COLLEGE FOOTBALL : TODAY’S COLLEGE GAMES TO WATCH : GAME OF THE DAY

Penn State (6-0) at Alabama (7-0) TV: Channels 7 and 10, 12:30 p.m. PDT.

The only reason Penn State wasn’t national champion last season is that it couldn’t handle the team speed of Oklahoma. Likely the same element will determine the outcome of this game. If Alabama isn’t quite as fast as Oklahoma, well, Penn State is no faster than ever. Alabama quarterback Mike Shula is settling into a nice groove, finding Al Bell for those gamebreakers more and more. The reason Bell is open is that teams are trying to stop Bobby Humphrey on those power sweeps. Alabama, for all the talk of Shula, has the SEC’s top rushing offense. Penn State throws John Shaffer at opponents, and he has completed 54% of his passes for 833 yards. But running back D.J. Dozier, with 420 yards, is the basis of the offense. Penn State is well coached and makes few mistakes. But a Tuscaloosa crowd could shake their mighty resolve.

THE SOUTHWEST SMU (5-1) at Texas (2-3) Isn’t it something when the SMU folks are worrying that their team might be looking ahead to Texas A&M;, the Southwest Conference co-leader? What’s Texas? Well, you’ve got to wonder after consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Arkansas. SMU gets its offense from Jeff Atkins, who passed the 3,000-yard rushing mark for his career last week. Texas gets its offense from quarterback Bret Stafford, who has thrown for 1,003 yards. SMU, alas, is playing for little. NCAA probation keeps the Cotton Bowl out of reach. Texas, meanwhile, with just one SWC loss, is technically a contender. The Longhorns play more conference games (six) than anyone else.

THE MIDWEST Minnesota (4-2) at Ohio State (5-2) TV: WTBS, 9:30 a.m. PDT.

The Buckeyes have to get through this game and into the Iowa game undefeated in Big Ten play if they’re going to challenge for the right to lose to a 7-4 Pac-10 team in the Rose Bowl. Beating Minnesota, a given in Columbus, Ohio, may be harder to do this season. Gopher quarterback Rickey Foggie is quick enough to make the wishbone work. He likes to give the ball to freshman Darrell Thompson, the NCAA’s No. 2 rusher with an average of 133.6 yards per game. Thompson, highly recruited, chose his home state team because he thought postcollege business opportunities would be better there. Like what, the Vikings? The Buckeyes, who have won every one of these home games since 1949, are back on track with four straight victories. Ohio State is becoming a defensive force with linebacker Chris Spielman, the conference’s leading tackler.

THE PACIFIC 10 Oregon (2-5) at Washington (5-1) Doesn’t look to be the most important Pac-10 game of the day, but it will be interesting, mildly, on two counts. Washington Coach Don James can tie Jim Owens as the winningest coach in school history. James is 98-37 in 12 seasons there. Otherwise, look to Oregon quarterback Chris Miller, an all-conference player but still the best unheralded passer in the country. He leads the Pac-10 in total offense, is second in passing, and has exceeded Dan Fouts’ passing records there.

THE SOUTHLAND Air Force (5-2) at San Diego State (4-2) TV: Prime Ticket, 8 p.m. (delayed)

A Western Athletic Conference semi-showdown here, with everyone finding out if the Aztecs’ unbeaten conference record is for real. Even San Diego State Coach Denny Stolz wonders. “This is the first crucial game we’ve had,” he admits. “Our wins have been against the bottom teams in the WAC.” Against those teams, the Aztecs have played exciting football, with quarterback Todd Santos leading the 13th-best passing attack in the country. Air Force, despite its identification with aerial works, runs the wishbone. Question is, what did Notre Dame’s 31-3 trouncing of Air Force take out of the team last week.

THE SOUTH Auburn (6-0) at Mississippi State (6-1) TV: ESPN, 4:30 p.m. PDT.

Mississippi State is the surprise team of the Southeastern Conference under new Coach Rockey Felker. A lot of credit, too, goes to Bulldog quarterback Don Smith, one of the best in the conference. Says Auburn Coach Pat Dye of Smith: “He’s tough, cool and he has the speed to burn you on every play.” Mississippi State has lost four in a row in this series, and this is homecoming. Auburn, meanwhile, is saying, “Bo who?” The Heisman Trophy winner’s replacement, Brent Fullwood, is rolling up some serious numbers on the ground.

TODAY’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, PAGE 18