The Big Ten

SEPT. 28 at S. Calif. (no game)
OCT. 5 Georgia (no game)
OCT. 12 Michigan State (0-9)
OCT. 19 Northwestern (34-20)
OCT. 26 at Minnesota (7-20)
NOV. 2 Iowa (17-14)
NOV. 9 at Illinois (17-7)
NOV. 16 Indiana (49-26)

NOV. 23 Ohio State (19-0)

MICHIGAN STATE
East Lansing, Mich.
[11]

COLORS: Green and white
BASIC OFFENSE: Multiple offense
1956 RECORD: Won 7, lost 2
LETTERMEN RETURNING: 28 of 40
WATCH FOR: Pile-driving Halfback Walt Kowalczyk

THE DOPE: The Spartans, with Minnesota, must be rated co-favorites for Rose Bowl duty. Basically, Michigan State will stick with its complex and generally successful multiple offense (which includes several varieties of the T, double wing, single wing and spread formations) although Coach Duffy Daugherty points out: "We'll make some changes, retaining the plays that have been successful, adding new ones and throwing out some we didn't gain with. On some plays we'll change the blocking to see if that will help." As for Spartan chances this fall, Daugherty says: "I think we'll have a pretty good team. We've got a good number of veterans returning, including some like Walt Kowalczyk, Dave Kaiser and Pat Burke, who were injured last year and didn't get a chance to play much." Dan Curry, a huge guard, may be MSU's first-string center. "We've got a real center in Don Berger," Duffy said, "but he has a knee injury and we don't know how much he'll be able to play for us. And we have a couple of good guards so we can afford to try Curry as a center." Only apparent weakness on the team is left halfback where Daugherty has but one experienced man returning. This is Blanche Martin, a 190-pound junior with speed. The rest of the backfield is three-deep in every position, and as Duffy says: "That isn't too bad."

1957 SCHEDULE (1956 score):

SEPT. 28 Indiana (53-6)
OCT. 5 at California (no game)
OCT. 12 at Michigan (9-0)
OCT. 19 Purdue (12-9)
OCT. 26 Illinois (13-20)
NOV. 2 at Wisconsin (33-0)
NOV. 9 Notre Dame (47-14)
NOV. 16 Minnesota (13-14)
NOV. 23 Kansas State (38-17)

MINNESOTA
Minneapolis
[11]

COLORS: Maroon and gold
BASIC OFFENSE: Split-T
1956 RECORD: Won 6, lost 1, tied 2
LETTERMEN RETURNING: 27 of 82
WATCH FOR: Quarterback Bobby Cox, outstanding ground-gainer, passer

THE DOPE: The Gophers lost only five lettermen through graduation and thus will have the most experienced squad in the conference. The line will be big and strong—but slow—with fair depth at all positions except guard. Principal weakness confronting Coach Murray Warmath is a lack of outstanding halfbacks. Billy Martin, a Chicago sophomore, is a good prospect and may break into the lineup early. It was a lack of halfbacks that slowed Minnesota last year and actually kept the Gophers from the Rose Bowl (they lost only one game, tied two). Bobby Cox at quarterback and Bob Blakley at fullback will be the strong points in the Gopher offense. Cox was the take-charge guy in Minnesota's 20-7 upset win over Michigan last year, carrying the ball 19 times for 83 yards and two touchdowns. He also was outstanding ground-gainer for the season with a net of 553 yards on 130 rushes; he completed 18 of 53 passes, three of them for touchdowns and led the team scoring with 36 points. Biggest stumbling block in the path of Minnesota's Big Ten championship aspirations appears to be Michigan State, and though a lot could happen to change the picture between now and Nov. 16 when the two teams meet, right now it looks as if that will be the date on which the Big Ten's Rose Bowl entry will be decided.