UCLA NOTEBOOK: TEAMMATES BURGLARY VICTIMS.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

UCLA offensive tackle Kris Farris rarely eats post-practice training table at Ackerman Union. But Tuesday evening, after attending to bowl-related paperwork on campus, he joined his teammates for a quick bite.

It was a costly meal.

Farris had $2,000 stolen Tuesday evening from the West Los Angeles apartment he shares with receiver Brad Melsby and defensive end Pete Holland. He believes the thieves were in the apartment when the trio arrived after dinner.

Melsby, the first one in, heard something at the back door.

``I was thinking what might have happened if I'd gotten home 30 minutes earlier,'' Farris said. ``I might have done something to stop them, or they might have had a gun. I don't know.''

Farris hadn't given up a sack all season, but his room was sacked. Clothes were everywhere, drawers were removed and his closet was trashed. The thieves took his cell phone, CDs and Nintendo. They used his pillowcase to take the CDs. He canceled his cell phone 90 minutes after discovering the theft, but long-distance calls had already piled up.

He was awake until 4:30 a.m. cleaning and organizing, then had a 7 a.m. weightlifting session.

The burglars stole cash from Melsby. Holland's room was untouched.

``What I wonder is if whoever did it knew we were football players,'' Farris said. ``If they can read, they do now, because I had football stuff in my room. I'm worried about being in a bowl game if they know we're players and we'll be out of town.''

The West L.A. Division of the Los Angeles Police Department was slow responding - five hours slow.

``We called them at 6:30 (p.m.), called several more times, and they came at 11:20,'' Farris said.

Have ticket, will travel: There are no restrictions on the size of travel squads for nonconference games, so 76 Bruins will make the Miami trip. Coach Bob Toledo based his decision on football effort and academic performance. At-risk players will stay on campus and prepare for finals, which begin Dec. 14.

Among those making the trip are the freshman offensive linemen: Mike Saffer, Blake Worley, Steve Morgan and Scott Wiegand.

``Offensive linemen are always the smartest guys on the team,'' Toledo said. ``I don't know why that is, but they always are.''

Injured receiver Freddie Mitchell, a native of Lakeland, Fla., will not make the trip.

``Freddie went home for Thanksgiving and he needs to stay here and get ready for finals,'' Toledo said.

Silliness of schedule: Quarterback Cade McNown believes strength of schedule is a flawed component in the Bowl Championship Series formula.

``What that means is it's up to the athletic director, five or seven years ago, to pick the right teams,'' McNown said.

Injury update: Reserve receiver Jon Dubravac has a strained hamstring and has not practiced this week. He's questionable for Miami. Reserve tight end Randy Hakes had an appendectomy last week and will not play.