UCLA NOTEBOOK : BRUINS TRY TO WIN OVER RECRUITS.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

There's more at stake than victory or defeat when the Bruins play Texas on Saturday afternoon. UCLA is recruiting approximately 24 players from the Lone Star state, and many are expected to attend the game as guests of the Longhorns.

``Texas is a huge emphasis for us,'' said Randy Taylor, the Bruins' recruiting coordinator. ``We'd love for Texas to bring guys we're recruiting to the game. We can't talk to them (it's against NCAA rules), but it's a chance for us to be impressive to kids interested in leaving the state.''

California, Florida and Texas produce more elite players than any other state. The Bruins have long pulled kids from Texas, including Tommy Maddox, Carl Greenwood and Skip Hicks, and they have three assistant coaches who recruit the massive state: Bob Field in Dallas, Marc Dove in Houston and Rocky Long in El Paso.

Last winter, UCLA signed two players from El Paso, quarterback Ed Stansbury and linebacker Tony White.

``Other than the California schools and Colorado and Notre Dame, Texas is one of the schools we recruit against most often,'' Taylor said.

UT's not for me: Hicks is from Wichita Falls, a few hours northwest of Austin. The Longhorns recruited him at Burkburnett High School, but because of Southwest Conference scandals he chose UCLA.

``It's not they didn't want me or they wouldn't have been my first pick, but with that Southwest Conference thing I didn't think it would be the right move for me,'' he said.

Hicks holds no lingering animosity toward Texas, but he has another reason for putting on a good show Saturday.

``It's the first time most of my family and friends have seen me play since high school,'' he said. ``I've been looking forward to this game for a couple years.''

Hicks expects 45-50 friends and relatives to attend the game.

Two-deep update: True freshman Marques Anderson will start at right cornerback for injured Aaron Roques (shoulder). Anderson beat out sophomore Jason Bell and redshirt freshman Damian Allen, although all three will play.

``Marques had a real good practice (Wednesday),'' coach Bob Toledo said. ``He's a young guy and he's going to make mistakes, but he has a bright future.''

Wasswa Serwanga has replaced Eric Whitfield as the starting rover. Serwanga lost the job because of a nagging hamstring injury during training camp, but Whitfield made too many mistakes against Washington State and Tennessee - including a clipping penalty that nullified the last 40 yards of Larry Atkins' interception return against Tennessee.

Welcome back: It's been awhile since UCLA played in Austin - 27 years, actually - but no one who saw the game has forgotten the finish.

The Longhorns were on a 27-game winning streak and three-touchdown favorites. Behind quarterback Dennis Dummit's career day (340 yards passing), the Bruins held a 17-13 lead with 1:09 remaining.

On third-and-19 from UCLA's 45, Texas quarterback Eddie Phillips hit split end Cotton Speyer near the left sidelines, and Speyer dashed for the winning touchdown as 65,000 in Texas Memorial Stadium celebrated.

Texas went on to win its second consecutive national title.