Bruins More Than a Payday : College football: But it would be a Titanic upset if Cal State Fullerton defeats UCLA at the Rose Bowl tonight.

Gene Murphy, Cal State Fullerton’s football coach, responded quickly when UCLA Coach Terry Donahue invited Fullerton to open the 1992 season against the Bruins at the Rose Bowl.

“It took me 32 seconds,” Murphy said.

“You have to realize, we’re trying to find out how to (finance the football program) and we talked about fund-raising and kidnaping.”

Fullerton, which plays No. 16 UCLA tonight at 7, received a $200,000 guarantee, including a $50,000 advance, which Murphy used for recruiting.

“If it wasn’t for Coach Terry Donahue, we wouldn’t have been able to go out and spend money to recruit last spring,” Murphy said.

Are the Titans merely playing for the money, or do they honestly think they have a chance of winning?

“For me to stand in front of our football team and say that we’re going over there to pick up the rest of the guarantee check and then take a bus ride home . . . I mean, I should be shot. They should dig a hole and bury me,” Murphy said. “We certainly aren’t going over there for the guarantee check.”

UCLA scheduled Fullerton to replace Cal State Long Beach, which dropped football.

A group of anonymous Bruin boosters, claiming that UCLA turned down an offer to open the season against Notre Dame in the Disneyland Pigskin Classic, has called for a boycott of tonight’s game.

UCLA Athletic Director Peter Dalis said he turned down an informal offer to play the Irish, after consulting with Donahue, because the game would have required the players to start practice two weeks earlier.

“I’m not sure who’s boycotting,” Donahue said. “My wife’s not boycotting. I’m sure there’ll be a lot more Bruin fans there than will stay home. That guy who’s boycotting, or those two or three guys who are boycotting, if they really want to boycott, they should boycott the UCLA-USC game to really prove how strong they feel about this issue. I don’t think there’s much to boycott.”

UCLA quarterback Wayne Cook, a redshirt sophomore who has never thrown a pass in a college game, will make his debut tonight. Cook replaces Tommy Maddox, who gave up his final two seasons of eligibility for the NFL.

“I think he’s ready,” Donahue said of Cook. “I think if everyone on the team plays as well as Wayne will play, I think the team will be fine.”

Considering Cook’s inexperience, though, and with six returning starters on offense, including tailback Kevin Williams, who led the Pacific 10 in rushing last season, and split end Sean LaChapelle, the conference receiving leader, Donahue is likely to emphasize the running game and the short passing game.

UCLA’s defense, which ranked eighth nationally against the run last season, figures to be the strength of the team early in the season.

The Bruins have six starters back on defense, including cornerback Carlton Gray, who had 11 interceptions last season, and linebacker Arnold Ale, the MVP of the John Hancock Bowl.

After using a single-back pro set for the last three seasons, Fullerton switched to an option attack this season, featuring the wishbone and some spread formations.

Fullerton rushed for 293 yards in a season-opening 28-7 victory over Cal State Northridge last week. Quarterback Trendell Williams, a junior who sat out last season after transferring from L.A. Valley College, had 171 yards of offense in his first major college start, rushing for 78 yards and two touchdowns and passing for 93 yards.

Bruin Notes

After the UCLA game, Fullerton will travel to Georgia, where the Titans are guaranteed a reported $300,000. “I’m not a complete masochist,” Fullerton Coach Gene Murphy said. “But in order for us to remain Division I-A we have to do this because we have a 10,000-seat stadium and we’re not a member of the CFA.” . . . UCLA flanker Bryan Adams will sit out the game because of a sprained right ankle. Guards James Christensen (pinched neck nerve) and Matt Soenksen (sprained ankle) are doubtful. Nose guard Bruce Walker (pulled hamstring) is questionable, and fullback Kaleaph Carter (torn right Achilles’ tendon) and defensive end London Woodfin (pulled hamstring) are probable.

UCLA BRUINS

TONIGHT’S GAME

Opponent: Cal State Fullerton Titans.

Site: Rose Bowl.

Time: 7 p.m.

Records: UCLA 0-0, Fullerton 1-0.

TV: Prime Ticket.

Radio: KMPC (710), KORG (1190), KSDO (1130).