This Saturday, the State of New Jersey attempts to shed its last-place image by offering the insatiable sports fan a first: the first bowl game of the 1979 college football season.

In ancient days, when television covered--but didn't control--sports, bowl games were scheduled after Christmas Day and before New Year's Night, as a holiday treat for the football fanatic.

The recent proliferation of post-season events, however, has forced college football's extravaganzas to kick off earlier each year. This year's initial yuletide offering--the Garden State Bowl--arrives compliments of Mizlou T.V., a full ten days before Santa.

But while purists may condemn these less-than-earthshaking contests, the opportunist can find some damn good matchups in some of these so-called lesser bowls. And in the big ones, too.

ROSE BOWL: Ohio State (11-0) vs. USC (10-0-1)--Earle Bruce's Buckeyes boast one of the nation's top offensive threats in quarterback Art Schlichter. Southern Cal boasts two of the others in quarterback Paul McDonald and Heisman trophy-winning halfback Charles White, plus a stingy defense led by bone-crunching linebacker Dennis Johnson. It'll be close, but in the West, Southern Cal is best. USC 27, Ohio State 21.

ORANGE BOWL: Florida State (11-0) vs. Oklahoma (10-1)--Watch this game. Watch Billy Sims run wild over the FSU defense in his final college contest. Watch Jimmy Jordan hit Jackle Flowers with three TD passes for the Seminoles. Oklahoma 35, Florida State 27.

COTTON BOWL: Nebraska (10-1) vs. Houston (10-1)--Southwest Conference runner-up Texas may be ten times more exciting than conference champ Houston, but the Cougars get the job done. Nebraska is big, fast and strong, but they lost to Oklahoma. Houston 20, Nebraska 7.

SUGAR BOWL: Alabama (11-0) vs. Arkansas (10-1)--Wouldn't it serve the Southeastern Conference right if Arkansas shellacked Alabama? Any conference that gave Georgia, a 6-5 team, the chance to be conference champion (which would have happened had the Tide lost to Auburn last week) deserves to get blown out. But signal-caller Steadman Shealy runs Alabama with precision, and barring fumbles the Tide will roll. Alabama 24, Arkansas 17.

BLUEBONNET BOWL: Purdue (9-2) vs. Tennessee (7-4)--Sorry, Wilson Schlichter, McDonald et al., but Purdue's Mark Herrmann is the best quarterback in the country. The Vols are a strong 7-4, but any 9-2 Big Ten team can whip a 7-4 SEC team, Johny Majors notwithstanding. Purdue 31, Tennessee 19.

PEACH BOWL: Clemson (8-3) vs. Baylor (7-4)--Baylor in a bowl game? Watch Clemson defensive end Jim Stuckey camp out in the Bears' backfield. Clemson 17, Baylor 10.

HALL OF FAME BOWL: Missouri (6-5) vs. South Carolina (8-3)--This Mizlou spectacular features Tiger QB Phil Bradley and teams with a combined eight losses. Boring. Missouri 30, South Carolina 23.

GATOR BOWL: Michigan (8-3) vs. North Carolina (7-3-1)--A better game than it seems, but then I love the 'Heels. North Carolina (in an upset) 20, Michigan 17.

FIESTA BOWL: Pittsburgh (10-1) vs. Arizona (6-4-1)--Pitt's freshman QB Chuck Marino will be one of the all-time college football greats. Pittsburgh 42, Arizona 30.

TANGERINE BOWL: Wake Forest (8-3) vs. LSU (6-5)--Upset king Deacons over unknown tigers. Wake Forest 28, LSU 10.

LIBERTY BOWL: Tulane (9-2) vs. Penn State (7-4)--Tulane stands as a sleeper, but Bruce Clark is too big. Penn State 14, Tulane 10.

Also Texas 33, Washington 20 in the Sun Bowl, BYU 52, Indiana 24 in the Holiday Bowl, McNeese St. (11-0) over Syracuse 20-17 in the Independence Bowl and Cal 27, Temple 7 in the Garden State Bowl.