MERRILY WE BOWL ALONG . . .

‘Tis the season to be bowled over, and what a delightful way to go. Ask any football fan. A handful of bowl games already have been played, but there are 13--count ‘em, 13--more to come over the next five days. Here’s the schedule, with the line on who’s favored:

TODAY

CITRUS BOWL--Brigham Young (10-2) vs. Ohio State (8-3) at Orlando, Fa., 9:30 a.m. over NBC (4)(36)(39). Jay Randolph, Dave Rowe report. BYU Cougars favored by 1.

SUN BOWL--Arizona (8-3) vs. Georgia (7-3-1) at El Paso, Tex., 9:30 a.m. over CBS (2) (8). Gary Bender, Pat Haden report. Georgia Bulldogs by 5 1/2, say the experts.

ALOHA BOWL--USC (6-5) vs. Alabama (8-2-1) at Honolulu, 5 p.m. over Innovative Sports, Inc. (11), WOR. Harry Kalas, Dennis Green report. Alabama Crimson Tide by 5 1/2.

MONDAY

GATOR BOWL--Oklahoma State (8-3) vs. Florida State (8-3) at Jacksonville, Fla., 5 p.m. over ABC (7)(3)(10)(42). Al Michaels, Lee Grosscup report. Florida State Seminoles by 7.

FREEDOM BOWL--Washington (6-5) vs. Colorado (7-4) at Anaheim, 5 p.m. over Lorimar (51), USA. Barry Tompkins, Lou Holtz report. Washington Huskies by 4.

TUESDAY

PEACH BOWL--Army (8-3) vs. Illinois (6-4-1) at Atlanta, 11:30 a.m. over CBS (2)(8). Gary Bender, Steve Davis report. Illini by 6 1/2.

BLUEBONNET BOWL--Air Force (11-1) vs. Texas (8-3) at Houston, 11:30 a.m. over Lorimar (5)(51), USA. Tom Hammond, Gifford Nielson report. Air Force Falcons by 5.

ALL AMERICAN--Michigan State (7-4) vs. Georgia Tech (8-2-1) at Birmingham, Ala., 5 p.m. over TBS (13), WTBS. Tim Foley, Paul Hornung report. Georgia Tech Engineers by 1.

WEDNESDAY

COTTON BOWL--Auburn (8-3) vs. Texas A&M; (9-2) at Dallas, 10:30 a.m. over CBS (2)(8). Brent Musburger, Ara Parseghian report. Auburn Tigers by 2.

FIESTA BOWL--Michigan (9-1-1) vs. Nebraska (9-2) at Tempe, Ariz., 10:30 a.m. over NBC (4)(36)(39). Charlie Jones, Sam Rutigliano report. Michigan Wolverines by 3.

ROSE BOWL--Iowa (10-1) vs. UCLA (8-2-1) at Pasadena, 1:30 p.m. over NBC (4)(36)(39). Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen report. Iowa Hawkeyes by 3.

ORANGE BOWL--Penn State (11-0) vs. Oklahoma (10-1) at Miami, 5 p.m. over NBC (4)(36)(39). Don Criqui, Bob Trumpy report. Oklahoma Sooners by 7 1/2.

SUGAR BOWL--Miami (10-1) vs. Tennessee (8-1-2) at New Orleans, 5 p.m. over ABC (7)(3)(10)(42). Keith Jackson, Frank Broyles report. Miami Hurricanes by 8.

The NFL continues the march on Super Bowl XX with two wild-card playoffs this weekend, both games being played at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.

Today, the AFC game: New England Patriots (11-5) vs. the New York Jets (11-5), 1 p.m. over NBC (4)(36)(39). Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen report. Jets by 3.

Sunday, the NFC game: San Francisco 49ers (10-6) vs. the New York Giants (10-6), 10 a.m. over CBS (2)(8). Pat Summerall, John Madden report. 49ers by 3.

ROUNDUP: Today, Basketball, ECAC Holiday Festival, 9:30 a.m. USA . . . Skiing, World Pro at Vail and Aspen, Colo., noon (11) . . . Basketball, Louisville vs. Kentucky, 1 p.m. (2)(8) . . . Golf, U.S. Open Highlights, 4 p.m. (7) . . . World Cup Soccer, 4 p.m. (34) . . . Figure Skating, Wide World of Sports, 4:30 p.m. (7)(3)(42) . . . Indoor Soccer, L.A. vs. Baltimore, 4:30 p.m. Prime Ticket . . . Basketball, Arkansas vs. Oral Roberts, 5:30 p.m. SPN . . . Basketball, Lakers vs. Kings, 7:30 p.m. (9)(51) . . . Basketball, Rainbow Tournament, Bradley vs. Clemson, 8 p.m., followed by Missouri vs. Villanova, Prime Ticket.

SUNDAY: Tennis, Loreto Festival, 10 a.m. ESPN . . . Winter Baseball, 1:30 p.m. (34) . . . Hockey, Islanders vs. Buffalo, 4 p.m. ESPN . . . Basketball, Rainbow Tournament from Hawaii, 8 p.m. Prime Ticket.