The Week

South Carolina made a second-half spurt pay off against Ohio University, defeating the Bobcats 24-7. Ball State, which had not allowed a touchdown for 18 quarters and which had outscored five opponents by a margin of 119-17, had its 13-game winning streak broken by Louisiana Tech 17-7.

1. ALABAMA (5-1)
2. MARYLAND (6-0)
3. GEORGIA (4-1)

EAST

As unbeaten Navy prepared to play its first home game against Duke, Middie Coach George Welsh was not exactly the picture of confidence. "I figured they'd move the ball on us and score anyway," he said. The Navy defenders, who are ranked No. 1 in the nation, might now have some doubts about Welsh as a prognosticator. They limited the Blue Devils to eight first downs, forced six turnovers and allowed a measly 122 yards in a 31-8 rout. For their part, the Middie offense rang up 342 yards; its most notable performer was Bob Leszczynski, who completed 10 of 12 passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Phil McConkey. It was Navy's fifth win and its best start since 1960. The victory notwithstanding, Welsh remained apprehensive. "Until we have to come from behind," he said, "well, I have to wait."

Unbeatens Maryland and Holy Cross also survived a weekend in which eight of the 15 Division I unbeaten teams lost. Mike Smith kicked a 41-yard field goal on the Crusaders' first possession, and an 11-yard Pete Colombo-to-Smith touchdown pass off a fake field goal on their second possession led to a 31-0 romp over Army. Maryland trailed Syracuse 6-3 at the half, but scored on its first three possessions of the third quarter en route to a 24-9 triumph. Tailback Steve Atkins, who had fumbled twice and netted only 15 yards in 13 carries before the intermission, finished the day with 102 yards.

Cornell Tailback Joe Holland, son of Hall-of-Famer Brud Holland, carried the ball an Ivy League-record 55 times for 244 yards and scored all four Big Red TDs in a 25-20 upset of Harvard. The win put Cornell (3-0-1) into second place in the Ivy League, half a game behind Dartmouth, which upset Yale 10-3 when Jeff Dufresne blasted in from the one to cap a 17-play, 91-yard drive late in the third quarter.

Columbia, off to its best start (3-1) in 17 years, again executed its Muddle Huddle play in downing Princeton 14-10. A local television station wanted to tape the Muddle Huddle after the Lions used it three weeks ago in their upset of Harvard, but Coach Bill Campbell said no. His reticence is understandable. Following a touchdown that gave Columbia a 12-10 lead over the Tigers, Campbell called the Muddle Huddle on the conversion. In it, six linemen straggled toward the line of scrimmage, while PAT Holder Artie Pulsinelli began walking toward the officials as if to talk to them. But Pulsinelli was watching the Princeton defenders, and when he saw them relax and start milling about, he moved over the ball, which was on the right end of the suddenly materialized Lion line, and pitched it back to Joe Ciulla. Ciulla swept left and went over untouched for the two points.

Maine's Black Bears sprang an equally bizarre play at New Hampshire in their 7-7 tie with the Wildcats. Late in the first quarter, Maine lined up for a field goal from the 21-yard line. The snap went to Holder Tony Trafton, who, instead of placing the ball down, tossed it up in the air. Kicker Mike Hodgson then hit it with his fist, volleyball style, sending it skittering into the end zone. What sort of madness is this? Calculated madness, that's what, as Dave Higgins of Maine fell on the ball for six points. Legal? Apparently.

Boston University drumbeaters, wild over a 4-0 start this season, alluded to their team as the "Kardiac Kids" for its last-quarter heroics. Unimpressed, Massachusetts whipped the Terriers 31-7 to take over first place in the Yankee Conference.

1. PENN STATE (6-0)
2. NAVY (5-0)
3. PITTSBURGH (4-1)