SPOTLIGHT / SATURDAY’S GAMES AT A GLANCE : NOTEWORTHY

Thanks to Russell White, Dave Barr and Sean Dawkins, Coach Keith Gilbertson’s debut with California was a good one. White, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards each of the past two seasons, ran for 216 yards; Barr, in his first start, passed for 175 yards and three touchdowns, and Dawkins caught nine passes for 130 yards and the three scores in a 46-16 victory over San Jose State. The Spartans, who needed to be at full strength, weren’t. Three offensive starters--linemen Reuben Johnson and Alten Faletoi and fullback John Thompson--were declared academically ineligible Thursday.

Nebraska’s Mike Grant was a starting quarterback in 1990 before injuries cost him the position, and he sat out last season as a redshirt. He returned as a starter in the Cornhuskers’ opener against Utah, passed for two touchdown and ran for two more in a 49-22 victory that could have been much more one-sided. Nebraska, ranked No. 11, led, 35-0, at halftime before Coach Tom Osborne called off the wolves and went to his bench. “He’s won the job three times,” Osborne said of Grant. “You don’t win the job here three times without being a good football player. The competition is intense. We grade every snap. We don’t ever hand anything to anybody.”

Freshman Michael Proctor kicked four field goals, a school record for freshmen, in No. 9 Alabama’s 25-8 victory over Vanderbilt. He seems to have filled a void for the Crimson Tide, which was 11-1 last season despite getting only one field goal of more than 40 yards. Proctor kicked three longer than 40. “I thought I did a good job,” Proctor said. “I didn’t feel any pressure.”

Boston College defeated Rutgers, 37-20, for its first opening-game victory in five years.

Freshman Johnny Lomoro kicked a 52-yard field goal with 13 seconds left to give Southern Mississippi a 23-21 victory over Memphis State, which had come back from a 20-7 deficit in the third period.

Notre Dame’s Rick Mirer passed for two touchdowns in a 42-7 victory over Northwestern to move within three of Joe Theisman’s career school record.

WELCOME TO LATE NIGHT

Clemson tackle Les Hall didn’t know much about Ball State, the Tigers’ opening-game opponent, and didn’t seem particularly concerned. “David Letterman went there,” he said before the game. “That’s about it.” He and the Tigers have a better feeling for the Cardinals now. Clemson, which has won its last five openers by a combined score of 206-7, found itself in a close game, tied going into the fourth quarter, before winning, 24-10. Tim Jones’ fourth-quarter interception set up Howard Hall’s go-ahead touchdown run of one yard.

“When you’re selling T-shirts that say ‘Beat Florida State’ (Clemson’s next opponent) and here we are playing Ball State, that wasn’t a good atmosphere,” Clemson Coach Ken Hatfield said.

STREAKS

Wake Forest, which lost to North Carolina, 35-17, has lost 18 of 19 Atlantic Coast Conference games since beating the Tar Heels, 17-16, in 1989. . . . Miami, which beat Iowa, 24-7, extended its nation’s-longest winning streak to 19 games. . . . Washington, which defeated Arizona State, has won 15 consecutive games. . . . Colorado State’s 37-17 loss to Colorado was its sixth defeat in a row. . . . Oklahoma State’s 35-3 victory over Indiana State was its first since 1990. The Cowboys were 0-10-1 last season. . . . Mississippi ended a nine-game losing streak to Auburn with 45-21 victory, the 500th in school history.

BLOWING SMOKE AGAIN

You might wonder how in the world Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz figures he’ll be taken seriously when he builds up opponents who have no right being on the same field as the Fighting Irish. He’d probably break out the worry beads at a news conference before playing Carson High. “You know, they’re coming off that tie last week. These guys are young, but they really scare me.”

He was back at it again on Friday, fretting about Saturday’s game against Big Ten also-ran Northwestern. “I’ve never gone into a game so uncertain about the lines, both offensively and defensively,” he said. “This game is just going to be critical .” Apparently the lines rose to the occasion. Notre Dame won, 42-7.

What do you suppose he’ll have to say about next Saturday’s opponent, Michigan?

DEAD RECKONING

Penn State defeated Cincinnati, 81-0, in last season’s opener. The Bearcats haven’t forgotten, and they were ready to turn some heads Saturday night. “Our kids believe they can win,” Coach Tim Murphy said. Added defensive tackle Ronnie Dixon: “We’re going out there and let them know that we’ve got something to reckon with.” The Nittany Lions, ranked No. 8, withstood a fourth-quarter scare to barely beat the Bearcats, 24-20.

LINEUP CHANGES

Florida State seems right at home in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Seminoles’ first ACC game was a 48-21 victory over Duke.

Arkansas, runner-up in the Southwest Conference last season, might not fare so well now that it is a member of the Southeastern Conference. The once-proud Razorbacks opened the season at home against the Citadel, a Division I-AA team. The Citadel, using a 34-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Judson Boehmer, defeated Arkansas, 10-3.

Nevada, a Division I-AA powerhouse that is moving up to Division I-A and the Big West this season, opened its season on a rocky note at Laramie, Wyo., losing to the Cowboys, 25-6.

SPARKLING DEBUT

Sophomore Kordell Stewart, who beat out Vance Joseph for the starting quarterback job in fall drills, began his career at Colorado by passing for a school-record 409 yards in a 37-17 victory over Colorado State. He completed 21 of 36 passes and threw for four touchdowns. Stewart’s passing yardage broke the Colorado record of 361 set by Randy Essington against Nebraska in 1982. And his 430 yards of total offense broke the school record of 353 set by Bobby Anderson against Oklahoma State in 1968. The four touchdown passes tied the school mark set by Darian Hagan against Oklahoma State in 1990.

IN QUOTES

Northwestern Coach Gary Barnett, whose team lost to the fighting Irish, 42-7: “Notre Dame has All-Americans stacked up like club sandwiches . They have the most dominant offense in college football.”

Ohio State Coach John Cooper, whose Buckeyes defeated Louisville, 20-19, when a late two-point conversion attempt failed: “I think we dodged a bullet . Any time a team is going for two points to win a game, sure, you have to say you dodged a bullet. No question about it. To be honest with you, we feel fortunate to win by one point.”

Howard Schnellenberger, Louisville coach, on his decision to go for the two points: “It’s pointless to go for a tie. We’ve tied a Big Ten school before, but we haven’t beaten one, and we came up here to do that . “

Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart, who passed for a school-record 409 yards in a 37-17 victory over Colorado State: “I was surprised to hear I had 400 yards. In the game, for some reason, it didn’t even feel like I had thrown for 200.”

California’s Russell White, who ran for 216 yards in a 46-16 victory over San Jose State: “In the first part of the game, I was just getting a feel for it. Then I come out later down the road and I’m coming out hitting harder, and some teams can’t really adjust to that or wonder why it’s going like that. They wonder why I’m not tired, but I keep coming at you every time.”

SMITH’S RETURN Ohio State running back Robert Smith’s main contribution to the Buckeyes’ 20-19 victory over Louisville came early, and surprisingly not on offense. Smith, who two years ago broke Archie Griffin’s school rushing record for freshmen, made his first appearance since quitting the team shortly before the start of the 1991 season. He gained 47 yards in 11 carries before leaving in the third quarter because of bruised ribs.

But the play that had a real impact on the game came near the end of the half when he blocked an extra-point kick. Because of that missed point, the Cardinals found themselves trailing, 20-19, when they scored a touchdown with 33 seconds remaining. Forced to go for two points for the victory, Louisville quarterback Jeff Brohm came under heavy pressure from Buckeye tackle Dan Wilkinson. The conversion pass was overthrown, and Louisville wound up short of upsetting the No. 18 Buckeyes.

PANIC IN HOUSTON Officials at Rice Stadium in Houston stopped the game between Prairie View and Texas Southern with 13:13 left in the fourth quarter when a gunshot-type noise caused fans to rush stadium gates. At least seven people were treated for minor injuries at area hospitals.

Texas Southern was leading, 35-0.

Area police were unable to confirm that the noise was from a gunshot or possibly a firecracker.

Many in the crowd of 31,500 poured onto the playing field. Players from both teams ran for cover or lay prone on the field.