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Although Mack Brown has won and lost national titles at the Rose Bowl in the past few years, an older memory from the fabled stadium is more prominent in the Texas coach's mind before his latest visit.
In Brown's second game with the Longhorns in 1998, they fell behind 35-3 at halftime to then-mighty UCLA. Undermanned Texas still rallied within 10 points in the second half before losing - and earning huge cheers from about 15,000 Texas fans who traveled to Arroyo Seco.
''They gave the guys a standing ovation for not quitting and not giving up,'' Brown said. ''Our fans want to see us fight. They want to see us compete, and we didn't do that on a regular basis last year.''
The 23rd-ranked Longhorns (2-0) aren't exactly back to 1998 standards after posting a losing record last year, but expectations have dropped precipitously since January 2010, when Texas lost the BCS title game to Alabama on the same field.
Longhorns fans will pack the Rose Bowl again, but they'll be happy Saturday with any victory over UCLA (1-1), which is having plenty of its own problems.
The roots of Texas' decline are buried deep in the Rose Bowl, starting with that loss to the Crimson Tide. The Longhorns then fell apart after last year's visit from the Bruins, who experienced the biggest moment in coach Rick Neuheisel's tenure with a stunning 34-12 win in Austin last September.
''It's amazing when you play a storied program and you go into their place and come out with a win that no one expects,'' UCLA safety Tony Dye said. ''It's even better when you could beat a storied program in front of your own fans, though.''
The Longhorns insist they aren't focused on revenge in their UCLA rematch. With a quarterback quandary and new schemes on both sides of the ball, they're simply hoping to write a footnote in their rebuilding history against the Bruins, who also have quarterback problems and a disenchanted fan base.
Texas fans are getting used to good times in Pasadena, however. The Longhorns won the 2005 Rose Bowl against Michigan on a late kick by Dusty Mangum, and they took home the 2006 national title with a victory over Southern California that's merely considered one of the greatest games in college football history.
Several Longhorns played in that BCS title game loss two seasons ago, but such heights seem far away.
''There's going to be some memories there,'' said Texas safety Blake Gideon, a four-year starter. ''But at the same time, I'm old enough now, I'm not going to get caught up in the fanfare and everything. It's a business trip. We don't have any excuses. We know all about this team. We know what they're going to try to do to us, so it's going to be a battle of wills.''
Quarterback Case McCoy will start for the Longhorns on the same field where his older brother, Colt, was injured during the BCS title game nearly two years ago. Freshman David Ash also is expected to play, but the Longhorns are pinning their hopes on the promising sophomore after Garrett Gilbert's struggles earlier this season.
The Bruins spent the week declining to announce whether Richard Brehaut or Kevin Prince will start against the Longhorns. Brehaut has played most of the first two games after Prince incurred a concussion and a shoulder injury in the opener, but neither passer has been particularly impressive.
''It could change the perception of the public in terms of how they view our program,'' said Prince, who rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown while leading the win over Texas last season. ''Whenever you get a ranked opponent and one as dominant as Texas has been over the years, it's a big game. It definitely gets people paying attention to us if we can get this win.''
UCLA beat Texas on the ground last year, rushing for 264 yards and three scores in a shocking display of scrimmage-line dominance. The Bruins weren't nearly as impressive for the rest of the year, although their passing game has been the most embarrassing part of their recent struggles.
Bruins tailbacks Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman are back to face the Longhorns, who have yielded just 173 yards rushing in their first two games combined this season. UCLA's offense barely showed up in last week's home opener, a 27-17 win over lowly San Jose State, but the Bruins still have topflight talent at most skill positions.
Neuheisel realizes he could do wonders for his job security with a win over Texas, but he's concentrating on building a team that can compete when Pac-12 play opens next week.
''We always look forward to the chance to take on a marquee program,'' Neuheisel said. ''There's no doubt it would be another big win for this team. These are the kind of moments that you get into this profession for. This is what it's about.''
