NCAA DIVISION I-AA

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (2-2, 0-0) vs. PORTLAND STATE (0-4, 0-2)

At Civic Stadium, 6:05 p.m.

Northridge, which had a bye last week, dives into Big Sky Conference play hoping to stay afloat until quarterback Aaron Flowers returns from a broken leg. Sophomore Josh Fiske gets the call to operate the team’s run-and-shoot offense that leads Division I-AA at 432.8 yards passing per game. Fiske’s inexperience will be offset by Portland State’s defensive ineptness. The Vikings rank eighth in the nine-team Big Sky in defense, allowing 440.5 yards per game. They have given up 11 touchdown passes. Northridge hasn’t sparkled on defense, yielding 400.8 yards per game. “We are not as stable as you’d like [on defense],” Coach Jim Fenwick said. “As the players get more comfortable with the system, we’ll be more compatible with the teams we are playing.” Portland State last week suffered key injuries in a 56-21 loss to Northern Arizona. Quarterback Jimmy Blanchard has a bruised leg and a sprained ankle and will not start. Senior tailback Gary Clemons, who played at Moorpark College and was Portland State’s leading rusher last year with 646 yards, decided this week to sit out the rest of the season because of a leg injury that will require surgery. Freshman running back Chip Dunn has been nursing a bruised arm but is expected to play.

DIVISION III

REDLANDS (2-1, 0-0) vs. CAL LUTHERAN (1-2, 0-0)

At Mt. Clef Stadium, Thousand Oaks, 1 p.m.

Cal Lutheran enters Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on a positive note after a second-half rally for its first victory last week. Last season, the Kingsmen committed six turnovers, allowed 27 points in the third quarter and were routed, 41-11, by the Bulldogs. Damian Delfino, from Oak Park High, was Redlands’ top receiver last season but has moved to quarterback. He has completed 57 of 100 passes for 504 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions, but suffered a shoulder injury in a 37-0 victory over Puget Sound last week and might not play. Marty Rincon or Geoff Minet would replace him. Redlands employs a spread offense with no tight ends. Last week, 10 Bulldogs caught passes and nine carried the ball. Cal Lutheran’s Zack Hernandez, who has 328 yards and two touchdowns passing, and 175 yards and three touchdowns rushing, will start over Derek Brown.

JUNIOR COLLEGE

* BAKERSFIELD (3-0) vs. VALLEY (2-0)

At Valley, 7 p.m.

High-powered offenses square off in a Western State Conference game between two of the best teams in California. Bakersfield, ranked second in the state and first in Southern California, boasts a running attack that includes J’Dron London, who has rushed for 432 yards--including 228 last week in a 41-14 victory over Moorpark. Armis Stokes ranks third in the WSC with 287 yards. Valley, ranked fourth in the state and fourth in Southern California, thrives on passing. Tom Racius leads the WSC with 745 yards passing and a 69.2% completion percentage. Randall Lane leads the WSC with 22 receptions, Leaford Hackett has 15 catches and Kevin Carlsen has nine. The Renegades defeated Valley in 13 consecutive games until the Monarchs won in Bakersfield the last two years.

* MOORPARK (1-1) vs. HANCOCK (2-0)

At Righetti High, 7 p.m.

Moorpark fumbled four times and had six turnovers in a 41-14 loss at Bakersfield last weekend. But the Raiders were tied with the Renegades, 7-7, at halftime and quarterback George Jones moved the ball against a good defense. Moorpark remains among the WSC’s top teams, particularly on defense. Freshman linebacker Judd Granzow had six tackles, one sack and caused two fumbles against Bakersfield. Jones remains the starter, but questions remain at running back. Aaron Davis leads the Raiders with 66 yards in two games as Coach Jim Bittner has employed as many as eight ballcarriers in a game. Joel Deliard, Emory Holmes and Carl Richardson have seen considerable playing time.

* SOUTHWEST (1-2) vs. GLENDALE (0-3)

At Glendale High, 1 p.m.

Glendale has five starters sidelined by injuries, including quarterback John Carnevali and linebacker Marlon Calloway. Freshman Chris Cervantes replaced Carnevali and passed for 323 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-32 loss to Harbor. Darrell Durham of Glendale has rushed for 297 yards, second to London of Bakersfield among conference rushers. Southwest claimed its first victory last week by defeating Ventura, 21-11. Defensive back Damien Marsett earned conference player-of-the-week honors with six unassisted tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception against Ventura. Hassayn Bailey hit receiver Jamar Alexander with five passes against Ventura, two for touchdowns.

* PIERCE (0-2) vs. HARBOR (2-1)

At Harbor, 7 p.m.

Pierce’s losing streak reached 20 games with a 33-13 loss to West L.A. The Brahmas must contend with quarterback Jack Hawley, a freshman from El Segundo High. Hawley passed for 248 yards and three touchdowns last week against Glendale and was selected WSC player of the week. Pierce quarterback Dan McMullen continues to turn in respectable performances. McMullen passed for 220 yards and two touchdowns against West L.A. McMullen ranks fifth among conference passing leaders. Defensive back Creed Bailey suffered a bruised knee last week but is expected to play.

* MT. SAN JACINTO (1-2, 0-1) vs. ANTELOPE VALLEY (2-1, 1-0)

At Antelope Valley, 7 p.m.

Antelope Valley has lost to Mt. San Jacinto only three times in 21 games, never at Antelope Valley. The Eagles, however, defeated Antelope Valley, 20-13, last season in the rain at Mt. San Jacinto. Antelope Valley received a boost last week when Lafayette Bailey returned from a two-week absence and rushed for a school-record 305 yards against Southwestern in the Foothill Conference opener. Bailey, the conference’s leading rusher, will challenge the conference’s top-ranked defense. The Eagles have allowed 46 points in three games. Linebacker Quinten Reid had two interceptions, a fumble recovery and 12 solo tackles in a 25-17 loss to San Bernardino Valley last week.