Surf's up in Westwood after U.C.L.A.’s not-so surprising upset of Alabama last week and a lot of people in L.A. are riding the Bruins' wave but the Watcher isn't ready to jump on his board yet. Too many potential wipeouts are ahead, starting with Ohio State in two weeks, a game at Oregon State Sept. 29 and a home contest versus Washington Oct. 13.

In the meantime, U.C.L.A.’s road gang travels to Kansas this Saturday for another nonconference tilt against the Jayhawks. U.C.L.A. is favored by two touchdowns and it should cover the spread but the Watcher would like to see a better passing game out of quarterback Cory Paus and his receivers. Can Freddie Mitchell come back to play on Saturdays?

Kansas will start Zach Dyer at quarterback but regular signal-caller Mario Kincaid and tailback Reggie Duncan will be available to play after each served a one-game suspension last week. Hey, the Bruins have a defense this season. U.C.L.A. 30, Kansas 10.

Thanks Oregon State. Your 44-24 upset loss to tenacious Fresno State made the Watcher look like a dummy. Although the Watcher was partially blinded by some preseason hype, he should have seen the Bulldog ambush coming. Wasn’t it Fresno State that a few years ago knocked off U.S.C. in the Freedom Bowl at the old Anaheim Stadium? The Trojans were so humiliated, they fired coach Larry Smith. Last Sunday night, Fresno played like a club that deserves to be in the Top 25. The defense held the Beavers’ brilliant tailback Ken Simonton to just 42 yards and sacked quarterback Jonathan Smith five times, while Bulldog quarterback David Carr passed for 340 yards and 4 touchdowns.

This weekend, Oregon State heads for New Mexico State and although the Beavers are a 16-point favorite, the Watcher is afraid to look. Also, Fresno State meets Wisconsin at Madison. A warning to the Badgers: these Bulldogs bite. Wisconsin wins, 23-20. So does Oregon State, 27-0.

Strike up the band for one more chorus of "Conquest." U.S.C. got Pete Carroll’s tenure as coach headed in the right direction with a win over scrappy San Jose State. Sultan McCullough rushed for 167 yards against a senior-sized Spartan defense. But, the Watcher noted that the Trojans sputtered like the Trojans of last year, minus the numerous turnovers. And this Saturday, the train coming through the Coliseum tunnel is rough and tumble Kansas State, winners of the Cotton Bowl, and 4-point favorites. The Watcher used to never bet against S..C at home, but he’ll jump on the Wildcats’ Manhattan Transfer to win, 24-20.

Note: Bill Snyder was once a graduate assistant for John McKay at U.S.C.

Up the Coast, Down the Coast . . .

MICHIGAN at WASHINGTON | The Wolverines visit the Huskies after waxing Miami (Ohio) last week, 31-13. Washington opens its season on a monetary note, upping coach Rick Neuheisel's salary 35% to a reported $1.2 million a year, with incentives. Let's hope the fans in Huskyland get their money's worth Saturday in the nationally-televised game in which sophomore quarterback Cody Picket makes his first career start. Word is he has looked good in practice. Michigan 17, Washington 14.

NORTHWESTERN at NEVADA LAS VEGAS | Las Vegas is usually a good spot to forget your troubles. John Robinson's improved kids had a chance to beat Arkansas last week, but let the game slip away on a botched punt in the fourth quarter. They return home to host the Wildcats for the first time. Northwestern, which was put in an upheaval by the traumatic death of senior safety Rashidi Wheeler, finally gets to focus on football. It figures to be an entertaining game with the Rebels rolling the dice, 27-24.

BOSTON COLLEGE at STANFORD | The Golden Eagles are favored by five points, but the key is which Stanford team will show up? If Stanford comes to play in this nonconference affair, this could be an offensive shootout, with the Trees, er, the Cardinal standing tall. Stanford 35-31.

Pass the sunscreen, please!