FOOTBALL'S 5TH WEEK
THE EAST
Army and Pitt, heading for this Saturday's showdown, preserved their respective claims on eastern supremacy, but Navy tumbled from the unbeaten ranks.
Fumbling and uncertain for most of the first half, Army caught up with game but outmanned Virginia in the third quarter. With Halfback Pete Dawkins nursing a charley horse on the sidelines, the Cadets marched up and down the field on Bob Anderson's running and Joe Caldwell's passing to down the exhausted Cavaliers 35-6.
Pitt found the going a little tougher against determined West Virginia, finally pulled out a 15-8 victory through the personal heroics of Quarterback Ivan Toncic, who passed for two touchdowns and saved the day when he intercepted a frantic Mountaineer pass in the end zone on the final play of the game.
Cornell, crushed by Syracuse only a week earlier, found life among the Ivies a little more tolerable. Holding off surprisingly weak Yale 12-7, the Big Red joined Princeton and Dartmouth, both active in nonleague games, at the top of the league. In other Ivy League games, improving Harvard latched on to four Columbia fumbles, turned three of them into touchdowns under the guiding hand of Quarterback Charlie Ravenel (see page 11) to win 26-0; Penn edged past Brown 21-20 when the Bruins, gambling for the works after their third touchdown, failed to make a two-point conversion.
Princeton, which seems to have an abundance of able tailbacks, found two more in Hugh Scott and Ray Empson, who led the Tigers to an easy 40-13 triumph over Colgate. Dartmouth, in over its head for the first time, gave it a good try against Holy Cross, losing 14-8 when Johnny Esposito grabbed a blocked field-goal attempt and sprinted 81 yards for the tie-breaker.
Elsewhere, unbeaten Rutgers overwhelmed Bucknell 57-12; Penn State, sparked by Center Wayne Berfield's 98-yard run with an intercepted pass, rolled over Boston U. 34-0 in the NCAA regional telecast on NBC-TV; Syracuse's Chick Zimmerman had his finest day, passing for two touchdowns and scoring a third in a 38-0 win over Nebraska; Villanova sneaked past Wake Forest 9-7 on Dick Keyser's 15-yard field goal; Connecticut laid one heavy hand on the Yankee Conference Bean Pot, stopping previously undefeated Maine 21-6. The top three:
1. ARMY (4-0)
2. PITT (4-1)
3. NAVY (3-1)
THE SOUTH
Navy's Joe Tranchini, caught without his most reliable wings after Ends Tom Hyde and John Kanuch were hustled off to the hospital, couldn't do it alone against a Tulane team which suddenly ran out of hard luck in the Oyster Bowl at Norfolk. Tulane's Quarterback Richie Petitbon (see left) used the pass sparingly, instead probed Navy's jitterbugging defenses, found them vulnerable in front of his own hard-charging line, went over twice from up close to help the Greenies upset Navy 14-6 for their first victory after four losses.
Georgia Tech, hopelessly outrushed by Auburn's great line, sliced up and down by wedge plays aimed at their tackles and held at bay by Tommy Lorino's masterful punting, played hot-potato football, quick-kicking all over the place while waiting for a break. It finally came in the last period, when Quarterback Fred Braselton intercepted a pass, set off an attack which gave the Engineers a 7-7 tie and provided the first nick in Auburn's 17-game winning streak.
LSU, continuing to startle the South, took advantage of Warren Rabb's defense-scattering passes to turn loose Halfback Billy Cannon for 108 yards and two touchdowns, ran over bewildered Kentucky 32-7 to become top dog in SEC.
North Carolina, faster, quicker and hitting harder, jammed up the Maryland running attack, rode to two scores on Quarterback Jack Cummings' accurate pitching to win 27-0 and turn the Terps' Homecoming Day into a personal triumph for Coach Jim Tatum. Moaned Maryland Coach Tommy Mont realistically: "We just got the hell knocked out of us."
In other games, Vanderbilt once again found 60 minutes too long, had to share a 6-6 tie when Florida's Jimmy Dunn and David Hudson clicked on an end zone pass with eight seconds to play; Tennessee, sticking to single-wing power, mowed down Alabama 14-7; Mississippi, playing adequately if not spectacularly, moved past Hardin-Simmons 24-0 for its fifth straight. The top three:
1. AUBURN (3-0-1)
2. LSU (5-0)
3. MISSISSIPPI (5-0)
THE WEST
The Rose Bowl sweepstakes were still as wide-open as ever with California the latest to move into the No. 1 spot in the PCC. Quarterback Joe Kapp guided the Bears to two touchdowns, then protected it with some alert pass defending in the waning minutes as California beat bumbling USC 14-12.
Washington State surprised rock-ribbed Oregon with a sturdy defense of its own to upset the Ducks 6-0 and wander back into contention. UCLA unveiled something called the W formation to beat Washington 20-0 and Oregon State came from behind to catch Idaho 20-6.
Unbeaten Air Force continued to make their better-known service brethren sit up and take notice as they muscled past Stanford 16-0, but College of Pacific, the big little team on the West Coast, was gang-tackled nearly to death by the rough, tough Cincinnati Bearcats, who gave Dick Bass little running room and won 12-6.
Wyoming, battling to retain the Skyline Conference lead, barely squeaked by Colorado State 7-6, got set to defend first place against New Mexico, 33-13 winner over Arizona. The top three:
1. AIR FORCE (3-0-1)
2. OREGON STATE (3-2)
3. COLLEGE OF PACIFIC (3-1)
THE SOUTHWEST
Rice and TCU were nestling precariously atop the Southwest Conference, with Texas and Baylor just a breath behind, but in the upset-prone SWC anything can, as they say, happen.
Rice, notorious for improving fast after a sluggish start, looked crisp and sharp as it shook its backs loose for telling yardage, including a 61-yard touchdown scamper by Halfback Pat Bailey. Bill Bucek and Gordon Speer added field goals in 13-7 upset of SMU, which missed its ailing passer, Don Meredith.
Completed passes were as cheap as wedding rings in a dime store as TCU's Hunter Enis (8 for 10 and 85 yards) and Texas A&M's Charlie Milstead (16 for 23 and 180 yards) engaged in a spectacular aerial duel. In the end, however, it was a pair of squirty second-team halfbacks, Harry Moreland and Carlos Vacek, who made the difference as the Horned Frogs turned back the Aggies 24-8 to give Coach Abe Martin a much-appreciated 50th birthday gift.
Texas, not quite so wonderful as against Oklahoma the week before, didn't have to be to waltz past punchless Arkansas 24-6, while Baylor, ably directed by Quarterback Buddy Humphrey, with help from bruising Fullback Larry Hickman, beat Texas Tech 26-7. The top three:
1. TEXAS (5-0)
2. TCU (4-1)
3. RICE (3-2)
THE MIDWEST
The Midwest was aflame with unexpected football wreckage last Saturday as Wisconsin and Michigan State tumbled from their unbeaten pedestals and Michigan was soundly whacked. When it was all over, Northwestern stood side by side with Iowa and Ohio State at the top of the Big Ten.
The most astounding news came from Northwestern's Dyche Stadium, where the amazing Wildcats, emerging from the limbo which saw them lose every game last year, caught Michigan with its defenses down. They ran, passed and defended like champions to rumble over the bewildered Wolverines 55-24 (see page 14).
Michigan State was another which felt the wrath of the underdog, bowing to Purdue for the third time since 1953. The Boilermakers, aware they had little to fear from Spartan passing, massed their barricades to hold State runners to 38 yards, outlived their own mistakes (five fumbles) to win 14-6.
Iowa, trailing Wisconsin 9-0 at half time, was ever the opportunist in the second half, converting a Badger bobble into its first touchdown and going ahead to stay when End Jeff Langston snatched a blocked pass out of the air and raced 21 yards. A 68-yard pass play from Randy Duncan to Bob Jeter completed the 20-9 victory.
Ohio State's volatile Woody Hayes, who earlier in the week had turned the Big Ten air blue with his blast that officials were "red-flagging offenses out of existence" while at the same time tolerating "dirty football," spoke his mind to the officials before 82,964 home-town fans and got socked with a 15-yard penalty for his trouble. But the Buckeyes, hardly noticing the furor, powered past hapless Indiana 49-8, as Fullback Bob White scored four times.
When winless Illinois and Minnesota got together at Minneapolis, someone had to win and it was the still Fighting Illini. Bob Hickey pitched twice to End Rich Kreitling for touchdowns, and a 20-8 victory.
Notre Dame, nearly smothered in its own errors, was saved by End Monty Stickles, who grabbed an 8-yard touchdown pass and kicked a 23-yard field goal to beat Duke 9-7. Oklahoma, casting aside its new razzle-dazzle for the moment, ground down Kansas 43-0. Colorado eased past Iowa State 20-0. The top three:
1. OHIO STATE (4-0)
2. NORTHWESTERN (4-0)
3. IOWA (3-0-1)
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PHOTO
BACK OF THE WEEK: Quarterback Richie Petitbon piled up more yards rushing than the whole Navy team, scored both touchdowns as Tulane beat Middies 14-6.
PHOTO
LINEMAN OF THE WEEK: Center Jim Andreotti called smart defensive signals, led gang-tackling Northwestern line that smothered Michigan attack in 55-24 win.
TWO PHOTOS
NEW FACES OF THE WEEK: Quarterback Charlie Ravenel (left) small, slick and perky, sparked attack, led Harvard to win over Columbia; Jim Mayo, another quarterback, passed for TD as Air Force whipped Stanford 16-0, stayed unbeaten.
RED GRANGE PREDICTS
AUBURN VS. MARYLAND
Despite last week's standoff with Georgia Tech, Auburn is still the best defensive team in the country. Maryland doesn't have the offense to hurt the Tigers. AUBURN.
SOUTH CAROLINA VS. CLEMSON
This one is steeped in tradition, but Clemson's line is just too powerful for the Gamecocks. Another win on "Big Thursday" for CLEMSON.
SMU VS. GEORGIA TECH
Tech is improving each week, while SMU misses injured Don Meredith, its talented passer. The Engineers will have the throttle wide open. GEORGIA TECH.
RICE VS. TEXAS
Unbeaten Texas is still riding high after that big win over Oklahoma. Inconsistent Rice won't stop the stampeding Longhorns. TEXAS.
PITT VS. ARMY
Army's Lonesome George and its two tremendous halfbacks, Anderson and Dawkins, are going to have a rough afternoon trying to crack that big, strong Pitt team. An interesting game but I won't pick a winner because I'll be doing this NCAA telecast on NBC-TV.
IOWA VS. NORTHWESTERN
Northwestern has gone from rags to riches in the Big Ten, but this may be the end of the line for the surprising Wildcats. Iowa's Randy Duncan is a match for Northwestern's Dick Thornton, and superior defense gives the nod to IOWA.
NOTRE DAME VS. PURDUE
The Irish can't seem to get an offense rolling, so Purdue, despite a tendency to make mistakes, is my choice. PURDUE.
OHIO STATE VS. WISCONSIN
Wisconsin has good passing, but its line can't play with the big Ohio State forwards. The Buckeyes grind out another one. OHIO STATE.
OREGON STATE VS. WASHINGTON
Anything can and does happen on the West Coast, and this one could I go either way. The Beavers are better on the ground and must be given the edge. OREGON STATE.
CALIFORNIA VS. OREGON
California is just as good as Quarterback Joe Kapp, and he is plenty good; but Oregon's greater experience and ball control will thwart Kapp and the Bears. OREGON.
LAST WEEK'S PREDICTIONS: 3 RIGHT; 5 WRONG; 1 TIE
RECORD TO DATE: 31-13-2