A football fan from Dallas recently visited a friend in Los Angeles and remarked how sad it was that L.A. didn't have a pro football team. The friend said, "Are you kidding?!? L.A. has S.C. and U.C.L.A., two major college football teams within 15 miles of each other. We don't need the NFL."

The Trojans and the Bruins renew their storied crosstown grudge match Saturday at the Coliseum and the old stadium will be rocking with over 80,000 Angelinos. There is no national championship or Rose Bowl berth at stake. The eras of McKay, Tommy Prothro, Dick Vermeil and John Robinson are fading with every season, but the two teams will be playing for pride, city bragging rights and bowl berths, especially U.S.C. "It's a tremendous rivalry," says U.C.L.A. coach Bob Toledo, "the best I've ever been associated with."

So, let's see who gets the Victory Bell for a year and receives the Jim Murray Award.

U.C.L.A. (6-3, 3-3 Pac-10) at U.S.C. (5-5, 4-3) | "Some how, some way, I've got to figure out how to rally these guys one more time to give me as good an effort or better than they gave me last week," said Toledo. "It's the SC game." The effort that the Bruins gave Toledo against Oregon last week was remarkable, considering the absence of DeShaun Foster and the shaky passing of quarterback Cory Paus, who has an injured right throwing hand and has thrown nine interceptions in three games. But Oregon still won, 21-20, handing U.C.L.A. its third straight loss. And it doesn't look like Foster will be back this week. As of Wednesday, U.C.L.A. still hadn't filed its report to the NCAA regarding Foster's breaking the "extra-benefits'' rule for driving an SUV that was given to him by 41-year-old actor-director. Akil Harris would again replace Foster at tailback. On the other side of the field, U.S.C. has won three straight games and a victory Saturday will put the Trojans into a bowl game as the Pac-10's No. 5 team. U.S.C. got a pleasant surprise against California when freshman Chris Howard ran for two touchdowns. The Trojans have sorely missed Sultan McCullough, who is out for the season. Howard figures to carry part of the load at running back again with Sunny Byrd. At mid-week, it appears that Pete Carroll's team is the stronger, especially on defense and special teams, and the Watcher likes U.S.C., 23-13.

WASHINGTON STATE (9-1, 6-1) at WASHINGTON (7-2, 4-2) | It's the Apple Cup, and a Washington victory will give Oregon the Pac-10 championship and a berth in the B.C.S. Fiesta Bowl. But the Cougars won't be an easy pushover. Coach Mike Price has said repeatedly that this team is as good as the 1997 Rose Bowl entry and the Cougars can go to Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 1 with a win over the Huskies coupled with an Oregon State victory over Oregon on Dec. 1. Cougar quarterback Jason Gesser is questionable after suffering bruised ribs in Saturday's win over Arizona State. If Gesser isn't healthy, he will be replaced by backup Matt Gogel. Washington, which still has a makeup date to go with Miami in Florida, has a 28-10 edge in Apple Cup games. The Watcher sees the Cougars drinking apple juice from the Cup.

CALIFORNIA (0-9, 0-7) at STANFORD (6-2, 5-2) | At first glance, this would appear to be a major mismatch. Cal is in the throes of a 12-game losing streak. Stanford is fighting for a bowl berth. But history has shown that anything can happen in the Big Game, especially the bizarre and wacky. Who will ever forget the 1982 game won by Cal on a five-lateral kickoff return on the last play of the game, the Bears kick returner crashing into the tuba section of the Stanford band which was ready to celebrate in the end zone. Stanford could gain a share of the Pac-10 title by beating the Bears, paired with a Washington State victory over Washington and a Oregon State upset of Oregon. Tom Holmoe's resignation had little effect on the Bears last week, who were routed by U.S.C., 55-24. Holmoe hopes his goodbye isn't a long one on the Farm. Stanford wins it, 35-21.

UTAH (7-2) at BYU (10-0) | Brigham Young is looking to wrap up the Mountain West Conference championship, though does anyone care outside of Provo, Utah? The Cougars are 13th in the BCS standings thanks to its weak schedule which is ranked 109th. So goodbye BCS, hello Liberty Bowl. That's the best BYU can do, but if Utah beats BYU and Air Force, which would put the Utes in a tie for the championship, then the LIberty Bowl committee will have to choose between Utah and BYU. The Utes have won six of seven games including a win last week against San Diego State, while the Cougars barely escaped disaster in Laramie against Wyoming. The Watcher likes Utah, led by 1,000-yard rusher Dameon Hunter, to stop the Cougars.

GOING COASTAL | San Diego State head coach Ted Tollner, whose Aztecs have won just 5 games in two seasons, resigned this week. He will coach his last game for SDS Saturday against Wyoming, then take a job in the athletic department. Tollner's record is 42-48...The Insight.com Bowl will match teams from the Pac-10 and Big East starting in 2002. The Big East will send either its 2nd or 3rd place team to play the Pac-10's 4th place club...U.C.L.A. Coach Bob Toledo has barred tailback DeShaun Foster from the team's preperations for U.S.C. until the issue of his eligibility is settled. "I can't tell you how much we educate these guys," Toledo said Monday. "We talk until we're blue in the face. I'm very disappointed...Until I get further information, he's not involved."... The Fresno State Bulldogs jumped back into the national rankings at No. 25 on AP's poll and even though they are out of the B.C.S. picture, the Bulldogs have a shot at the WAC title and a bowl berth, but they must beat Nevada Saturday, and then San Jose State the following week and Utah State Dec. 1...There is a slim tie between Toledo and Carroll. Though they are not close friends, both have affillations with the University of Pacific in Stockton, Calif. Carroll was a player there and Toledo used to coach the Tigers. And, John McKay made out alright against U.C.L.A. In 16 years of coaching at U.S.C., McKay's record against the Bruins was 10-5-1.