Washington at UCLA

KICKOFF: 12:30 p.m., Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Records: UW 3-5, 2-3 Pac-10; UCLA 3-5, 0-5

TV/Radio: FSN/1280-AM

Overview: The opportun- ities are dwindling. If the Washington football team wants to salvage something out of the 2009 season – and bowl eligibility is at the top of that list – the Huskies will have to get a rare road win at the Rose Bowl this afternoon.

Washington has not won a road game in 10 tries, and the last time the Huskies won at the Rose Bowl was in 1995. UCLA has had UW’s number over the years.

“We need to get a win on the road,” Huskies cornerback Adam Long said. “It’s about time we play our best. We can’t hold anything back.”

With four games remaining, the Huskies need at least three wins to become bowl eligible. A road trip to Oregon State next weekend and the season-ending home date with California have left UW in need of at least one upset to make it happen. Those games also mean that the Huskies absolutely have to beat the Bruins today and Washington State in the Nov. 28 Apple Cup.

“We’ve got to take advantage of every game right now,” Huskies linebacker Mason Foster said. “We feel like it’s the playoffs. We’ve got four games, and we’re going to try to win them all. It’s coming down to crunch time here, and the atmosphere is definitely intense.”

What makes today’s game imperative is that the Huskies have, on paper, a pretty good chance to win it. The Bruins have yet to win a Pac-10 game and have been outscored 69-36 in their past two games at the Rose Bowl.

UW, despite the 10-game road losing streak, is actually starting to play better away from Husky Stadium as of late. Losses at Arizona State and Notre Dame both came down to the wire.

– Everett Herald