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CORRECTS DAY OF WEEK - Oregon's head coach Chip Kelly prior to the NCAA Pac 12 championship football game against UCLA in Eugene, Ore., Friday, Dec 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens)

By Anne. Peterson AP Sports Writer / December 3, 2011

EUGENE, Ore.—There's at least one more celebration running back LaMichael James would like to take part in as a Duck. That's a victory in a BCS bowl game.

James, a junior, has been to the Rose Bowl before, and then last year he accompanied Oregon to the national championship. But so far during his tenure, Oregon has yet to win one of those big games.

He'll get another chance on Jan. 2, when Oregon goes to the Rose Bowl. The No. 8 Ducks earned the trip with a 49-31 victory over UCLA Friday night in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game.

Oregon will play the winner of the first Big Ten championship game Saturday between No. 11 Michigan State and No. 15 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2. The bowl pairings will be formally announced on Sunday.

"We've got to," he said about winning in Pasadena. "We've got to compete. We might have lost, be we always compete. That's where it starts at."

James ran for 219 yards and three touchdowns against UCLA, setting a league record with three straight 1,500-yard seasons, will bolt to the NFL next season.

While James celebrated with his teammates after the victory, UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel paused before Bruins fans at Autzen Stadium and tipped his hat.

The former UCLA quarterback was fired this week after four seasons at his alma mater.

"They can take my job," Neuheisel said, gesturing to the locker room as he left the field, "but they can't take those boys away from me."

Neuheisel was fired following last weekend's 50-0 loss to No. 9 Southern California, in what turned out to be a wave of coaching moves around the Pac-12. Arizona State let go of Dennis Erickson. Washington State parted ways with Paul Wulff, then quickly hired former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach a day later.

The Bruins were granted permission this week from the NCAA to accept a bowl invitation despite their losing record.

"We made it a game, at least for a time. I was thrilled that we got that kind of effort, given the events of the last week," Neuheisel said. "I just am excited for these guys. They get one more game. They'll find out where here soon."

With his three TDs, James moved into a tie with USC's LenDale White (2003-05) for second on the league's career rushing TD list with 52.

James ran 30 yards for a touchdown on Oregon's first drive. He went into the game as the nation's top running back with an average of 142.7 yards per game.

UCLA tied it when linebacker Patrick Larimore intercepted Darron Thomas and ran 35 yards for a touchdown. Neuheisel pumped his fist in celebration.