Stanford aims for 9th straight against UCLA, but it won’t be easy

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The last time UCLA beat Stanford in football, George W. Bush was still president. Since then, the Cardinal have beaten the Bruins eight times.

No. 7 Stanford will be shooting for nine straight Saturday at the Rose Bowl, where the Cardinal also have won two Rose Bowl games over the past four years.

“Nothing that happened before this year, nothing that happened before this game matters,” head coach David Shaw said Tuesday. “Everything’s about what’s in front of us on Saturday. ... It’s our first road game, and it’s against a very talented team.”

Of those eight wins over UCLA, six have been by two touchdowns or more. But Shaw said, “Quite a few of the games have come down to the fourth quarter.”

The Bruins (2-1, 0-0 Pac-12) held BYU to 23 yards rushing in Saturday’s 17-14 win. It was the fewest rushing yards UCLA has allowed in eight years.

“It’s an incredible defense, extremely athletic,” Stanford tailback Christian McCaffrey said. “They play hard. They have talent all over the place. They have a very disciplined secondary with a lot of guys who have played in a lot of big football games.”

UCLA head coach Jim Mora returned the compliments to McCaffrey: “In my opinion, it’s not even arguable: He’s the best player in college football. He was last year, and he is this year.”

Kicker Conrad Ukropina #34 of the Stanford Cardinal kicks a field goal at Stanford, Calif. on September 17th, 2016. Kicker Conrad Ukropina #34 of the Stanford Cardinal kicks a field goal at Stanford, Calif. on September 17th, 2016. Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Stanford aims for 9th straight against UCLA, but it won’t be easy 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

UCLA didn’t run the ball particularly well itself (50 yards, 1.5 yards per carry) against BYU, but quarterback Josh Rosen threw for 357 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bruins were without leading rusher Soso Jamabo, who sat out the BYU game. Mora did not explain why Jamabo didn’t play. Presumably, he’ll be back Saturday.

Stanford (2-0, 1-0 Pac-12) should have a key defensive player ready to face the Bruins. Nose tackle Harrison Phillips, who sustained a knee injury late in the Kansas State game, sat out Saturday’s 27-10 win over USC.

“It looks like he’s on course to play this week, barring any setbacks,” Shaw said.

The Trojans had some success with the ground game, but not enough. Meanwhile, quarterback Max Browne played himself out of the starting job with an 18-for-28, 191-yard performance. Redshirt freshman Sam Darnold will start USC’s game at Utah on Friday.

Shaw said the defensive line missed Phillips. “He’s a physical presence inside,” he said. “He did a good job in the first game in pass rush but also in getting off blocks in the running game.”

Backup tailback Bryce Love, playing in his first game after recovering from a lower leg injury, had 51 yards in 11 carries. He had a 16-yard run, then nearly went the distance on a late 12-yard run.

Stanford used McCaffrey and Love in the same backfield a few times, and Shaw said that will happen more often.

McCaffrey’s stats change: On a play in which quarterback Ryan Burns couldn’t handle a high snap, McCaffrey alertly grabbed the ball out of air and went 7 yards. The play was original ruled a pass completion, but it was subsequently changed to a run. So McCaffrey’s rushing total rose from 165 to 172, and his receptions fell to three for 66 yards.

Briefly: Shaw said backup quarterback Keller Chryst will play some Saturday. Previously, the plan was to give him snaps in every game, but Shaw decided to keep him out of the USC game. … Both Shaw and McCaffrey said they were impressed by the sensational touchdown catch that Ohio State’s Noah Brown made Saturday. He pinned the ball against the back of an Oklahoma defender, just as Francis Owusu did last year against UCLA’s Jaleel Wadood.

Tom FitzGerald is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tfitzgerald@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @tomgfitzgerald