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PROVO - Notre Dame had "The Four Horsemen," and several teams have displayed a "Thunder and Lightning."

But what about BYU's powerful backfield trio of Manase Tonga, Fui Vakapuna and Harvey Unga?

"Maybe the Three Stooges," Tonga suggested. "What people see from the outside in is a bunch of serious guys. But if you really know us, we are just a bunch of goofballs who like to have fun. But we get the job done on the field, and we don't want anybody to underestimate us."

The BYU sports information department has dubbed Tonga, Vakapuna and Unga "The Tongan Trio," and they will be in the lineup together for the first time this season on Saturday when BYU (1-0) faces No. 13 UCLA (1-0) at the Rose Bowl.

Tonga missed BYU's season opener against Arizona while serving a one-game suspension, and the junior is eager to get his first carry.

"I am so excited to play," he said. "I'm not going to try to do anything special. I'll just keep doing what I have been doing as far as making the right blocks, running hard and making catches - just helping the offense move the chains."

As Tonga watched from the sideline, Unga made his mentor proud by gaining 194 all-purpose yards and scoring two touchdowns. Although his personal statistics may take a dip with Tonga's return, Unga believes it will enhance BYU's offense.

"He is a role model kind of player, and having him back just opens up all the abilities in our backfield," Unga said. "We thrive off each other. If one of us does something good, the other two feed of it and get pumped. It makes us want to go out there and do something else for each other."

Tonga, Vakapuna and Unga all weigh more than 230 pounds and deliver a pounding to defenders in their path. When asked how teams will stop the versatile trio, Tonga could only smile and shake his head.

"Oh man I don't know, but they are going to be scared," he said. "As long as we stay healthy and fresh, we are going to be tough to defend."

While having three similar all-purpose backs splitting carries could spawn jealousy, Tonga says it's not a problem at BYU.

"We are all family, so we are used to sharing," he said. "And when you put it into perspective, we are going for the bigger outcome, which is a team victory. We always keep that in mind."

Sound prediction

BYU's offensive line takes every sack allowed personally, and the unit wasn't too happy when Arizona's Antoine Cason came on a corner blitz from the blindside and caused Max Hall fumble on BYU's first series last weekend.

"It kills me we gave up that sack," senior center Sete Aulai said. "I should have made the call, and I didn't. It's my fault. Max told us it was OK, and that he felt like a veteran now that he was hit. I laughed at him, and told him 'Man you're stupid.' But it won't happen again if I can help it."

Quick hits

Saturday's game is the eighth meeting between BYU and UCLA. BYU won the first meeting in 1983, but UCLA has won six straight. The last time the teams met at the the Rose Bowl was in 1993 when UCLA defeated BYU 68-14. . . . BYU has established a big home field advantage at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and UCLA's is nearly as strong at the Rose Bowl. In five seasons under head coach Karl Dorrell, UCLA is 20-5, including 12-1 over the last two seasons. . . . BYU has 14 players from Southern California on its roster.