COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOTES : Miami vs. BYU: Duel of Heisman Hopefuls

Miami opens defense of its national championship Saturday in Provo, Utah, against the preseason favorite for the Heisman Trophy--Brigham Young’s Ty Detmer--in what could be one of the better TV games of the season.

Miami safety Darryl Williams admits that Detmer “is pretty good” but goes on to say: “But he’s a long way from being great. A long way. I want him to prove how good he is.”

In quarterback Craig Erickson, Miami has a Heisman Trophy candidate of its own. The Erickson-Detmer duel begins at 4:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.

Two years ago, the teams ended the regular season in Miami with a 41-17 Hurricanes’ victory, and in a reserve role as a freshman, Detmer was intercepted three times and fumbled at the goal line in a 16-for-27, 212-yard, two-touchdown effort.

CAVS’ BIG CHANCE--Virginia gets its chance Saturday to show it belongs in the high-rent district of the Top 10. The Cavaliers play host to Clemson, seeking their first-ever victory over the Tigers in 30 tries, in what is being called the biggest game in Virginia football history.

Officials said they could have sold 70,000 tickets for the game in 42,000-seat Scott Stadium.

Fact is, 14th-ranked Virginia does not have another powerful team on its schedule (Navy, Duke, William and Mary, North Carolina State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia Tech), and a triumph over No. 9 Clemson would set up the Cavs as a strong candidate for the national championship.

ENTANGLED IN HIS OWN WEBB--Among the ramifications of Tennessee running back Chuck Webb’s season-ending knee surgery is that he will probably not be able to turn pro after this season, which he was considering. That means he’ll have to go to college for another year and a half while rehabilitating his knee, then attempt to prove in 1991 that he’s back to his old self.

Before the season, he admitted that a shot at pro football was what was keeping him in school.

“I wouldn’t lie to you and say I like going to college,” he told reporters. “I don’t wake up with a smile on my face saying, ‘I get to go to English class.’ ”

BRUINS IN HIDING--UCLA coach Terry Donahue has closed practice lately, saying injuries to his defense have forced the Bruins to make some schematic changes in preparation for the season opener Saturday against No. 23 Oklahoma.

Defensive end Rocen Keeton is out for a month with a knee injury and the other starting defensive end, Mike Chalenski, has been practicing sporadically because his bad shoulder keeps popping out of place.

NOTABLE--After a seven-year hiatus from the depths of winless despair, Northwestern returned to its roots in 1989 with an 0-11 season and enters 1990 with a 12-game losing streak--second longest in the nation among Division 1-A schools, trailing only New Mexico State’s 18.