GAME DAY / A Look at Today’s Key Matchups

NCAA DIVISION I

* CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (5-4) vs. SOUTHERN METHODIST (2-5)

At the Cotton Bowl, Dallas, noon

Northridge, playing out the season after losing last week at Portland State, faces its second Division I-A opponent this season. The Matadors can only hope the outcome is more favorable than their 71-14 loss at Kansas in September. Kansas defeated Southern Methodist, 27-9. The Mustangs, who had a bye last week, rank last in the Western Athletic Conference in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game. But they are coming off consecutive upset victories over Fresno State and Rice. Sophomore Josh McCown was selected WAC player of the week after passing for 197 yards and two touchdowns against Rice. Northridge quarterback Marcus Brady continues to play despite a sprained ankle. Backup Dave Lins played for the second time this season against Portland State and could be called upon today. Linebacker Jacob Mageo did not travel with the Matadors because of a knee injury. The game will be SMU’s last at the Cotton Bowl. The Mustangs will play in a new on-campus stadium next season.

NCAA DIVISION III

* REDLANDS (6-2, 4-0) vs. CAL LUTHERAN (3-5, 3-1)

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

At stake is the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. Cal Lutheran has an opportunity to finish the season in a three-way tie for first. After winning their first three SCIAC games, the Kingsmen have suffered back-to-back losses in overtime. In both defeats, the Kingsmen scored tying touchdowns in the final minute of regulation. Last week, Chris Czernek attempted a school-record 71 passes and threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-38 nonconference defeat at Menlo. Redlands defeated Whittier, 73-3, last week and has scored 136 points in its last two games. The Bulldogs, who have been held under 40 points only twice this season, rank second in the nation among Division III teams in passing yards per game (406.3) and fifth in total offense (495.3). Quarterback Danny Ragsdale ranks second nationally in total offense, and wide receiver Chad Hustead is second in receiving yards per game (124.1). The Bulldogs have won six of the seven games against Cal Lutheran, including a 53-13 victory at Redlands last season.

JUNIOR COLLEGE

* VENTURA (7-1, 4-1) vs. CANYONS (6-2, 3-2)

At College of the Canyons, 7 p.m.

This week’s the nitty and next week’s the gritty for Ventura, which is trying to win a Western State Conference title for the first time since 1984. The Pirates, ranked No. 6 in the state, finish the regular season at home against Santa Barbara. But the first business is getting past Canyons, ranked No. 19 and undefeated in eight games at their stadium since restarting the program last season. The Cougars have a four-game winning streak spearheaded by quarterback Chris Kobe and running back Major Caldwell. Kobe passed for 233 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-17 victory at Santa Barbara last week, and Caldwell carried 22 times for 104 yards. Linebacker Todd Hourigan had four tackles, an interception and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. Ventura’s Travis Rogers, the top ballcarrier in the WSC with 1,143 yards and 15 touchdowns, gets much of the attention, but the Pirates win mainly because of a solid defense that allows 282.9 yards per game. Ventura (96.4 yards rushing allowed per game) and Canyons (91.1) are tough to run against.

* MOORPARK (5-3, 4-1) vs. GLENDALE (3-5, 1-4)

At Glendale High, 1 p.m.

Three points of interest in this game: 1. Moorpark needs to win to stay in the running for the WSC Northern Division title and a bowl invitation; 2. Glendale’s Mike Frost is sure to surpass at least two more team passing records; 3. Teammate Chad Heydorff is within reach of two Vaquero season records. Moorpark is tied with Ventura and Hancock for first place in the division, and the Raiders host Hancock next week. Moorpark has reached 11 consecutive bowl games and could take a big stride toward another appearance by beating Glendale for the seventh consecutive time. Frost presents a formidable challenge for the Raiders. With three touchdown passes in Glendale’s 45-30 loss to Hancock last week, Frost became the school’s career leader with 36, two ahead of Rob Huffman’s total in 1985-86. Frost needs one passing touchdown to become Glendale’s season leader, breaking a tie with Gordy Bohannan, who threw 22 in 1978. Frost owns other school records, including passing yards in a season with 2,659. Heydorff has 71 receptions this season, two short of Randy Stage’s school record set in 1974, and 13 touchdowns, two short of Keith Chappelle’s record set in 1978.

* PIERCE (1-7, 0-5) vs. VALLEY (4-4, 2-3)

At Valley College, 7 p.m.

Neither team is going anywhere, so let’s take a trip down memory lane. The schools go at it for the 32nd time. Valley won the first meeting, 26-6, in front of 5,500 at Valley in 1965 and four more in a row before Pierce reeled off seven consecutive victories. Junior college football was big in those days and the schools produced some exceptional games. The best arguably came in 1975, when each team scored twice in the last two minutes before Pierce held on, 53-49. Some notables to play in the series: Pierce quarterbacks Mark Harmon, now an actor; Babe Laufenberg, who played in the NFL; and Erik Kramer, now with the San Diego Chargers. Aaron Flowers, the career passing leader at Cal State Northridge, threw for 349 yards and three scores to help Valley win, 49-20, in 1995. Valley has won the last six meetings, but Pierce leads the series, 16-15.