It can be that way in life, too. Hurricanes are indiscriminate destroyers; they can submerge vast tracts of homes and businesses, or turn them into targets for falling trees and flying debris. Storm surges and howling winds play no favorites.

Just ask the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, who only 3 years ago were victimized by Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster ever to befall the continental United States.

The wounds of Katrina had scarcely begun to heal when New Orleans appeared to be in the direct path of Hurricane Gustav.

Some 1,600 miles to the north, former Penn State wide receiver Rich Mauti and his wife, Nancy, were in State College for the season opener against Coastal Carolina. It was to be a special celebration for Rich and Nancy, residents of the New Orleans suburb of Mandeville, La., because their sons - Patrick, a redshirt junior wide receiver, and Michael, a true freshman linebacker - are the only Louisiana natives on the Penn State roster. Patrick, a former walk-on, finally was awarded a football grant-in-aid just last month, and Michael, a star-in-the-making who chose Penn State over, among other schools, Oklahoma and Florida, was being touted in some quarters as the Lions' next great linebacker.

But the Mauti family was not afforded the luxury of fully focusing on the upcoming game. Patrick and Michael were peppered with questions from their teammates about nature's fury and the toll it had taken, and might take again, on their hometown region. When not watching television for news reports on Gustav, Rich - still a recognizable figure in Happy Valley, 32 years after his graduation - and Nancy got the same treatment from strangers whenever they went out in public.

Fortunately, Gustav weakened and drifted just far enough west of New Orleans - whose officials, as was not the case with Katrina, ordered a mandatory evacuation - to spare the city another knockout blow.

"We knew before we left home last Thursday that [Gustav] was going to make it into the Gulf of Mexico," said Rich, a native of Long Island, who settled in the New Orleans area after playing the first six of his seven seasons in the NFL with the Saints. "So we packed up the house and did all the things you normally do when you know a hurricane's coming.

"Everyone was scared to death ... in a panic mode. That's why 2 million people evacuated."

Rich, a commercial real estate broker and motivational speaker, and Nancy returned home yesterday and will not be in Beaver Stadium for 19th-ranked Penn State's game tomorrow afternoon against 0-1 Oregon State.

Ironically, there is a chance of rain tomorrow, a result of the dying remnants of Gustav finally reaching central Pennsylvania at more or less the same time that Tropical Storm Hanna has snaked its way up the Eastern Seaboard.

So how do you get ready to play football when the skies are gray and leaking?

"You spend most of your preparation time trying to put together the plays we want to run against the defenses we think we're going to see," Joe Paterno said. "Once we get comfortable with that, then maybe we'll wet the ball ... get some buckets and put the footballs in them."

3 things to watch

* By today's standards, Penn State's starting offensive line, with an average height of 6-3 and average weight of 301 pounds, is almost streamlined. And that's not by accident. Body-fat percentages are constantly monitored and players not within their "optimum" range for their position are instructed to pare down or risk losing playing time. * Irv Pankey, an All-America tackle for the Lions in 1979, will be at tomorrow's game because his twin sons play for Oregon State. Keith is a sophomore linebacker and Kevin is a redshirt freshman tight end. "He's convinced that they're gonna put a beatdown on us," Keith said of his dad's greater allegiance to his alma mater than to his own flesh and blood.

This week's game

When: Tomorrow, 3:30 p.m.

Where: Beaver Stadium, State College

TV: Channel 6

Radio: WNTP (990-AM)

Records: Oregon State, 0-1; Penn State, 1-0

History: First meeting

Coaches: Mike Riley (eighth season at Oregon State, over two stints, 47-39); Joe Paterno (43rd season at Penn State, 373-125-3)

About Oregon State: This is what Mike Riley had to say about his Beavers playing in Beaver Stadium: "We appreciate that stadium being named after us" ... In its 36-28 loss at Stanford, Oregon State outgained the Cardinal, 490 yards to 301. The Beavers did themselves in with five fumbles, two interceptions and 12 penalties. They also had a blocked punt and gave up a safety ... Starting safety Al Afalava is back from 1-week team suspension after a plea bargain on drunken and reckless driving charges during the offseason...Oregon State is getting $800,000 to come to Happy Valley, its biggest guarantee ever for a road game. With ABC revenues, its take should come to about $1.1 million.

About Penn State: Freshman defensive tackle Jack Crawford moved to Richland, N.J., from England only 3 years ago and is in only his third year of organized football. He played his high-school ball at St. Augustine Prep ... Converted QB Brett Brackett, at 6-6 and 234, is a large alternative to the three top wideouts, Deon Butler, Derrick Williams and Jordan Norwood, each 6 to 8 inches shorter. "He has a ridiculous vertical [leap]," cornerback Lydell Sargeant said of Brackett, who could be especially useful on fade routes deep in the red zone.

Prediction