THE LOCALS

* No. 12 UCLA (6-2, 4-1) at STANFORD (4-3, 2-2)

* KICKOFF: 3:30 p.m., Channel 9.

* STORYLINE: UCLA is on a six-game winning streak, its longest since 1993, and remains in contention for the Rose Bowl berth, though help will be needed to get there. Stanford is on a two-game losing streak but has played well in November over the last eight years (20-6). A strong finish will put the Cardinal in a bowl situation.

* UCLA UPDATE: The Bruins are flying high, leading the nation in scoring and turnover margin, and are probably going to use running back Skip Hicks, their leading scorer, to try to shore up one of their most glaring deficiencies: kickoff returns. They have no injuries to speak of going into their final three games.

* STANFORD UPDATE: The Cardinal has had an extra week to prepare for UCLA because of an open date. That week has been used in healing injuries and trying to expunge a recent propensity for turnovers. Stanford has had 10 in the last two games, losses to the Arizona schools.

* EDGE TO UCLA: The Bruins have been America’s most opportunistic team and Stanford has, recently, been its most benevolent. That could mean turnovers, and lots of them, unless the Cardinal has fixed that problem.

* THE LINE: UCLA by 6.