THE LOCALS

* HOUSTON (1-3) at NO. 22 UCLA (2-2)

* KICKOFF: 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Rose Bowl, Fox Sports West 2.

* STORYLINE: Houston has never lost to UCLA, but the last time the teams met was 1979, before some of the Bruins were born. The Cougars, co-champions of Conference USA are in a building mode, and UCLA is enjoying its first two-game winning streak under Coach Bob Toledo.

* UCLA UPDATE: The Bruins are averaging 41 points a game, seventh-best in the country, and 53 in their last two games, both victories. Quarterback Cade McNown has become an increasingly successful offensive manager. His work during a fourth-quarter drive that kept the ball from Arizona for the final 8:05 included only two passes--each on third down--in 14 plays and drew praise from coaches.

* HOUSTON UPDATE: The Cougars have nine defensive starters back from the Liberty Bowl team of a year ago, but those starters have given up 39.3 points a game and, according to Coach Kim Helton, are still adapting to a new system. Quarterback Jason McKinley passed for 310 yards against Minnesota, but the best back, Ketric Sanford, is out because of appendicitis.

* EDGE TO UCLA: The Bruins are enjoying something they haven’t had under Toledo--momentum. And Houston’s defense looks porous enough for the Bruins to enjoy another offensive frenzy.

* THE LINE: UCLA by 25.