Sublime Weekend For The Underdogs

Rarely have so many major college teams been mistreated so horribly in a single weekend. While Texas bushwhacked Oklahoma with unexpected ease, 28-7 (see page 22), Alabama, Navy, Penn State, Oregon State, Nebraska and West Texas State were all rudely put down for the first time by suddenly aroused and, in some cases, most unlikely underdogs. Duke was held to a tie by California. Ohio State and Illinois saved or—according to how you look at it—ruined their day by playing to a deadlock. Among the already defeated, USC was shocked for a second time by Notre Dame, and Arkansas was the surprise victim of Baylor.

Now, with the season not even half over, only eight major teams are still unbeaten and untied—Texas (4-0) in the Southwest, Auburn (4-0) and North Carolina State (4-0) in the South, Wisconsin (3-0) and Bowling Green (4-0) in the Midwest, and Pitt (3-0), Dartmouth (3-0) and Princeton (3-0) in the East.

THE EAST

THE TOP THREE:
1. PITT (3-0)
2. NAVY (3-1)
3. PENN STATE (3-1)

While Pitt enjoyed a week of respite, Penn State was unable to escape its old nemesis, ARMY. For the third straight year, the Lions lost to West Point by a field goal, 10-7. This time State was taken in by a new twist to the old Army game. Assistant Coach Chuck Klausing, after a scouting expedition, reported State could be had if its monster linebacker was caught going the other way. So Coach Paul Dietzel put his Cadets into a double wing T and, sometimes, a short punt formation to force the linebacker to commit himself. When he did, Quarterback Rollie Stichweh and Halfbacks Ken Waldrop and John Seymour simply ran away from him. The Lions adjusted their defenses in the second half, but it was already too late. Also for the third straight year, Dick Heydt kicked the winning field goal. He added the point after Stichweh's two-yard touchdown pass to End Sam Champi, too. But it was the linemen's game. Led by Champi and Guard Dick Nowak, Army swarmed all over Penn State's Pete Liske—he completed only two passes—and held the kittenish Lions to a mere 38 yards rushing.

Life was more serene among the East's lower-echelon independents, BOSTON COLLEGE'S Jack Concannon, passing and running superbly, threw for three touchdowns and two extra points, plunged for another score as the Eagles whomped Villanova 34-0. COLGATE smothered Rutgers 28-8, while BOSTON U., more prolific in its own class, defeated Holy Cross 18-6. Unbeaten DELAWARE piled up 591 yards while trampling Lafayette 61-0.

Dartmouth and Harvard, the Ivy League favorites, stumbled but still managed to win. In front 14-0 on Quarterback Dana Kelly's two short plunges, Dartmouth had to fight for its life (and a 14-7 win) against Brown sophomore Quarterback Bob Hall's accurate passes. Cornell scored first and last but, in between, Quarterback Mike Bassett and sophomore Halfback Wally Grant led Harvard to three touchdowns and a 21-14 victory. PRINCETON, still very much in the race, ran over Penn 34-0 as blockbusting Fullback Cosmo Iacavazzi and Tailback Don McKay scored five touchdowns, YALE Coach Johnny Pont, who had predicted that "our young men will be all right," sent them charging at Columbia's Archie Roberts like a pack of angry wolves. Roberts completed 13 passes for 176 yards, but Yale's Randy Egloff scored twice, and the Elis got their first Ivy win, 19-7.

THE SOUTH

THE TOP THREE:
1. GEORGIA TECH (3-1)
2. AUBURN (4-0)
3. LSU 3-1

The sellout crowd at Denny Stadium in Birmingham, where Alabama had won 16 in a row, should have known right off what kind of a day it would be for the Crimson Tide. Benny Nelson, steadiest of seniors, fumbled the opening kickoff. A bad center snap nearly caused a safety, and when Buddy French did get a kick away it was returned to the Tide 28, setting up a FLORIDA field goal by Bob Lyle. Then, in the last quarter, sophomore Dick Kirk raced 41 yards to score. 'Bama scored later, but Bear Bryant had lost his first home game ever at Alabama, 10-6. There were no crocodile tears.