The Week

Fullback Mike Williams brought his season rushing total to 1,073 yards as he lugged the ball 28 times for 126 yards during a 21-15 victory by New Mexico over Arizona. A 17-yard touchdown run by Williams in the fourth quarter put the Lobos in front for keeps.

While USC and UCLA battled for a Rose Bowl berth (page 24), Washington won a less meaningful Pac-8 game. Three Huskies each accounted for a pair of touchdowns—Quarterback Warren Moon on passes, Tailback Ron Rowland (196 yards) and Fullback Robin Earl (122 yards) on runs—during a 51-32 victory over Washington State. Their heroics overcame the passing of State's Jack Thompson: 24 of 42 for 311 yards and five touchdowns. Oregon and Stanford, though, had to struggle right down to the closing moments before they won. The Ducks knocked off Oregon State 23-14, Quarterback Jack Henderson accounting for his third touchdown of the day by plunging a yard into the end zone with 2:35 remaining. A 27-24 Stanford triumph over California was not assured until Defensive End Duncan McColl recovered a fumble on the Bears' two that set up a scoring bolt by Ron Inge with 1:31 left.

1. USC (9-1)
2. UCLA (9-1-1)
3. WYOMING (8-3)

EAST

Boston College quickly locked up its seventh win, but it took West Virginia and Holy Cross longer—the Mountaineers nearly frittering away a big lead in the closing minutes, and the Crusaders going down to the final seconds before being assured of victory. After taking the opening kickoff, B.C. marched 80 yards for a touchdown and went on to grind out a 35-0 decision over Massachusetts. West Virginia broke a 14-14 halftime deadlock with a 17-point splurge in the third period, then had to hold on as Syracuse scored two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter. In the end, the Mountaineers prevailed 34-28, thanks in part to a pair of Dan Kendra-to- Steve Lewis touchdown passes and Tailback Duane Woods' 177 yards rushing. Holy Cross scored 41 points, but Connecticut kept coming back, often on long scoring runs: an 82-yard kickoff return by Split End Rich Hedgepath and gallops of 77 and 67 yards by Halfback Nick Giaquinto, who rushed for 277 yards in all. With 36 seconds to go, Hedgepath hauled in a two-yard scoring pass from Bernie Palmer to cut the Holy Cross lead to 41-40. Connecticut then went for a two-point conversion, but Safety Bill Campbell batted down a pass to preserve the win for the Crusaders.

Villanova won its fifth straight, downing Temple 24-7 as Quarterback Dick Bedesem ran for a pair of touchdowns and passed for another.

Pittsburgh and Penn State had the week off as they prepared for their showdown this Friday. Still, both made news, the Panthers by accepting a bid to meet Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, and the Nittany Lions by signing up to face Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl.

1. PITTSBURGH (10-0)
2. RUTGERS (10-0)
3. PENN STATE (7-3)

SOUTH

An increasing number of COME HOME, JOHNNY bumper stickers were popping up around Knoxville before the Kentucky-Tennessee game. And the Volunteers' 7-0 loss to the Wildcats merely spurred on those who want to have Coach Bill Battle replaced by former Tennessee All-America Johnny Majors, who has made Pittsburgh the No. 1 team in the nation. The Wildcat score came late in the first quarter on a 62-yard pass from Quarterback Derrick Ramsey to Halfback Greg Woods, but they also missed a nine-yard field goal try and had a drive stopped two inches from the end zone. It was Kentucky's first win over the Vols in 11 years. After the game, exhausted Kentucky Coach Fran Curci took off his shoes and did his weekly postgame radio show. As soon as he was off the air he learned his team had been invited to the Peach Bowl, its first chance to go bowling in 25 years.