Pac-10 Notebook -- Remarks In Seattle Irk WSU, Oregon

Predictably, Coach Jim Lambright's public appeal for Cotton Bowl consideration for his Washington Huskies did not go unnoticed in Pullman and Eugene this week.

Lambright said Oregon was lucky to get away from Seattle with a 24-22 victory, that the Huskies are the Pac-10's most exciting team right now and that Washington would send more fans and provide a bigger television audience for the Cotton Bowl.

After reading a newspaper account of Lambright's remarks, Washington State receiver Chad Carpenter said the Husky coach has overlooked Saturday's Apple Cup game against WSU.

"Coach Lambright, I don't think he has much respect for Washington State," Carpenter said. "He acts like (the Huskies) are just going to show up and beat us. He didn't even take into consideration that he might lose to us. It was an arrogant statement.

"You'd think that a man who'd been beaten two out of the last three games with us would have a little more respect."

Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti said he is confident of his team's chances with the Cotton Bowl committee if the Ducks beat Oregon State on Saturday, regardless of what Lambright says.

"My basic statement on that is that I've been told that they are looking for the team that has the best record and the best national ranking," Bellotti said. "And 9-2 would be the best record. We would be the highest-rated (Pac-10) team other than USC and we would have beaten them (Washington) in head-to-head competition. I think that ought to end the discussion."

Oregon wide receiver Cristin McLemore and tailback Ricky Whittle also directed salvos toward Lambright.

"I thought he was a grown man," McLemore said. "He should know better than that. Other than that, look at the scoreboard the last two years. It's all you have to say."

Whittle said it was nice that Lambright was still giving Oregon so much attention.

"Evidently, we've done our job because he's still remembering us," Whittle said. "We take it as a compliment and we really appreciate it."

Whittle said he would like to see the Washington-Washington State game, figuring Lambright has fired up the Cougars and their coach, Mike Price.

"Coach Price, he gets his team pumped up, and I know he's really taking this personally," Whittle said.

Publicly at least, Price has taken a clenched-teeth attitude.

"I haven't noticed, I haven't noticed," Price said when asked about Lambright's remarks. "That's the official line around here."

The Cotton Bowl can pick any Pac-10 team other than the Rose Bowl representative.

If both Washington and Oregon win Saturday, the Huskies will finish with a 6-1-1 record in the Pac-10 and a 7-3-1 mark overall. Oregon would be 6-2 in the Pac-10, 9-2 overall.

Trojans to try, try again

USC's Rose Bowl-bound Trojans, who failed earlier to end a 13-game winless streak against Notre Dame, will try to snap their four-game losing streak to UCLA on Saturday at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Whether they will might depend more on the physical condition of one Bruin, Karim Abdul-Jabbar, than on any Trojan.

Abdul-Jabbar, the Pac-10's leading rusher, is recovering from a sprained ankle suffered against Washington last Saturday. Before that, he had gained more than 200 yards in three straight games.

"My biggest challenge this week is to get our players and coaches rebuilt psychologically," UCLA Coach Terry Donahue said. "I think it would be huge - gigantic is probably a better word - for our seniors to go unbeaten against USC for their careers. But I don't think they're thinking that now. I hope they are by game time."

Abdul-Jabbar has said all week that he would be ready. The problem is, he's been saying that while supporting himself with crutches.

"This game is huge. I've been waiting to play in the (Los Angeles) Coliseum since I was a kid," Abdul-Jabbar said. Abdul-Jabbar grew up near the Coliseum. He missed the UCLA-USC game there two years ago because he was injured.

UCLA vs. USC has been the most lopsided traditional-rival Pac-10 series in the 1990s. While UCLA was building a 4-0 edge over USC, all the other series are even at 2-2.

Let's review . . .

As part of a Seattle Times preseason survey, Pac-10 coaches were asked to pick the outcome of the league race. USC was picked to finish first and Stanford was picked to place last.

The coaches got it half right. USC is Rose Bowl-bound and Stanford is anything but last. If the Cardinal, clearly the surprise team of the year in the Pac-10, beats California on Saturday it will secure a berth in the Aloha Bowl as the league's fourth-place team.

Upon further review, it should be noted what The Times' Pac-10 correspondent wrote in picking Stanford to place last: "Tyrone Willingham's first year as coach could be a long one. Four of the first five games are on the road."

Stanford was unbeaten after those first five games, winning four road games and playing Wisconsin to a tie at home.

Willingham is one of 10 finalists for the Football News national coach of the year award.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Rockne's predictions

At Washington 28, WSU 17 - Cougar QB Ryan Leaf struggles in hostile environment as healthier Huskies try to avoid trip to El Paso.

At USC 28, UCLA 21 - Bruins' upset hopes hinge on health of RB Karim Abdul-Jabbar (ankle).

At Stanford 35, Cal 10 - With Aloha Bowl in sight, well-balanced Cardinal too much for beleaguered Bears.

At Oregon 24, Oregon State 14 - Lambright's Cotton Bowl lobbying helps Ducks refocus, in case they were looking past the Beavers.

At Arizona State 21, Arizona 10 - Pac-10's hottest team extends winning streak to league-best five games.

Last week: 2-3. Season: 27-18-2.