ROAD WOES CONTINUE FOR BRUINS CALIFORNIA 46, UCLA (3 OT) 38.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

BERKELEY - Dancing and shouting, thousands of Cal students poured onto the Memorial Stadium field Saturday at the conclusion of the Bears' dramatic 46-38 triple-overtime victory over UCLA. Apparently, none of them are history majors.

If they were, they'd know that beating UCLA on your home field is as inevitable as the sunrise.

When Cal cornerback Jemeel Powell wrestled a pass away from UCLA receiver Brian Poli-Dixon in the end zone to end the final overtime, it sealed the Bruins' eighth consecutive loss on the road - their longest since a nine-game streak ended in 1922.

This streak, though, doesn't look like it's in any danger of ending this season, considering their final road games are at Arizona and Washington.

Cal entered Saturday's game with a four-game losing streak, had lost five in a row in the Pac-10 and was struggling offensively.

Meanwhile, UCLA was well-rested and, one would have thought, well- prepared after last week's bye. If ever there was an opportunity for the 13th-ranked Bruins to get off to a good start - they've trailed in every game - and win on the road, it was against low-Cal.

``The big thing we stressed is not getting off to a slow start and winning on the road,'' UCLA coach Bob Toledo said. ``We didn't accomplish either one.''

UCLA fought back gamely, rallying for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to send the game into overtime, but the Bruins couldn't carry the momentum with them.

Thus, the stirring comeback couldn't cover up a multitude of sins. To wit:

--Kyle Boller, the quarterback they didn't want, came back to beat them for the second year in a row. The sophomore from Hart High of Newhall threw for a career-high 252 yards and three touchdowns.

--Cory Paus, who had an otherwise fine game, throwing for 309 yards and four touchdowns, threw three interceptions - one of which was returned by Nnamdi Asomugha 31 yards for a touchdown and another, by Powell, that ended the game.

--Cal, which had averaged 11.2 points in its four-game losing streak, scored 28 points in regulation and converted 8 of 18 third downs.

If not for a couple of fumbles - one by Boller at Cal's 2 and another by Joseph Echema at the UCLA 9-yard line - the Bruins might have found themselves trailing Cal 35-7 in the third quarter.

If the Bruins had few answers on the field, they had fewer in the locker room.

``I can't explain it,'' said senior free safety Jason Zdenek. ``I wouldn't say it's the offense's fault or the defense's fault. We were hoping this would be the game where we'd put four quarters of good football together. It just didn't happen.''

Suddenly, after beating No. 3 Alabama and No. 3 Michigan and harboring hopes of a run at the national championship, the Bruins (4-2, 1-2) said aloha to their Rose Bowl hopes on Saturday. They soon might be saying mahalo to the Oahu Bowl.

``It's very frustrating,'' Poli-Dixon said. ``This is not at all where we want to be.''

``Words can't even explain it,'' said senior cornerback Jason Bell. ``I can't believe we didn't win. I can't believe we made the mistakes we did. This one hurts. We needed this, we should have had it and we didn't get it.

``I have no idea why (they continually fall behind). It's hard when you put yourself in a hole. It finally bit us in the butt.''

The Bruins, who rallied from seven points down to beat Alabama, 10 to defeat Michigan and 21 to nip Arizona State, looked as if they'd pull off another stunning comeback.

They took advantage of two fourth-quarter fumbles to rally from a 28-14 deficit. When Freddie Mitchell caught Paus' drag pass on third-and-4 and turned it into a 35-yard touchdown, the Bruins were even with 5:59 to play.

In overtime, Boller threw a 22-yard scoring pass to Derek Swafford on the opening possession, but the Bruins answered by grinding out a 10-play drive to make it 35-35. UCLA converted two fourth downs, one when Cal (2-4, 1-2) jumped offsides and another when fullback Ed Ieremia-Stansbury's twisting second-effort gave him the first down by inches.

UCLA's Chris Griffith and Cal's Mark-Christian Jensen matched 37-yard field goals in the second overtime to make it 38-38. Jensen's was the first over 27 yards he's made this season.

In the third overtime, UCLA cornerback Ricky Manning was called for pass interference, moving the ball 15 yards to the Bruin 3, setting up Joe Igber's touchdown run. After the second overtime, teams aren't allowed to kick the conversion, and Boller hit Geoff McArthur to make it 46-38.

On UCLA's second play, Paus put the ball up for the 6-foot-5 Poli-Dixon but the 6-foot-1 Powell, who had missed the last two games with a hip injury, out-fought him for it.

``He made a good play on it,'' Poli-Dixon said. ``I thought I had it, but I got off balance and he ended up with it.''

Some of the Bruins put on a brave face, saying they could finish 10-2. Mathematically possible, sure, but until the Bruins figure out a way to play a complete game and win on the road, the numbers won't add up.

``I don't know what it is,'' said guard Brian Polak. ``But sooner or later we need to get it going.''

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Photo: Cal's Geoff McArthur (83) celebrates after catching winning TD pass against UCLA.

Arleen Ng/Associated Press