On a four-game win streak, and with eight wins under its belt for the first time since 2005, the UCLA football team is on the upswing and in a position to put itself at the top of the Pac-12­ ““ if and only if it can beat the two teams in the conference that have historically gotten the better of them.

After Tuesday’s practice, coach Jim Mora dispelled one potential explanation for the Bruins’ recent success: witchcraft.

The 81,000-plus fans at the Rose Bowl on Saturday saw a very different team than the one embroiled in a bench-clearing brawl against Arizona in 2011.

With the bye week in the rearview mirror and four regular season games remaining, No. 25 UCLA (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) will look to extend its win streak to three games for the second time this year.

With the end of the season in sight and a weekend road trip to Arizona State approaching rapidly, UCLA (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12) will attempt to get over the hump within the conference.

UCLA (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12) will take advantage of its bye week following a 21-14 win over Utah to give the team’s starters some time to rest, as well as provide an opportunity for younger players to get more involved in practices.

Coming off a road win at Colorado, No. 25 UCLA will head into more hostile territory this weekend when they meet Cal in Berkeley.

UCLA baseball had an unusual perspective for Saturday night’s Super Regional game against Texas Christian University.

The UCLA women’s volleyball team, eventual 2011 national champions, were at a low point by the end of the regular season.

Do you think the women’s water polo team will respond next year to compete for a national championship?

Eric Peck: UCLA lost to USC in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament a week after they beat them in the second round of the MPSF Tournament; if anything lights a fire under a team, it’s got to be that.