The sting of not only losing to crosstown rival USC, but being embarrassed, 66-19, is over -- at least UCLA hopes so as it practices for the Dec. 30 Sun Bowl.

"I know we'll bounce back," said Bruin tight end Marcedes Lewis, the Mackey Award winner. "There's no question about it in my mind. With the character of this team, we'll bounce back and we'll go out there and get that 10th win and take it into next year and get even better."
UCLA coach Karl Dorrell becomes the first Bruin coach to lead a team to three straight bowl appearances, but losses have followed in the last two.

The Bruins lost to Fresno State in the 2003 Silicon Valley Classic and the Las Vegas Bowl to Wyoming a year ago.

For Dorrell, the Sun Bowl represents a little Rose Bowl experience for him with the Bruins taking on Big Ten like Northwestern.

Dorrell played in three Rose Bowls as a Bruin receiver in 1982-83 and 1985.

"I grew up with the Rose Bowl being a Pac-10/Big Ten matchup," Dorrell said. "This Sun Bowl game will be kind of a renewal of that tradition for me."
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