FOOTBALL'S FIFTH WEEK
THE SOUTH
"If we're even at the start of the fourth period," Clemson Coach Frank Howard used to say, "we can beat any team in the country." Last Saturday the Tigers carried a 17-12 lead into the last quarter against Maryland, but they lost. Quarterback Dale Betty, an accurate marksman with the poise and confidence of a shill in a gambling joint, completed eight passes in a row, pitched the Terps to a 19-17 victory. Meanwhile, Duke, off to a 10-0 lead against unbeaten North Carolina State, held on as State's talented Roman Gabriel completed 16 of 30 passes for 182 yards, won 17-13 to take the lead in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest's Norm Snead threw his 20th touchdown pass for a new ACC career record, gave the Deacons a 13-12 win over North Carolina.
The hard-put Southeastern Conference was beginning to wonder if any of its members would catch up to Mississippi. Tulane found a way to stop Ole Miss Quarterback Jake Gibbs's rollouts, but the Greenies couldn't keep up with his passes (to End Johnny Brewer for three touchdowns) and lost 26-13. Now it is up to Tennessee. The Vols, sticking methodically and bleakly to Coach Bowden Wyatt's anachronistic brand of football, wore down Alabama, turned two fumbles into touchdowns (one on a 41-yard run by End Mike LaSorsa) and whipped the frustrated Crimson 20-7.
Three other SEC games turned on a field goal. Kentucky matched LSU's defense and edged the Bengals 3-0 on Clark Mayfield's 28-yard kick; Auburn's Ed Dyas booted a 37-yarder to beat Georgia Tech 9-7; Georgia's Durward Pennington kicked two, from 31 and 25 yards, the latter with eight seconds to play, to defeat Mississippi State 20-17.
VMI's Howard Dyer, the nation's offensive leader, passed and ran for 216 yards to lead the undefeated Keydets past Virginia 30-16. The top three:
1. MISSISSIPPI (5-0)
2. TENNESSEE (3-0-1)
3. DUKE (3-1)
THE EAST
Syracuse had another bad Saturday, and this time it was scrappy Penn State that caused the trouble. Halfbacks Ernie Davis (on an 18-yard sprint) and Mark Weber (on a 60-yard pass interception) got the Orangemen rolling to a 21-7 lead. However, the Nittany Lions scrambled back on a three-yard pass from Quarterback Galen Hall to Halfback Dick Pae, then moved 85 yards to the Syracuse four-yard line before losing the ball on downs with seven seconds to go. Final score: Syracuse 21, Penn State 15.
Navy effectively squelched Air Force's Rich Mayo with an airtight pass defense, uncovered a notable passer of its own in Quarterback Hal Spooner and sent Halfback Joe Bellino squirming and slashing for three touchdowns to trim the Falcons 35-3. Pitt finally found breathing room against West Virginia, smothered the Mountaineers 42-0.
Yale moved to the head of the Ivy League with a 22-6 win over Cornell; Harvard, without injured Charlie Ravenel, was pressed to squeeze by Columbia 8-7; Penn beat Brown 36-7; Princeton outscored Colgate 36-26; Holy Cross edged Dartmouth 9-8 on Bill Joern's wobbly 20-yard field goal in the closing seconds. Bucknell's Paul Terhes passed Rutgers dizzy, but the Scarlet Knights struck back, won 23-19 in the final minutes. Tufts upset Lehigh 14-0. The top three:
1. SYRACUSE (4-0)
2. NAVY (5-0)
3. PENN STATE (2-2)
THE MIDWEST
In the Big Ten it was Ohio State's turn to fall. Jack Mollenkopf shrewdly adjusted his Purdue defenses at half time, thwarted Buckeye Quarterback Tom Matte's options and watched happily as senior Fullback Willie Jones scored his third touchdown and Quarterback Bernie Allen kicked a 23-yard field goal for a 24-21 victory. Iowa had its troubles with Wisconsin, but the Hawkeyes pulled out a 28-21 win when Quarterback Wilburn Hollis lofted a 34-yard pass to Halfback Sammie Harris with 52 seconds to go.
Minnesota, still very much in the running, gave ground to favored Illinois until Coach Murray Warmath shifted a linebacker to the strong side and moved his ends out so they would have a better angle for pinching Illinois Quarterback Johnny Easterbrook. The defensive maneuver worked, and Quarterback Sandy Stephens bulled for all three touchdowns in a 21-10 triumph. Youthful Michigan turned back Northwestern 14-7; Michigan State bruised Notre Dame 21-0; Indiana trounced Marquette 34-8.
Coach Jack Mitchell, who had flatly predicted a Kansas victory over Oklahoma, watched it flutter from his grasp when John Suder's field goal attempt from the nine-yard line failed with 24 seconds to play. The final score: 13-13. Colorado, playing without ailing passer Gale Weidner, marched impressively past Iowa State 21-6; Missouri, beginning to look like the most dangerous team in the Big Eight, crushed Kansas State 45-0; Nebraska's Pat Fischer pulled the Corn-huskers from behind, beat Army 14-9 with a touchdown plunge and a 57-yard pass to Bennie Dillard. The top three:
1. IOWA (4-0)
2. MINNESOTA (4-0)
3. KANSAS (3-1-1)
THE SOUTHWEST
Arkansas provided the thrills with its 24-23 upset of Texas, but the Southwest Conference suddenly was paying strict attention to Baylor. The swift Bears, looking to their first title since 1924, slithered and writhed in the mud at Lubbock, pushed past Texas Tech 14-7 to take first place in the standings. The Bears' magnificent Ronnie Bull skillfully ran 50 yards for a touchdown after taking a screen pass from Quarterback Ronnie Stanley, added a second on a one-yard plunge.
Normally conservative Rice punished weak SMU 47-0. TCU continued to muddle along, barely pulled out a 14-14 tie with Texas A&M. The top three:
1. BAYLOR (4-0)
2. ARKANSAS (4-1)
3. TEXAS (3-2)
THE WEST
Washington took an uncertain—and perhaps costly—step toward the Rose Bowl. The fanatically dedicated Huskies beat UCLA 10-8 but lost All-America Quarterback Bob Schloredt for the season with a broken left collarbone. A 38-yard field goal by Halfback George Fleming and Don McKeta's one-yard touchdown dive gave the Huskies all the points they needed to win. They then sat back and tormented the Bruins with a defense that was loose and relaxed at mid-fie d and as uncrossable as quicksand at the goal line. UCLA managed to score once on Bill Kilmer's passes, but it wasn't enough.
USC, bent on recouping its early-season losses, devised a tackle-trap play for Sophomore Fullback Hal Tobin, sprung him loose for 63 yards in the third quarter to pull ahead of California, went on to win 27-10. Oregon struck hurriedly for two touchdowns in the last period, overhauled Washington State 21-12. Sophomore Tailback Terry Baker ran and passed Oregon State to a 28-8 victory over Idaho. The top three:
1. WASHINGTON (4-1)
2. OREGON STATE (4-1)
3. UCLA (1-1-1)
PHOTO
BACK OF THE WEEK: Arkansas Quarterback George McKinney cut Texas down to size with daring and clever play calls, threw three scoring passes in 24-23 win.
PHOTO
LINEMAN OF THE WEEK: Texas Tech Center E. J. Holub, a crashing linebacker, made 15 tackles, aided in eight more to excel in losing cause against Baylor.
TWO PHOTOS
NEW FACES: Quarterback Hal Spooner (left) passed for 168 yards and one touchdown as Navy routed Air Force; Tailback Terry Baker gained 171 yards passing, picked up 113 more running and scored once as Oregon State beat Idaho 28-8.
SATURDAY'S TOUGH ONES
Clemson over Duke. This game could decide the Atlantic Coast title. Duke's passing will test the Tigers, but Clemson will be well prepared defensively.
Georgia Tech over Tulane. Tech's One-two punch—Stan Gann's passing and Tommy Wells's field goal kicking—is hard to beat. Tulane is still a year away.
Dartmouth over Harvard. Dartmouth's Bob Blackman has few peers as a defensive specialist, and he should have some tidy problems ready for Harvard—even if Charlie Ravenel is well enough to play.
Penn State over Illinois. The slipping Illini have lost two in a row. Penn State has the muscles and the passing to make it three straight.
Iowa over Purdue. The Hawkeyes have been cutting it thin lately and can't afford to relax against persistent Purdue. Better balance gives the edge to Iowa.
Minnesota over Michigan. The young Michigan team is inclined to make mistakes. It will suffer for its sins against the big and able Gophers.
Missouri over Iowa State. The Unbeaten Tigers, moving up in the Big Eight, have too many speedy backs and stubborn defenders for the little Iowans.
Mississippi over Arkansas. The first real challenge for Ole Miss. The Razor-backs are tough, but Quarterback Jake Gibbs will see the Rebels through.
Texas over Rice. The eyes of Texas, made weepy by Arkansas last week, will be on the Longhorns. Faster backs and a tougher defense will prove too difficult for an improving Rice.
Washington over Oregon State. Can the Huskies survive the loss of talented Bob Schloredt? They will find out against a capable Oregon State team.
Other games
RUTGERS OVER LEHIGH
VMI OVER BOSTON COLLEGE
AUBURN OVER MIAMI
FLORIDA OVER LSU
PITT OVER TCU
OHIO STATE OVER WISCONSIN
OHIO U. OVER MIAMI (OHIO)
COLORADO OVER NEBRASKA
CALIFORNIA OVER OREGON
WYOMING OVER AIR FORCE
LAST WEEK'S PREDICTIONS: 10 RIGHT, 9 WRONG, 1 TIE
SEASON'S RECORD: 57-39-4