GAME DAY

NCAA DIVISION I-AA

* IDAHO STATE (2-2, 0-2) vs. CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (1-2, 0-1)

At North Campus Stadium, 3:05 p.m.

Northridge is 3-0 in Big Sky Conference home openers and the Matadors have plenty of motivation to make it four in a row. Idaho State, tabbed to finish ninth in the Big Sky this season by conference coaches, upset Northridge, 32-29, with a last-minute touchdown in the final game last season at Pocatello. The defeat cost the Matadors the Big Sky title and is not easily forgotten. “When you think about last season, you think about Idaho State,” defensive back Chazz Moore of Northridge said. The Matadors will be without fullback Jaumal Bradley, the team’s leading rusher, for the second consecutive week. Bradley is recovering from tonsillitis and is questionable for the game next week at Montana. Alan Taylor and DeJuan Gilmore will share Bradley’s duties. Safety Rahman Sparks, who suffered a rib injury in a 48-41 loss at Eastern Washington last week, is questionable. Injuries abound on both sides of the line of scrimmage but most players are considered probable. Quarterback Marcus Brady, who passed for a career-high 484 yards against Eastern Washington, has nursed a sprained ankle the last few weeks but his condition is improving. Senior Aaron Arnold, Northridge’s career receiving leader in virtually every category, remains Brady’s prime target. Drew Amerson, a former teammate of Brady at San Diego Morse High, caught nine passes against Eastern Washington and has a touchdown reception in every game. Larry Lewis of Idaho State is in his first season as a head coach after spending 10 years as an assistant at Washington State. Quarterback Shane Griggs is out for the remainder of the season after tearing a knee ligament two weeks ago. Backup Kevin McCarthy will lead the Bengals, who have lost conference games to Weber State, 27-24, and Portland State, 52-13.

JUNIOR COLLEGE

* VENTURA (3-0, 1-0) vs. MOORPARK (1-2, 1-0)

At Moorpark College, 7 p.m.

What we have here is a battle for county supremacy. All right, so these two are the only junior colleges that play football in Ventura County. Let’s not get technical. Both are good teams, although Moorpark is having a harder time proving it. Ventura, ranked No. 7 in the state, packs a wallop on the ground behind Travis Rogers. The sophomore leads the Western State Conference in rushing with 462 yards and eight touchdowns. He has carried 103 times, more than each of nine WSC teams. The Raiders have 93 carries and are riding the arm of Farhaad Azimi, who has 729 yards passing and six touchdowns. Moorpark is struggling to stop the run, allowing 238.3 yards per game. Ventura last week defeated Hancock, 44-26, and Moorpark beat Pierce, 55-22. Jones Intercable is televising the game on tape-delay at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

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GLENDALE (2-1, 1-0) vs. VALLEY (2-1, 1-0)

At Valley College, 7 p.m.

Get ready for a passing fest. Mike Frost of Glendale leads the Western State Conference with 1,190 yards passing and 13 touchdowns. He connected for five scores last week in Glendale’s 33-28 victory over Canyons. Frost needs 301 yards to surpass Rob Huffman, who passed for 3,277 yards in 1985-86, as the school’s career passing leader. Chad Heydorff has 32 receptions for 597 yards and eight touchdowns, giving him 72 catches in his career, seventh on the Glendale list. Eric Holtfreter of Valley has passed for 864 yards and eight touchdowns, including three scores last week in a 52-28 victory over Santa Barbara. He is eighth on the school’s career list with 2,573 yards passing. Glendale is 14-12 against Valley in a series dating to 1950. Valley won the last meeting, 53-28, in 1996.

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ANTELOPE VALLEY (2-1, 1-0) vs. DESERT (1-2, 1-0)

At College of the Desert, 7 p.m.

Defense is Antelope Valley’s benchmark. The Marauders lead the Foothill Conference in rushing defense at 117.0 yards per game and are fourth in total defense at 257.7. Safety Bobby Antee has three interceptions. The Marauders have not allowed a point in the fourth quarter. Desert, coached by Steve Dostal, a former Marauder player and assistant, ranks eighth in defense in the conference at 399.7 yards per game. Last week, the Marauders beat Grossmont, 20-14, in overtime and Desert defeated San Bernardino Valley, 17-14. Antelope Valley leads the series, 14-9-1, but has not won at Palm Desert since 1984.

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OTHER GAMES:

WSC Northern Division: 1 p.m., Pierce (1-2, 0-1) at Santa Barbara (0-3, 0-1); Canyons (2-1, 0-1) at Hancock (2-1, 0-1).