Aztecs Want ‘Canes to Feel Underdog’s Bite : * College football: Top-ranked Miami favored by four touchdowns tonight.

MIAMI —  They have clinched a Freedom Bowl berth. They have not clinched the Western Athletic Conference title, but that is no longer possible.

Their WAC championship game was two weeks ago, and their first bowl game since 1986 is Dec. 30. So, tonight’s season finale doesn’t matter much to the San Diego State Aztecs, right?

Yeah, sure.

And that Miss America Pageant thing is just another contest.

“We use the Miami game each year we play them as a gauge to see how far our football team has come,” SDSU Coach Al Luginbill said. “I said that from day one. That’s why you have teams like that on your schedule.”

The Aztecs (8-2-1) say they will not be intimidated by No. 1 Miami (10-0) in the Orange Bowl tonight (4:30 p.m. PST). It is the first time SDSU will buckle up against a Divison I No. 1 team but, the Aztecs will tell you, they match up fairly well with the Hurricanes.

Of course, not many people are rushing to join that chorus. Oddsmakers figure this one will bear a closer resemblance to Beauty and The Beast than to Miami-Florida State.

SDSU is a four-touchdown underdog. Miami has won 43 consecutive games in the Orange Bowl and leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 8.8 points a game.

SDSU is fourth in the nation in total offense (482.9 yards a game) but 100th in total defense (441.3 yards allowed a game).

But give the Aztecs credit for keeping the faith.

Luginbill on Monday: “We have to play our best game of the year to win it. Are we capable of winning it? You’re darn right we are.”

Luginbill on Tuesday: “We understand the mystique of the Orange Bowl, but we’ve become road warriors ourselves. The thing we’ve done this year is take everybody’s best shot. We have played the finest quarterbacks and receivers in the country--equal to anything Miami or Florida State has to offer.

“We’re not a bunch of Humpty-Dumptys going down there. We’re a good team.”

Luginbill on Wednesday: “I guess I’m so excited. . . . Obviously, I’m a dreamer. I see us making plays. And when two good football teams play each other, you’ve got to make good football plays. I know our guys will play with enthusiasm and all of those other cliches, but in a game like this you’ve got to make football plays. That’s crucial.”

That established, it’s safe to say there will not be many secrets tonight. SDSU will attempt to spread the Miami defense with a balanced attack. The Aztecs are 6-0-1 since David Lowery took over at quarterback. Marshall Faulk will win the national scoring title as soon as the ball is snapped when he is on the field, and he needs at least 116 yards to win the rushing title. And the Aztec receiving corps of Patrick Rowe, Darnay Scott, Merton Harris and Larry Maxey will be waiting to break loose. Rowe, who has a sprained left ankle, is expected to be ready by game time.

“We’re dealing with skill people as good as anybody we’ve played,” Miami Coach Dennis Erickson said.

The Aztecs, though, will run into the best defense they have faced all season. Quick doesn’t even begin to describe the Hurricanes.

“They’re the fastest, best-hitting defense we will have faced,” said Dave Lay, SDSU offensive coordinator. “I doubt if they’ve got one guy on their defense slower than a 4.8 (over 40 yards) at all positions. Most are probably not slower than a 4.6.

“They’re not as fast up front as a year ago, but their safeties are unbelievable.”

Junior free safety Darryl Williams is an All-American candidate, and seniors Hurlie Brown and Charles Pharms rotate at strong safety.

“They’ve got tremendous range,” Lay said. “They’ll knock your jock off.”

And they’re not even the strength of the Miami defense. For that, look up the linebackers--Butkus Award candidate Darrin Smith, Michael Barrow and Jessie Armstead, who rank 1-2-3 in the team on tackles.

Still, the Aztecs think they have enough speed and versatility to compete.

“If we go down there ready to play like we’re capable--mentally ready--then I think we’ll get our share,” Lay said.

Lowery and Co. will probably have to contend with the blitz a bit more than in last season’s 30-28 loss to Miami.

Offensively, Miami has been struggling. The Hurricanes scored only 19 points against Boston College last week, and the Miami defense has begun to let it be known that it is sick and tired of having to do all of the work. But fullback Stephen McGuire tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee Saturday, underwent surgery early this week and was lost for the season.

Sophomore Martin Patton, who was suspended for the Florida State game two weeks ago after an incident with the police, will replace McGuire. Patton has 215 yards in nine games this season.

Whoever carries the ball, the Aztecs’ top priority tonight is to stop the run.

“If we don’t play the run well in this game, we have no opportunity to win,” Luginbill said.

The Aztecs think that if they can play the run as well as they did against Miami last season--SDSU allowed only 61 yards--they will not be hurt critically with the pass. Although Miami quarterback Gino Torretta is capable (he has completed 55.7% of his passes for a per-game average of 261 yards), the Aztecs figure they have played better this season.

“Not to take anything away from Gino Torretta--he’s a fine, fine quarterback,” Luginbill said. “But in our opinion, Ty Detmer played the game of college football at a different level than any quarterback we’ve ever played against. Given that, we should be able to line up right. (The Hurricanes) should have to earn everything they get. The misalignments against Brigham Young just killed us.”

And offensively, SDSU coaches say the Aztecs cannot turn over the ball.

“We cannot be fumbling,” Lay said. “We’ve got to protect the football. You look at film after film and that is where teams get into trouble against Miami.”

Miami, in line to win its second national championship in three seasons, is not only talking about beating SDSU, the Hurricanes have spent the week calculating how big the margin needs to be to stay ahead of No. 2 Washington in the national polls.

The Aztecs say it doesn’t matter. They say they can get after Miami, and they say there will be no letdown after the 52-52 tie against BYU dropped them into second place.

“I think we’ve got something to prove after blowing the game against BYU,” Lowery said.

Said tight end Ray Rowe: “This is the first of two bowl games.”

Now, we’ll see if they can play like it.

Aztec Notes

A crowd of 50,000 is expected at the Orange Bowl. . . . Injury report: SDSU third-team defensive backs Steve Rudisill (sprained ankle) and Sam Williford (hamstring) are out. Receiver Patrick Rowe (hamstring) and defensive back John Louis (hamstring) will play. For Miami, aside from Stephen McGuire, running back Donnell Bennett (finger) is out. Defensive lineman Rusty Medearis, who missed most of the Boston College game with an ankle sprain, is expected to play. . . . SDSU running back Marshall Faulk took a recruiting visit to Miami last year, but the Hurricanes wanted him to play defensive back, so Faulk said no thanks. Faulk said he enjoyed his visit. “It was pretty good,” he said. “Great weather, nice facilities, everything was good. I just wanted to play on the offensive side of the ball.” . . . SDSU has never beaten a team ranked in the top 10.

SAN DIEGO STATE

TODAY’S GAME

* Opponent: Miami

* Site: Orange Bowl, Miami

* Time: 4:30 p.m.

* Records: SDSU 8-2-1; Miami 10-0.

* Radio: XTRA (690)

* TV: ESPN