FOOTBALL'S WEEK

THE SOUTH

1. ALABAMA (6-0)
2. GEORGIA TECH (7-0)
3. FLORIDA (7-0)

Miami's Charlie Tate, getting ready for unbeaten USC, recalled that when he was an assistant at Georgia Tech, "We jumped them and kept hitting. That's the only way to play that bunch—or they'll lift your hair and run off with the wagons." That is exactly the way Tate's Hurricanes played it against the favored Trojans. Tackle Bob Tatarek, End Ted Hendricks and Corner Back Tom Beier led a bruising defense—fifth best in the nation—that held USC's good backs to a mere 81 yards rushing. Even so, Miami was behind 7-3 in the fourth quarter. Then Doug McGee, who had been knocked cold in the Hurricanes' last two games, crashed over from the four to upset the Trojans 10-7. "It was the first time in three games that McGee has known the final score," cracked Tate.

Undefeated Alabama beat Mississippi State 27-14, but Bear Bryant was in no mood for jokes. For one thing, Quarterback Kenny Stabler had one of his rare off days and Wayne Trimble was ordered in to get the offense moving. Trimble responded admirably with three touchdown passes. Bryant complained, in a mournful monotone, "We played like we were out on a picnic. It was embarrassing. They knocked us down like we were children."

Florida got caught up in another hair-raiser. Auburn, despite its inability to handle Quarterback Steve Spurrier, Flanker Richard Trapp, who caught nine passes, and Tailback Larry Smith, who roamed for 102 yards, took the Gators down to the wire before losing 30-27 on Spurrier's 40-yard field goal. Coach Ray Graves, who must thank God every day for Spurrier, raved: "Absolutely the greatest clutch athlete I've ever seen."

But GEORGIA TECH had it easy. Without ailing Kim King to run his wide offense, Coach Bobby Dodd put in a naked keeper play for sub Larry Good, and Good ran the Blue Devils silly. What hurt Duke most, though, was Tech's defense. It set up two scores with recovered fumbles, blocked a punt for another and Giles Smith ran back a kick 63 yards for a fourth. Tech won 48-7.

Army was no match for TENNESSEE. Quarterback Dewey Warren completed 18 of 25 passes for 250 yards, mostly to speedy Richmond Flowers and Johnny Mills, Halfback Charlie Fulton scored twice on runs and the Vols coasted 38-7. GEORGIA had a time with North Carolina until End Larry Kohn picked off a Tar Heel pass and ran it back 62 yards. That finished Carolina, which lost 28-3. LSU, ready to try anything against MISSISSIPPI, even came out passing, but Ole Miss's Bruce Newell was better at it. He threw for two scores as LSU was shut out 17-0. KENTUCKY barely managed a 14-14 tie with WEST VIRGINIA.

Virginia Tech and Florida State traded touchdowns equally but, in the end, a first-quarter safety won for Tech 23-21. TULANE was still enjoying the season. Quarterback Bobby Duhon scored twice against Vanderbilt, Uwe Pontius kicked one extra point, and the Green Wave took its fifth game, 13-12.

Wake Forest had CLEMSON in a 21-21 tie and then, foolishly, tried to pass from its own three with 28 seconds to go. Ken Erick-son was trapped for a safety, giving Clemson a 23-21 victory. MARYLAND, tied with Clemson for the ACC lead, whipped South Carolina 14-2 while NORTH CAROLINA STATE outscored Virginia 42-21.

William and Mary moved up to tie East Carolina for the lead in the Southern Conference by beating VMI 22-15, while GEORGE WASHINGTON battered Furman 49-28 for its fourth straight. But the short-lived party was over for Richmond, SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI, No. 1 in total defense, held the Spiders to minus one yard rushing and crushed them 27-0.

THE EAST

1. SYRACUSE (5-2)
2. ARMY (5-2)
3. HARVARD (6-0)

All week long Navy Coach Bill Elias had put up a brave front. He talked about such imponderables as "emotion" and insisted, "I think we'll win." Nobody really believed Elias, but for a while last Saturday in Philadelphia's sprawling Kennedy Stadium even NOTRE DAME'S ubiquitous subway alumni in the crowd of 70,101 had to admire the Midshipmen. They went at the Irish furiously, and Notre Dame led only 10-0 at the half. Quarterback Terry Hanratty, without injured Jim Seymour to aim at, had completed but three of 14 passes. Then in the second half the Irish switched to the ground, and it was all over for Navy. While Alan Page, Pete Duranko and the other huge Notre Dame linemen throttled the Middies, Fullback Larry Conjar shredded them up the middle and Hanratty rolled out for two touchdowns. Navy expired quietly 31-7 and Elias became a believer. 'The best college team I've ever seen," he said wistfully.

Syracuse and PENN STATE were building up to one of their old-fashioned wars next Saturday. Pitt managed to upset Syracuse's game plan with a stunting defense, but that is about all the mild Panthers did. Floyd Little and Larry Csonka cracked through for scores, Quarterbacks Rick Cassata and Jim Del Gaizo each threw for a touchdown, and the Orange won its fifth straight, 33-7. Penn State, gathering strength each week, went after California with a hard running game (good for 325 yards) and routed the Bears 33-15. Fullback Dan Lucyk slashed for 133 yards, while Quarterback Tom Sherman ran over for four touchdowns.

Unbeaten HARVARD continued its unrestrained run for the Ivy title, battering Penn 27-7, but its challengers were still hoping. PRINCETON ran over Brown 24-7; DARTMOUTH, with Quarterback Mickey Beard throwing for two scores, beat Yale 28-13; CORNELL clobbered Columbia 31-6 as Pete Larson ran for three touchdowns.

Colgate and RUTGERS, the best of the smaller independents, were heading for their Own showdown Nov. 19. Colgate had to hustle to hold off Lehigh 21-15. Rutgers, with soccer-style booter Jim Dulin kicking three field goals, defeated Boston U. 16-7. BUFFALO hammered Holy Cross 35-3 as Fullback Lee Jones scored three times, and VILLANOVA beat Xavier 13-7.

THE MIDWEST

1. NOTRE DAME (6-0)
2. MICHIGAN STATE (7-0)
3. NEBRASKA (7-0)

Missouri's Dan Devine would be pleased if UCLA's Tommy Prothro never uttered another word. Last week Prothro told a California newsman that NEBRASKA "ought to be ranked about 49th" instead of eighth. An obliging Husker alumnus air-mailed the clipping to Nebraska's Bob Devaney, and he showed it to his players before they took the field against Missouri. "It made the boys kind of mad," understated Devaney. Before a record crowd of 65,095 in Lincoln, the Huskers murdered Mizzou 35-0. Led by Halfback Ben Gregory, who scored twice, they rammed for 271 yards, turned Missouri mistakes into touchdowns, and the Tigers never got past the Nebraska 34. Then the Huskers did the gentlemanly thing. They voted the game ball to Prothro.

Colorado, just about out of the Big Eight race, put a crimp in Oklahoma's high hopes. The quick Sooners had the Buffs 21-14 on long runs—80 yards by Jim Jackson and 93 by Eddie Hinton—but John Farler kicked a 25-yard field goal, and then, after a bad center snap gave the Buffs the ball on Oklahoma's 18, Wilmer Cooks bashed over from the nine, and Colorado won 24-21. OKLAHOMA STATE, another potential spoiler, lost ground when it played a 14-14 tie with IOWA STATE, while KANSAS barely escaped the ignominy of a defeat by KANSAS STATE, tying 3-3 on Thermus Butler's 38-yard field goal with eight seconds left.

Michigan State, unable to get excited about Northwestern, methodically crunched away at the poor Wildcats until they had them 22-0. Bob Apisa and Clint Jones scored on short jolts, Jimmy Raye threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Gene Washington and barefoot-kicker Dick Kenney booted a 39-yard field goal. "We couldn't get the big play to keep us alive," explained Northwestern's Alex Agase, who must have had his tongue in his cheek. His team made only two first downs and six yards rushing.

Purdue students were selling red paper roses tagged, "Everything Comes Up Roses," at Lafayette last Saturday, forgetting, perhaps, that roses have thorns. With 3:28 to go, Illinois led the Boilermakers 21-18, one of its scores coming on a 93-yard interception by Bruce Sullivan. Then Bob Griese, who had five of his passes intercepted but still completed 19 for 288 yards, took Purdue to the Illini 32 and, with 1:21 remaining, survived a bitter chase in his own backfield to hit Jim Finley in the end zone. It won for the Boilermakers 25-21. "Thank heavens," said Coach Jack Mollenkopf, whose route to Pasadena now leads through the easiest part of his schedule—Wisconsin, Minnesota and Indiana.

While Purdue's Rose Bowl hopes rose, Ohio State's collapsed. MINNESOTA, using an I for the first time, threw only three passes, as Quarterback Curt Wilson and Halfback John Wintermute charged through the helpless Bucks for most of the Gophers' 264 yards on the way to a 17-7 upset. After drubbing Wisconsin 28-17, MICHIGAN was still in the race, and though IOWA was not, it did have a prize of its own—its first Big Ten win after 16 losses. Pear-shaped Bob Anderson's 28-yard field goal in the last minute caught Indiana 20-19.

Bowling Green, suffering in a 2-3 season, ended Miami of Ohio's 12-game winning streak, 17-14. Peejay Nyitray, a sophomore quarterback whose only previous exposure was an incomplete pass, threw for one touchdown and ran for a second, and Jim Percy kicked a 29-yard field goal, WESTERN MICHIGAN, meanwhile, outscored Marshall 35-29 to share the Mid-American lead with Miami. Ohio U., another contender, lost to independent DAYTON 20-12. RENT STATE, with Don Fitzgerald, who was the country's No. 1 rusher, rolling up 142 yards and scoring twice, took Toledo 28-20.

Tulsa beat Cincinnati 13-0 to hold the Missouri Valley lead as Louisville was surprised by WICHITA STATE 9-2.

THE SOUTHWEST

1. ARKANSAS (6-1)
2. SMU (5-1)
3. HOUSTON (5-1)

While the Southwest Conference settled down to a two-team race between SMU and Arkansas, Baylor fell almost out of sight. Slumping Terry Southall had another bad day, completing only eight passes and throwing three interceptions as the Bears lost to TCU 6-0. Bruce Alford kicked two field goals, from 32 and 48 yards, for the Frogs.

It hardly mattered, except to TEXAS TECH, but against Rice the Raiders suddenly acquired muscle. Quarterback John Scovell kept the Owls jumping with his passes and Mike Leinert and Robert Freeman each ran for two touchdowns as Tech won 35-19.

Houston Coach Bill Yeoman did some housecleaning last week after the Cougars lost to Mississippi. He fired seven players, then watched contentedly as Bo Burris and Ken Hebert played pitch-and-catch in a 48-9 whomping of Tampa in the Astrodome. Hebert caught four touchdown passes from Burris—for 34, 13, 86 and 46 yards—and kicked six extra points to set three school records.

West Texas State had a problem against MEMPHIS STATE: what to cover, a run or a pass, when Quarterback Terry Padgett rolled out. He did a lot of both—for 134 yards—and the Buffaloes went down 26-14.

THE WEST

1. UCLA (7-0)
2. USC (6-1)
3. WYOMING (6-1)

There may have been some nervous Uclans in Los Angeles' Memorial Coliseum when Air Force led UCLA 10-7 in the second quarter, but Gary Beban and Mel Farr were not among them. Poised as always, Beban brought the hibernating Bruins awake with a couple of short touchdown runs and, in the last quarter, Farr broke loose from the Air Force 33, smashed through three Cadet tacklers and went on to score. UCLA won 38-13, but not proudly. Coach Tommy Prothro, however, was satisfied. "I don't know if I wanted our team to play good football," he said. "I didn't want us emotionally keyed up. I just wanted to be good enough to win." What Prothro meant was that Washington, Stanford and USC were coming up. The Uclans must beat all three to make it back to the Rose Bowl.

But last week none of the three looked particularly scary. After USC's loss in Miami, WASHINGTON and Stanford battled to a bizarre end that had just about everybody in Stanford Stadium questioning WU Coach Jim Owens' judgment. With 55 seconds to go, fourth and one on the Stanford 11 and the Indians leading 20-19, he called for a run. Luckily for Washington, Fullback Jeff Jordan made it. Then Don Martin, who had kicked two earlier field goals, booted another from the 12 to give the Huskies a 22-20 victory. OREGON STATE, looking better but going nowhere, trounced Washington State 41-13 as Fullback Pete Pifer scored four touchdowns. OREGON, in the same predicament, beat Idaho 28-7.

Some observers thought it was strictly coaches' talk when Wyoming's Lloyd Eaton worried out loud about COLORADO STATE. After all, the unbeaten Cowboys were No. 10 in the wire-service polls and, besides, the Rams had not beaten them in 10 years. But State Coach Mike Lude had invented an eerie play that made a seer out of Eaton. With the ball on the Wyoming 36, Quarterback Bob Wolfe deliberately bounced a lateral to Wingback Larry Jackson. It looked so much like an incompleted pass that the Cowboys relaxed. Jackson then passed to End Tom Pack for a touchdown. State won the game 12-10 when Al Lavan kicked a 26-yard field goal, his second of the game.

There may be more trouble ahead for Wyoming, BRIGHAM YOUNG, its final opponent, beat Arizona 16-14, and UTAH won over New Mexico 27-0. Both can tie the Cowboys in the Western AC race.

The passes flew like wild birds when San Jose's Danny Holman and PACIFIC'S Bob Lee got together at Stockton. Holman, although ailing, completed 21 for 285 yards and two touchdowns. But Lee hit 13 for three scores, kicked a field goal and five conversions, and Pacific won 38-35.

BEST OF THE WEEK

THE BACK: Florida Quarterback Sieve Spurrier, a nerveless one-man show, completed 27 of 40 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown, ran for another and in the waning minutes coolly kicked a 40-yard field goal to beat Auburn 30-27.

THE LINEMAN: Miami Tackle Bob Tatarek, a 6-foot-4, 229-pound junior, made eight clean tackles, mostly on key third-down plays, to lead a rugged defense that held USC to only 81 yards rushing as the Hurricanes upset the Trojans 10-7.