TODAY’S COLLEGE GAMES TO WATCH

Houston (0-0) at Arizona (0-0)

Houston is in tough, having lost all but two of its offensive linemen from last year. And the Cougars need a line if quarterback Gerald Landry is to break the Southwest Conference all-time total offense record, much less win. Landry, a senior, needs just 1,757 yards to break the record of 6,884 set by SMU quarterback Chuck Hixson. Last season, during which the team fumbled and stumbled from a Cotton Bowl team into a 4-7 team, the Cougars were plagued more by a lack of defense than offense. Newcomers carry the defensive burden this season. Meanwhile, Arizona returns 17 starters from its 8-3-1 season, including quarterback Alfred Jenkins, a third-year starter. This is a tough way to open a season, and Houston’s Bill Yeoman, a native of Glendale, Ariz., will be opening his 25th this year.

Miami, Fla. (1-0) at Florida (1-0)

In addition to matching two bitter rivals, this game also matches the nation’s two best quarterbacks, Miami’s Vinnie Testaverde and Florida’s walk-on wonder, Kerwin Bell. Both scored well in season openers last week with Testaverde making a cable TV presentation of 231 yards passing and Bell throwing for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Miami, at least for the moment, is playing for a national championship. It nearly had one last season before Tennessee blew the Hurricanes out in the Sugar Bowl. But Florida, at least for the moment, is playing for the fun of it. The Gators are still on NCAA probation, a penalty which cost it the two SEC championships it would have otherwise won while sanctioned. There is hope that when the NCAA revisits the school in November, the Gators will get off on good behavior, making it eligible for a bowl appearance. If so, it will be much of the country’s first chance to see their junior quarterback. Although Florida would appear to be undaunted by the sanctions, except financially, the Gators are in fact pretty thinned out because of the NCAA’s penalty limiting recruitment the past two seasons. Coach Galen Hall has only 43 players who actually have college experience. “If we have any injuries,” he says, “we probably won’t be the type of team our players and fans would like us to be.”

Temple (0-0) at Penn State (0-0)

This matches up a pair of fine running backs, Penn State’s D.J. Dozier and Temple’s Paul (Boo Boo) Palmer, who ranked second in the nation in rushing last season. However, little else will match up so evenly. The Nittany Lions, whose only loss last season was to national champion Oklahoma, return 37 of their top 44 players. This makes their coach characteristically optimistic. If they play as well as they did last season, Joe Paterno insists, “we’ll lose four games this time.” But probably not this one, although the Owls gave them a scare last season. Temple, 4-7 last season, may be improved, but not enough to start a schedule this way.

Vanderbilt (0-0) at Alabama (1-0)

Alabama is another team in the running for a national championship and even has a head start on some of the favorites, thanks to its season-opening win over Ohio State. One pro scout, looking ahead a bit, said the Tide could have as many as 10 players go high in the NFL draft. Certainly linebacker Cornelius Bennett, who Coach Ray Perkins tabs as the next Lawrence Taylor, heads that list. And Miami Dolphins Coach Don Shula has to like the quarterback, son Mike Shula. This is not the team to play if you’re coming off a 3-7-1 season, as Vanderbilt is.