Here's a sampling of the headlines that the Oregon football team inspired on magazine covers over the last few years:

"Party Crashers."

"The Fastest Man in Football."

"The Colossus."

Together, they paint a picture of ascendance, of transcendence, of dominance. And among schools still in search of their first national championship, there may be none with a more recognizable brand: the jaw-dropping facilities, the ever-changing uniforms, and yes -- the blink-and-you-missed it offense.

This is what No. 18 UCLA is tasked with stopping this Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Even if the 12th-ranked Ducks (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) are looking more beatable this year, they're still positioned as the Bruins' most formidable challenge yet this season.

"They're the type of team that, they wait for you to pop your gap," said UCLA defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes. "Once you pop your gap and not do your job, they'll most definitely make you pay for it with a 60-yard touchdown like that. No matter if it's first down, second down, third down or fourth down --you don't hold your gap, they're going to score."

Which makes the battle in the trenches particularly intriguing. Oregon skill players from LaMichael James to De'Anthony Thomas to Marcus Mariota have been the dominant faces of the program, the catalysts of that signature offense. What's made the Ducks look ordinary at times this season have been their players up front --a unit that one anonymous FBS coach called "one of the worst offensive lines I've ever seen at this level" in an interview with FOX Sports.

For UCLA to pull off an upset win, it will need to expose that line. While the Bruins (4-1, 1-1) have had offensive line troubles of their own, their defensive line has arguably been the team's top unit. Vanderdoes and nose guard Kenny Clark have been outstanding week in and week out, ranking fifth and third, respectively, on the team in tackles.

"They're tremendous players," said UCLA head coach Jim Mora. "They're some of the best interior linemen that I've been around at this level, and they have the potential to be great ones at the next level as well. It's tough to run inside on us. ... Those two guys are really special."

As a result, opposing teams have adjusted. UCLA gave up an average of just 137 rushing yards through its first four games, more often than not on plays that skewed outside.

"I noticed that from Game 1," Vanderdoes said. "Me and Kenny take a lot of double teams inside. Me and Kenny try to do our jobs. We don't try to get selfish and pop gaps. We know that if we hold our gaps, the running back's going to come, he's going to have to bounce out.

"We know we've got guys on the edge that are going to do their jobs as well."

That tendency became even more pronounced in last week's 30-28 loss to Utah. The Utes set up a go-ahead field goal with nine straight runs, repeatedly bouncing outside and attacking the edge. That's put an onus on other UCLA defenders not to repeat the same mistakes this week.

"If you can't run it inside, you're not going to continue to do that," said senior defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa. "That's what we've been seeing, and that's what we're prepared for. It gives guys like me a chance to make plays. We'll be ready for it if that's what we see from Oregon."

Oregon has lost three tackles to injuries, including Tyler Johnstone --who had started 26 straight games at left tackle before tearing his ACL in training camp. That's robbed the running game of some of its juice; after leading the Pac-12 in rushing for eight straight seasons, the Ducks are third with 209 yards per game.

That lack of depth also creates a chance for UCLA to remedy one of its most lingering defensive issues: lack of pressure. The Bruins are last in the conference with seven sacks. Oregon has already given up 15 this season --second-worst in the league.

"It's going to be a good opportunity for us to get home," Odighizuwa said. "Get some pressures, just continue to get after the quarterback."

Healing wounds

UCLA's hopes for a playoff berth look dim after its loss to Utah blemished its record, but the one thing that may give Bruin fans hope is the turbulent state of college football at large. Nine teams ranked in the Associated Press poll remain undefeated; all but two of them will face one of the others this season.

"There's not many teams out there that haven't got a wound," Mora said. "It's how you recover. It's how you respond. Our conference is very tough. A lot of coaches have made the comment that, 'We're going to eat ourselves.' ... I think you see that in all the conferences. To come through the season unscathed is going to be a tremendous accomplishment."

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