The Week

1. Texas A&M (4-1)
2. Texas Tech (3-1-1)
3. Texas (3-2)

SOUTH

It did not figure to be much of a contest when Florida State, owning the nation's longest losing streak at 16, traveled to Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, where Alabama had won 32 straight. But with one minute and 27 seconds left State not only led 7-3, it had the ball. And Alabama was lucky to be that close. The Seminoles' placekicker, Ahmet Askin, had missed field-goal attempts of 19 and 26 yards. The Crimson Tide's only score had come on Bucky Berrey's 44-yard field goal late in the third quarter. Facing a fourth down at their own five-yard line, the Seminoles went into punt formation but elected to concede a safely rather than risk kicking the ball. Punter Joe Downey ran out of the end zone, which made the score 7-5 but gave State a free kick from its 20. Alabama returned the ball to the Seminole 48 and immediately struck for 32 yards on a pass from Jack O'Rear to Ozzie Newsome. Three plays lost three yards before Berrey, with 33 seconds remaining, kicked a 36-yard field goal to give the Tide a scary 8-7 win. It was the first time Alabama had failed to score a touchdown at Denny Stadium since Bear Bryant became coach in 1958.

The only other unbeaten team in the Deep South is Auburn, which humbled Kentucky 31-13. During the week Auburn Coach Snug Jordan had called his offense "disgusting." His players responded by running up their highest offensive total of the season—429 yards, 363 of them on the ground. Kentucky managed to rush for 236 yards, 127 of them by all-SEC Fullback Sonny Collins, and scored the first two touchdowns from scrimmage against Auburn all season, but it was not enough.

Florida had its hopes of an SEC title dimmed when it was upset by Vanderbilt 24-10. The Commodores turned the ball over six times in the first half but rallied with 18 second-half points to win. All the Vanderbilt scoring drives were directed by Substitute Quarterback David Lee, who played from midway in the first quarter for injured Fred Fisher.

LSU also had turnover problems, fumbling four times in the first half, but it too rallied, to beat Tennessee for the first time since 1933, 20-10. Clemson fumbled five times and never rallied as Maryland ran up its biggest victory margin since 1959, 41-0. It was the Terps' second straight shutout and the third straight game in which their first-team defense has not yielded a point. Horace King ran for four touchdowns, one of 79 yards, as Georgia stunned Mississippi 49-0. Georgia Tech slipped past North Carolina 29-28 on a two-point conversion pass from Rudy Allen to Jimmy Robinson with 36 seconds remaining. Roland Hooks ran for a two-point conversion with 3:46 left as North Carolina State overcame a 21-point deficit to beat Virginia 22-21.

1. Alabama (5-0)
2. Auburn (5-0)
3. North Carolina State (6-0)

EAST

Penn State's Nittany Lions finally shook off their extended case of the blahs and mauled an opponent. The victim, Wake Forest, never had a chance. Penn State returned the opening kickoff to its 38, then ate up the remaining 62 yards in just eight plays to take a 7-0 lead. It was 21-0 at the half, 48-0 after three quarters and 55-0 at the end. Lion Quarterback Tom Shuman threw a pair of touchdown passes, one of 57 yards to Jimmy Cefalo, who also ran 39 yards for a score.

Pittsburgh scored 24 points in the second half to come from behind and beat West Virginia 31-14. The Mountaineers held a surprising 14-7 halftime lead even though they still were playing without their sensational wide receiver, Danny Buggs. "A week ago we decided to give Danny a complete rest," said Coach Bobby Bowden. "We didn't want to spend the year with half a football player." The Panthers tied the game late in the third quarter on a 73-yard drive, and finally took the lead midway through the fourth quarter on Carson Long's 45-yard field goal. But with less than five minutes to play the issue was still in doubt. Pitt faced a fourth and one at the Mountaineer 43-yard line and Coach Johnny Majors decided to go for the first down. The Panthers made it, and two plays later Quarterback Billy Daniels hit world-class sprinter Karl Farmer with a 41-yard touchdown pass to put Pitt out of reach. The Panthers' Tony Dorsett picked up 145 yards on 38 carries.