing.''

The Beavers are eyeing a second- or third-place finish in the Pac-10 and a berth in either the Holiday Bowl or the Sun Bowl. The Bruins are trying to avoid their longest in-season losing streak since 2003, when coach Karl Dorrell's first team ended with five straight defeats.

``We've been down a little bit,'' UCLA defensive tackle Brigham Harwell said. ``We're fighting really hard for a win, and I think this is a week we have to prove to ourselves that we can beat this team. I have a lot of friends on Oregon State, so this game means a lot to me. Every game means a lot, but this game is personal.''

UCLA, which needs a pair of wins to become bowl-eligible, has the modest goal of going to the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24.

``That would be nice,'' Dorrell said. ``I'm really at the point where I am so focused on a win this week. I think that is so important, but ... (the bowl berth is) the prize. But it is about getting the win this week done and building off the positives.''

Perhaps sensing a meltdown after a strong effort in last week's 14-point loss at Cal, Dorrell sought out a number of team leaders and stressed the importance of remaining positive and working hard despite the bleak turn of the season.

``Coach Dorrell picked out 16 players on this team to lead this group,'' said Harwell, a junior. ``Here and there we'll go talk to a player or two players, and let them know, `It's OK, we're going to get this win this weekend.' It's just to pick them up. And everything this week at practice has been up-tempo, and it's been a different environment.''

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UCLA (4-5, 2-4) vs. OREGON STATE (6-3, 4-2)

- Brian Dohn