USC-Penn State: Rose Bowl Preview? : College football: Now that Nittany Lions are in the Big Ten, it’s an intriguing possibility.

Tailback U. and Linebacker U. meet for the last time in a regular-season game, at least in this century, before an expected 95,000 at Beaver Stadium today.

Of course, USC and Penn State could be playing again in Pasadena in a January rematch, lending intrigue to an intersectional rivalry that began as an eight-game series, then was cut to four.

Each team is 1-0. The Trojans displayed an impressive running game last Saturday in a 24-17 victory over Washington, and Penn State routed overmatched Minnesota, 56-3.

When the USC-Penn State series began in 1990, some hoped it would evolve into a longtime proposition, such as the decades-old USC-Notre Dame rivalry.

Penn State agreed to play at the Coliseum in 1990 and 1991, and lost both times. There was no 1992 game, but USC came here to Happy Valley last season and lost in the final minute, 21-20.

“It was originally an eight-game series, going to the late ‘90s,” said Budd Thalman, Penn State associate athletic director.

“But when we were accepted by the Big Ten in 1990, we needed to free up some dates and USC excused us from the final four games of the series.

“At the time the series started, we wanted to start an intersectional rivalry. We’d had one with Alabama we enjoyed for 10 years, but when we lost that one, we started one with USC.

“Another reason why it was decided to end the USC series was a feeling on the part of both conferences that it wasn’t desirable for the Rose Bowl game to be a rematch of a regular-season game.”

Nevertheless, that could happen this time around.

USC seems significantly improved over the 8-5 team that was a Pac-10 tri-champion last year. And the Nittany Lions have seven offensive starters back from a 10-2 team that won its last five games a year ago.

The Trojans, hopeful of reawakening a decades-old tradition of Heisman-grade tailbacks, showed off two youngsters last weekend.

Starter Shawn Walters, a sophomore, had a solid performance, gaining 91 yards in 26 carries. He lugged three Huskies into the end zone on a tying touchdown, then carried three consecutive times before scoring the winning touchdown.

And freshman backup Delon Washington had 109 yards in 10 carries, one a 34-yard run that set up Walters’ tying score.

Coach John Robinson has promised that another freshman tailback, Rodney Sermons, will play today. Another standout newcomer who didn’t play against Washington is junior college transfer Leonard Green, hobbled by a hamstring pull for more than two weeks.

A year ago here, USC’s running game was DOA. The Trojans netted 34 yards rushing to Penn State’s 282.

Robinson’s principal concern today is manpower at wide receiver.

Starter Ed Hervey was already nursing a sore shoulder, then twisted a knee when Walters fell on him in the Washington game. And transfer Keyshawn Johnson has a thigh bruise that bleeds into his knee area, causing some swelling.

That leaves senior Ken Grace, who had five catches last week, and a freshman, Larry Parker, who has been preparing to play all week in practice. Three tight ends--Johnny McWilliams, Tyler Cashman and John Allred--caught 10 passes last week.

Quarterback Rob Johnson’s production was well off his 1993 pace last week, but he made the key play in the winning touchdown drive, a nine-yard scramble on third and seven to Washington’s 18.

A year ago here, Johnson went 25 for 43 for 291 yards and two touchdowns, but was 12 for 13 in the homestretch, when he brought the Trojans back from a 21-7 deficit. A two-point conversion pass to McWilliams fell incomplete with 37 seconds to go.

Penn State senior quarterback Kerry Collins completed 19 of 23 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns against Minnesota. In one stretch, he broke a 54-year-old school record with 14 consecutive completions.

The standout, however, was tailback Ki-Jana Carter, who had a 210-yard day that included runs of 80 and 62 yards.

All-American linebacker Brian Gelzheiser, the leader of Joe Paterno’s defense, sat out the Minnesota game last weekend with a sore knee. He is expected to play today.

Paterno, 67, in his 45th season at Penn State, says he doesn’t know what to expect today.

“I told the squad after the Minnesota game that USC had a big edge over us in that they had a tough game behind them while we have no idea how good we are,” he said.

He hopes this won’t be a repeat of 1991, when Penn State beat Cincinnati, 81-0, then lost to USC the following Saturday, 21-10.

“Yes, it’s a similar situation,” Paterno said. “But this squad has a lot more mature and strong leaders than that team had. At least, I hope it does.”

USC TROJANS TODAY’S GAME

* Opponent: Penn State

* Site: State College, Pa.

* Time: 12:30 p.m.

* Records: USC 1-0, Penn State 1-0

* Radio: KNX (1070)

* TV: Ch. 7