By Bud Withers
Seattle Times staff reporter
Ah, the Pac-10, the haven for NFL-bound quarterbacks, offenses made for Mensa candidates, highlights that sparkle on the late-night sports. It might not seem like a place where the run matters, but the upper reaches of the conference beg to differ. Today, Cal visits UCLA in a battle of unbeaten teams, and the ability to rush likely will hold the key to who moves on unscathed. In recent years, the Bruins have struggled to stop the run, but they shut down Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma earlier. Then they seemed to take a step backward last weekend, allowing Washington 213 yards on the ground. No doubt, Cal has been eyeing that tape. While the Bears have been capable in the passing game under Jeff Tedford, it's their ability to run that has made them a threat to USC. Cal was No. 7 in rushing in the Pac-10 in 2002, Tedford's first year. Now they're averaging 259.4, 11 yards shy of a school record that has stood since 1948. "We've had a lot of success running the ball," Tedford said this week. "Until somebody stops it, we're going to keep running it." Cal has had a 100-yard rusher in 17 straight games, a statistic the Bruins probably will be hard-pressed to curtail. Marshawn Lynch, the Bears' sophomore standout, is getting healthier, not that Cal is destitute with Justin Forsett in the backfield. Tedford says Lynch has been nagged not only by the broken finger suffered in the UW game Sept. 10, but other problems, including a knee, quad and ankle. "He still needs to be in a little bit better game shape," Tedford said. Meanwhile, UCLA will try to unshackle Maurice Drew, whom Washington held to just 33 yards last week in the Bruins' 21-17 victory. There are two key line injuries: Cal will be without offensive tackle Andrew Cameron for the season, and UCLA's defensive end, Nikola Dragovic, is sidelined. Cal is largely untested at 5-0, and should be favored in its next three before hosting USC Nov. 12.
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