New Heights For The New Leaders

THE MIDWEST

For 30 minutes, while 76,132 partisans sat in shivering horror, Notre Dame pushed Michigan State around Spartan Stadium. The hard-charging Irish line held State to 12 yards rushing, punished the Spartans for 170 yards and Notre Dame led 7-0. Then Coach Duffy Daugherty went to work. He changed all the offensive blocking assignments and told the defensive backs how to rotate to meet the play. He put Tackle Jim Bobbitt (247 pounds), Guard Ed Budde (243) and Tackle Dave Behrman (253) in the line together for two-way duty and switched Defensive Back George Saimes (below) to offense. Suddenly Notre Dame's runners found their paths solidly blocked by huge Spartans. State sprang Saimes loose for 24- and 25-yard touchdown runs, added a 20-yard field goal by Art Brandstatter to polish off the Irish 17-7. Despite Michigan State's apparent affluence, the other Big Ten teams weren't about to give up the fight. Iowa looked better than ever as Quarterback Matt Szykowny completed 14 of 17 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns in a 47-15 victory over Wisconsin. Ohio State gave the ball to Fullback Bob Ferguson for 157 of its 220 yards rushing and slipped past Northwestern 10-0. Minnesota's Sandy Stephens threw four touchdown passes and the Gophers beat Illinois 33-0. Michigan held off fumbling Purdue 16-14 and Indiana won at last, over Washington State 33-7.

For the second straight week a former pupil sent Bud Wilkinson's Oklahoma Sooners sprawling. This time it was Kansas' Jack Mitchell, who got another good game from John Hadl, wearing contact lenses for the first time, as the Jayhawkers beat Oklahoma 10-0. However, Colorado and Missouri still held the aces in the Big Eight. The Buffaloes, led by Lineman of the Week Joe Romig, who roamed far and wide to bat down three passes and innumerable Kansas State runners, tamed the Wildcats 13-0; Missouri, just as unyielding, took the wind out of the Iowa State Cyclones 13-7. Nebraska got a shock at Stillwater, losing to Oklahoma State 14-6.

Detroit's Jerry Gross gave Navy fits with his fine passing, but the Titans succumbed ultimately 37-19. The top three:

1. MICHIGAN STATE (4-0)
2. IOWA (4-0)
3. OHIO STATE (3-0-1)

THE SOUTHWEST

The Southwest Conference, where title hopes are as fragile as dime-store toys, was as unpredictable as ever. Texas Tech, a Johnny-come-lately to the ways of this crazy-quilt league, showed that it had learned quickly when it upset Baylor 19-17 on H. L. Daniels' 34-yard field goal with 27 seconds to play. TCU sent Texas A&M tumbling 15-14 when Sonny Gibbs, playing with several broken ribs, passed the Horned Frogs 98 yards to the Aggie one, and Jerry Spearman kicked a 20-yard field goal with 2:12 left.

But Texas did the expected. Coach Darrell Royal, blessed with the swiftest backs in all of Texas, let them run to their hearts' content against Arkansas. Quarterback Mike Cotten, pausing occasionally to fling a well-directed pass, cleverly directed the flow of traffic against the stunting Arkansas linemen. He ran Halfbacks Jim Saxton, Jack Collins and Jerry Cook inside and outside, and the unbeaten Longhorns piled up 354 yards rushing while trampling the poor Porkers 33-7. However, Texas isn't yet safe from its pursuers. Rice, victor over SMU 10-0 Saturday, will come to Austin this week aching for an upset. The top three:

1. TEXAS (5-0)
2. RICE (3-1)
3. ARKANSAS (3-2)

THE EAST