The Week

"Before the game, I felt like a man hanging on a cliff with somebody stepping on my fingers," said Oklahoma State Coach Jimmy Johnson. The Cowboys kept their unbeaten streak alive, though—by winning the pregame coin toss for the sixth straight time. But then Nebraska stomped all over Johnson's fingers, winning 36-0. The Huskers, the mightiest offensive unit in the land with an average of 523.5 yards a game, passed and ran for 596 yards. Their defense, which has also done a job, yielded only 116 yards and ran its scoreless streak to 13 quarters. Kenny Brown became the first Nebraska wingback in modern times to rush for more than 100 yards, picking up 111 in the Big Eight matchup.

All of the many offensive sets tried by Oklahoma during the first half at Kansas State were unproductive. By the time intermission rolled around, the Sooners had rushed for a mere 89 yards and trailed 6-3. Then, as Oklahoma Quarterback J. C. Watts put it. "We went out and danced with the lady that brought us." That lady, otherwise known as the wishbone attack, enabled the Sooners to win 38-6, their runners rockin' and rollin' for 356 yards in the last two periods. Bruised rib cartilage restricted Billy Sims to 67 yards, but the slack was taken up by Watts (118 yards), second-string signal caller Kelly Phelps (112 yards in eight carries) and freshman Fullback Stanley Wilson (75 yards in nine cracks).

With Art Schlichter running for two touchdowns and passing for 150 yards and two more, Ohio State whipped Wisconsin for the 20th time in a row, 59-0. A herd of tailbacks, led by Cal Murray with 135 yards, gained 258 of the Buckeyes' 374 ground yards.

Michigan remained in a tie with Ohio State for the Big Ten lead, breaking open a scoreless game at Illinois with two third-period touchdowns. By the time the final gun sounded. Butch Woolfolk had scored three times and the Wolverines were 27-7 winners.

It seemed fitting that all three touchdowns during Purdue's rather prosaic 14-7 win at Michigan State were produced by players named Smith. Wayne Smith got the Boilermakers going when he scored on a 42-yard interception return. Jimmy Smith made it 14-0 with a one-yard plunge. And the Spartans avoided a shutout, scoring with 34 seconds left on a one-yard smash by Steve Smith.

Floyd of Rosedale, the 44-year-old, 15�-inch-high bronze pig that is the game trophy, stayed in Minnesota after the Gophers left Iowa wallowing, 24-7. Mark Carlson of Minnesota bull's-eyed 14 of 17 passes, six of them to Elmer Bailey for 158 yards and two touchdowns.

Not even a 24-0 Ball State lead could deter unbeaten Central Michigan. As Gary Hogeboom passed with precision, Marty Terry did much of the catching, Willie Todd scored on two short runs and Novo Bojovic booted a 20-yard field goal with eight seconds left, the Chippewas won 31-30.

1. NEBRASKA (6-0)
2. OKLAHOMA (5-1)
3. OHIO STATE (7-0).

SOUTH

For almost three quarters, Kentucky dominated LSU, leading 19-3 on the scoreboard and 316 yards to 104 in total offense. The Tigers, however, salvaged a 23-19 SEC win by scoring on three of their next four possessions.