Playboy's Pigskin Preview

"In times of such turmoil," said a particularly unctuous politician during homecoming festivities at a major state university last fall, "when all kinds of undesirable elements are attacking our most hallowed traditions, it is nice to see at least one part of the American scene untouched by rabble-rousers and revolutionaries. Thank God for college football! There aren't any long-haired New Lefters or black militants on our football squad. Football players are disciplined. They know how to get along together."

The curious assumption--widely held among more stolid alumni--that college football players are uniformly well-scrubbed, short-haired, moral-rearmament types who couldn't care less about social justice was blown apart by a number of incidents on several football squads last fall, though athletic departments and sports editors tried valiantly to play it all down. It is foolish to assume that racial concerns (text continued on page 114) should not affect football squads; college athletes are also students and the wave of concern about racial inequity among students everywhere inevitably calls attention to the plight of Negro players on predominantly white squads. Resentment and near rebellion of black athletes--aimed more at athletic administrators and coaching staffs than at white athletes--destroyed squad morale at a few major universities last season and the result showed clearly on the scoreboard. Though some of the racial gripes may be imaginary, some are obviously real. One star Negro athlete from a football-factory school told us, "There aren't any soul brothers sitting on our bench. If a black player on our squad isn't good enough to make the first team, he doesn't have a scholarship for very long. Only white players can ride the bench and keep their scholarships."

This unfortunate situation results, of course, less from bias among coaches than from the tendency to recruit academically unqualified athletes in order to build a winning team. Since a large proportion of all Negroes are educationally deprived, it is no surprise that many black athletes struggle for classroom survival in an increasingly competitive academic climate. Thus, if they are anything short of superstars, they are easily bypassed at schools where coaches have a win-or-else contract.

So the social revolution has come to college football, and its effects are likely to be even more apparent this season than last. The only possible solution is for university administrations to lift some of the pressure to win, so that coaches everywhere can begin to look upon their players--white and black alike--more as human beings and students than as hired gladiators.

Also, the National Collegiate Athletic Association should more carefully police member institutions, so that fewer devious methods are used to keep an academically inept athlete in school or to dismiss an otherwise passable student who disappoints the football coach.

Another interesting development on the college gridiron scene, and one that is also likely to become increasingly influential in the immediate future, is the arrival of computer technology. The ranking of teams has, in the past, been delegated by the wire services to selected groups of sportswriters or coaches, who vote each week during the season for the top ten teams in the nation. This, of course, is a totally subjective method; the selectors' judgments are inevitably affected by regional prejudices and unequal information about the various teams.

A major breakthrough toward accurate rankings seems to have been made by a Chicago-based research agency that has programed a computer to compare teams by the one objective measuring stick--game scores. A complex mathematical procedure calculates score differences in an interrelated, weblike manner. For example, the final score of a game between Purdue and Illinois could have some effect (though a relatively small one) on the ranking of Stanford, even though Stanford plays neither of the teams. Also, as the season progresses, the games played earlier in the year have decreasing influence on the teams' rankings. Last year, we watched the weekly results of the computer's ruminations (it would take a mathematician five years to do all the computing of a single Saturday's scores) and we are convinced that the resultant rankings are far more realistic than the wire-service polls. At season's end, the computer's top ten teams were Notre Dame, Houston, Louisiana State, Southern California, Miami, Tennessee, Purdue, Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas at El Paso. The Associated Press poll, however, listed Southern California, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Indiana, Notre Dame, Wyoming, Oregon State, Alabama, Purdue and Penn State. Looking back over the season, we think we would rather have trusted the computer's judgment.

But a new season is upon us and the old locker-room arguments about who can beat whom are about to begin. We have some ideas of our own, based on bushels of scouting reports gleaned from practice fields all over the country. So here goes.

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There's something new this year in the East: Syracuse, for a change, isn't the big favorite. Gone is nearly all of last year's offense, including Larry Csonka, who carried most of coach Schwartzwalder's grinding ground game. Except for soph fullback Al Newton (a vicious blocker who could in time fog the fond remembrances of Csonka), the replacements are questionable. Ergo, the Orange mud-and-guts attack may falter and Schwartzwalder will be reduced to using the forward pass. Since big Ben's arsenal includes ends Tony Gabriel and John Massis, the finest receivers he's ever had in stock, he might even instruct his quarterbacks to heave passes beyond the line of scrimmage, thereby opening a new era in Syracuse football. The Orange defense, though, is something else again. Led by Playboy All-America cornerback Tony Kyasky and tackle Art Thoms, the defensive unit should be even more impregnable than last year, when they were among the toughest in the nation.

Another major reason for a less glorious Syracuse season is the fact that the opposition is much stronger. Penn State, for example. The Nittany Lions will be tougher than last year, thanks to the return of halfback Bob Campbell and of linebacker Mike Reid, who were supposed to be the big guns in '67 but were sidelined with injuries. Nearly everybody else returns, too, including Playboy All-America tight end Ted Kwalick, the best of his breed anywhere. Penn State, in brief, has returned to the glories of the Rip Engle era, and the only possible difficulty we can see for this season is finding a capable replacement for graduated quarterback Tom Sherman. If this is accomplished, the Nittanies may win 'em all.

Now we get to the really good news: Pittsburgh. Coach Dave Hart has done a monumental rebuilding job. Hart is a skilled coach, of course, but as a recruiter, he has no peer. Since taking over the Pittsburgh team after the 1965 season, Hart has spent more time in other people's living rooms than a vacuum-cleaner salesman. Pennsylvania's mountain ravines and steel towns are a football recruiter's Shangri-La, and Hart has picked them clean. The result is that most of the few seniors on the Pittsburgh squad this year will be carrying water buckets while younger men exact some retribution for the unseemly manner with which opponents have treated the Panthers in recent years. This year's sophomore crew is the most talented in school history; and if the youngsters can mature quickly, Pittsburgh will be the most dramatically improved team in the country. Among the new men to watch (continued on page 122) Pigskin Preview (continued from page 114) are Ralph Cindrich and Lloyd Weston, a fearsome pair of linebackers, and halfback Dennis Ferris. The Panthers are harboring secret dreams of being the Cinderella team of 1968 (à la Indiana last year). We think they just might.

Something new has happened at West Virginia, too. The Mountaineers have decided to abandon their poor relatives and move North to the big city to seek a better future. The break with the Southern Conference became official last spring. The move was well timed, because coach Jim Carlen is bringing West Virginia back to gridiron affluence. The '68 aggregation will almost resemble those dimly remembered winning teams of a decade ago.

Things are tough for the military these days. Both West Point and the Naval Academy are lean on manpower. Warm bodies are scarcest at Army, where both forward walls suffered heavy graduation casualties. The Cadets will have sufficient backfield talent--returnees from '67 being joined by nifty plebe halfback Billy Hunter. The problems at Annapolis are the reverse. Coach Bill Elias is scraping the larder looking for throwing and running types to replace departed John Cartwright and Terry Murray. Nevertheless, Elias, ever the optimist, flatly predicts the Navy attack will be even better this year than last. He makes the same promise about the defense, a disastrous disappointment in '67. But a glance at the Middie schedule dampens hopes for a winning season.

Since Doc Urich, Ara Parseghian's longtime assistant, took the helm at Buffalo three years ago, he has brought the Bulls a long way. This year's squad should be the strongest in school history, and the Bulls could wind up in a Bowl game at season's end. Holy Cross will be stronger, too, if the Crusaders can find a few good new linemen to go with a veteran back-field. New blood on the Colgate coaching staff augurs a better future. On paper, the 1967 team promised to be a good one, but the offense suffered from arthritis and the team won only two games. This year, fledgling coach Neil Wheelwright will open up the attack to take advantage of quarterback Ron Burton's multiple skills. This will take the pressure off an already excellent defense, so the Raiders should be a much better football team.

Rutgers will make further progress on the road back to gridiron excellence, a destination hopefully to be reached by next year, when the Scarlet Knights will celebrate the 100th anniversary of college football, a game that they invented (with the cooperation of Princeton) back in 1869. With a little more beef up front and fewer injuries, Rutgers could arrive a year ahead of schedule. Bruce Van Ness presumably won't have to play with his arm in a sling again this year and, if he stays healthy, he could turn out to be the East's outstanding quarterback.

If the Boston University team can forget last year's embarrassment (they won only three games after pre-season prognosticators had named them the most improved squad in New England), they may recoup some lost glory this year. Last season's defensive platoon was superb, but the offense suffered a season-long attack of acute ineptitude. The defenders, led by gritty linebacker Pat Hughes, will again be tough and, if the offense can figure out how to move the ball (finding a good quarterback would help), the Terriers will improve.

With the arrival of new coach Joe Yukica, things should be looking up at Boston College, too. He's inherited a capable squad, and if he can plug some holes in the offensive line, BC fans should be treated to a more potent attack. Biggest new gun in the Eagle camp will be halfback Fred Willis.

Villanova suffered an unusually severe impoverishment via graduation, so coach Jack Gregory faces what is politely called a "rebuilding year." Yet, new fullback Mickey Kerins should give the Wildcats the running attack that was so obviously missing a year ago. If a bright group of sophs comes through, Villanova won't play dead for anyone.

Assuming that Eli quarterback Brian Dowling will still be on his Frank Merri-well kick, Yale should again dominate the Ivy League. But don't bet any money on it; things rarely turn out the way they're supposed to on the cerebral circuit. The Yalies won't have quite the depth nor the emotional incentive of last year, and game-winning feats of heroism in the waning moments might not be so frequent. Although '67's major rivals, Dartmouth and Harvard, will be significantly weaker this season, Princeton and Cornell should give Yale a rough fight for loop honors. Cornell was much better than its six wins would indicate, and if coach Musick can find a suitably glue-fingered replacement for departed receiver Bill Murphy, the Big Red will be ready. Quarterback Bill Robertson returns, so supersoph slinger Dick Furbush may debut as a halfback.

Princeton won't be far behind. In fact, the Tigers' incredible rash of injuries last season made them look a good deal tamer than they really were. Therefore, if everyone stays healthy, the Tigers could grind everybody under with their ancient but still menacing single-wing attack.

The Dartmouth squad will be relatively green, and that's no joke, son. Two outstanding quarterbacks, Bill Koenig and soph Jim Chasey, should keep the Indians' multiple offense interesting; but unless the new men grow up in a hurry, this will have to be listed as a rebuilding year in Hanover. A similar--but even more acute--situation is extant in Cambridge: 41 scholars were lettered in football at Harvard last fall and 27 have since fled with diploma in hand. Among them are the aerial tandem of Carter Lord and Ric Zimmerman, leaving no experienced quarterback candidates and a dearth of good receivers. Flashy halfback Vic Gatto returns, but he may not have many blockers in front of him. Pennsylvania will be tougher, but the schedule probably won't allow any improvement on last year's won-lost record. In a moment of direst need last season, the Quakers discovered a bright new quarterback in Bernie Zbrzeznj (pronounced Zbrz-e'-znj), who came off the bench to score two touchdowns and throw for a third against Ivy champion Yale. With the help of new thrower Pancho Micir, he could help Penn become the surprise team of the league in '68. Prospects are still bleak at Brown. Last year's problems (lack of speed, size and a healthy quarterback) have been aggravated by graduation. Finding replacements for 14 starters will be difficult, so Bear fans will have to wait at least another year for a winning season.

Temple should again dominate the Middle Atlantic Conference. The Owls are even sharper than last year, when they won their first Conference championship. Hofstra lost too much talent to challenge Temple, though an easier schedule should give them another winning season. Delaware, the one-time power of the league, will partly recover from last year's dismal showing but the squad is still too young for a shot at the title. Both Bucknell and Gettysburg are more formidable and either could take the Conference championship from Temple. Gettysburg has its top soph crop in years and a favorable schedule will probably allow the Bullets to win more games than any other team in the loop, though Temple will probably still win more Conference games and, thus, the championship. Bucknell's rugged non-Conference schedule, on the other hand, could result in the Bisons' having a poorer won-lost record than some of their weaker M. A. C. foes. Bucknell soph Tarras Onischenko could become a brilliant defensive tackle. Lehigh will also be improved, partly because of the presence (continued on page 196) Pigskin Preview (continued from page 122)of new runners Jack Paget and Paul Harrington.

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Midwestern sportswriters sometimes grumble about Notre Dame's persistent policy of not accepting Bowl bids. But every game is the battle of Armageddon--a victory over the Irish could even make a success of an otherwise winless season. This situation is further complicated by the fact that many Irish fans look upon even an occasional defeat as an affront to their dignity and a violation of their rights. In the South Bend scale of values, therefore, this may be a dismal season--the White Knights of the Greensward will probably lose a couple of games.

But it should certainly be an exciting fall. In fact, season records for scoring--for and against the Irish--will probably be set. In short, the offense will be brilliant but the defenders will be considerably less ferocious than last year. Backing up Playboy All-America quarterback Terry Hanratty are four other slingers who could be first-stringers if given the slightest opportunity. There is also a surplus of good receivers and big, fast running backs. To top it all off, the front line, led by Playboy All-America tackle George Kunz, is beefy and experienced. The fate of the Irish defensive corps, however, depends on how well some promising sophs come through, especially in the secondary. Tackle Tony Capers and defensive back Ernie Jackson are the most welcome newcomers. Though it will probably be easier to score on Notre Dame this year, the brutal offense may carry the Irish unscathed through the season, even though every opponent on the schedule will be tougher this year than last.

Notre Dame could meet defeat in its second game, against perennial opponent Purdue. The Boilermakers, if you can believe it, look better this year than last. Returning for this year's festivities are three All-Conference backs, including Playboy All-America halfback Leroy Keyes. (Listing Keyes as merely a halfback is actually an injustice; he is not only the best runner in college football but also the best defensive back in the nation, possibly the best receiver in the country, the best punter and kickoff specialist in the Big Ten and he can heave a pass better than most college quarterbacks.) Of equal moment is the fact that a covey of top receivers returns to complement passer Mike Phipps, who is probably the leading junior quarterback in the nation. Most of the Boilermakers' graduation losses were linemen; but by fortunate coincidence, the sophomore contingent is loaded. So if the Boilermakers don't become too complacent from reading their press clippings (a weakness common among teams with high preseason ratings), it could be a big year in Lafayette. Our confidence in the over-all excellence of Keyes and Company leads us to tab them the number-one team in the country.

Purdue's strength is symbolic of a new revival of power in the Big Ten this season. For the past four or five years, the hoary legend of the Big Ten's over-all supremacy in college football has been badly shaken. In fact, it has been thoroughly disproved. Pedagogical prophets and sports-page whiners alike have predicted that the Big Ten would go the way of the Ivy League: Gridiron power would be sacrificed on the altar of academic excellence, and second-rate but traditionladen teams would play "entertaining" ball in ivy-covered stadiums. But this isn't about to happen. The abandonment of one insupportable preconception doesn't necessitate the adoption of another.

In fact, the Big Ten this season should be stronger overall than in any year in recent history. Some teams, such as Northwestern and Illinois, will be considerably better than a year ago, but the improved opposition will probably preclude any progress in the won-lost column. The most dramatically improved team in the Big Ten will probably be Ohio State. Woody Hayes has been stockpiling talent through three relatively lean years and his efforts have paid off. Woody doesn't take defeats easily; he has a long list of scores to settle and this is the year of revenge on the Buckeye calendar. Not only are the Buckeyes big, deep and experienced but Woody has armed himself with his favorite weapon--a whole collection of bellicose fullbacks. Jim Otis and Paul Huff return, and soph John Brockington may be good enough to displace both of them. Also, new quarterback Rex Kern could play ahead of veteran Bill Long. So look for Woody's new wrinkle for '68--seven yards and a cloud of dust.

One thing in Ohio State's favor is that Minnesota is missing from the schedule. Coach Murray Warmath always seems to build a better team from the available athletes than anyone thinks possible. This year, happily, Murray has a surfeit of choice pupils in camp. The Minnesota defense, led by Playboy All-America end Bob Stein, will be as rugged as always, and the offense should be considerably more explosive than in '67. Jim Carter and soph Barry Mayer could be the best fullback tandem in the nation. The Minnesota-Purdue game should decide who goes to the Rose Bowl.

What can we say about Indiana that hasn't already been said? Seldom has a team captured the imagination of a whole nation the way the Hoosiers did last fall. Indiana hadn't had a really good season in ages, yet there they were pulling game after game out of the fire with breakneck heroics. Even our friend Bishop James A. Pike wore a lapel button that proclaimed, God is alive and Playing halfback at Indiana. Whatever his true identity, John Isenbarger returns, as do his classy classmates Harry Gonso and Jade Butcher. Incredibly, there are so many speedsters on the soph squad that any of these worthies could lose his starting berth by season's end. There are also a number of new quality linemen to replace graduation losses. In short, the Hoosiers should be an even more powerful crew this year than last. Trouble is, however, opponents have at last become true believers, and Indiana simply can't expect to bushwhack any unsuspecting teams this year. This fact, together with a tougher schedule, will probably mean that the Hoosiers will win fewer games with a better team. But one thing is for sure: Johnny Pont has led them out of the wilderness and they are here to stay for a while.

Duffy Daugherty has established a pleasant tradition at Michigan State--a bad season is always followed by an excellent one. If he turns the trick this year, Duffy will really be a miracle worker. Last year's major problem, ineffective player leadership (translation: morale problems), is again a factor. Also, last season's crippling rash of injuries continued in spring practice. If the halt and lame recover and if some of the fine newcomers take over quickly, Michigan State could have a good year. But we doubt that the Spartans can survive the ordeal of playing Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Indiana and Purdue consecutively.

For two years now, Iowa partisans have insisted that despite Iowa's dismal won-lost records, Ed Podolak is the finest quarterback in the Big Ten. The Iowa squad is at last deep enough and skilled enough to give Podolak some support; but, incongruously, he may not have a chance to take advantage of it. Reason: Junior Mike Cilek and supersophs Larry Lawrence and Roy Bash look even sharper than Podolak to some observers. The Hawkeyes will be better in all phases of the game, especially in defense, which was last season's Achilles' heel.

If the Illinois team can at last adjust to Jim Valek's coaching tactics and if quarterback Bob Naponic can stay healthy, some of last year's disappointment can be assuaged. The squad is still thin--by past Illinois standards--and a bit of player dissension has taken its toll on morale. Yet, the one thing that did most to scuttle Illini hopes last season--injuries--probably won't recur with such devastation. With fullback Rich Johnson and speedy Dave Jackson and Bill Huston rejoining Naponic in the backfield, the Illinois offense could be explosive.

Wisconsin, we are happy to report, is convalescing nicely. Last season's indisposition (no wins) was caused primarily by a lack of reserves. A large transfusion of new talent has arrived and the young and inexperienced Badgers should improve as the season progresses.

We confidently predict that Northwestern will be the number-one team in the nation this fall--if they win their first five games (Miami, Southern Cal, Purdue, Notre Dame and Ohio State). Such a schedule would intimidate a lesser man than Alex Agase. But in football, Alex has the instinctive belligerence of a water buffalo and his teams make up in pugnaciousness whatever they may lack in ability. The Wildcats will actually be deeper and abler this fall than in any year since Alex took over at Evanston, but a game-breaking offense is missing. Sheer guts can accomplish a lot on the football field, however, so the Wildcats should come out of the season with a couple of big scalps to go along with the scars.

It looks like slim pickings at Michigan this fall. The Wolverines have a topflight veteran backfield, but depth at all positions is a very serious problem. If some receivers can be found to catch quarterback Dennis Brown's passes, and if most of the first-stringers avoid injury, Michigan could be stronger than we suspect. Ron Johnson is a fantastic runner, and on a more notable team, he would be a certain All-American.

Last year's Mid-American Conference cochampions could again share the title. Toledo should do a replay of last year, when the Rockets enjoyed their best season ever. Ohio University looks even more formidable, with all of '67's best players returning. Both Bowling Green and Miami have a chance to usurp Conference honors. Both squads are experienced and will field tenacious defenses. Miami's bulwarks will be manned by Playboy All-America Bob Babich, who is tabbed by pro scouts as the roughest linebacker in the country. Kent State begins a rebuilding job with new coach Dave Puddington, who has installed a razzle-dazzle offense called the shooting I.

In cotton country, this should be the year of the alligator. In his eight years at Florida, coach Ray Graves has never allowed his Gators to finish very far from the top and the current team is the best group of athletes he has fielded yet. In fact, with the possible exception of the kicking game, the Florida squad has no apparent weaknesses. Playboy All-America fullback Larry Smith leads the most exciting backfield in the South and Playboy All-America guard Guy Dennis anchors an agile offensive line. To go with all this offensive muscle, the Gators have the most rugged defensive unit in recent years. David Mann, says Graves, is the best college linebacker he has ever coached. With a bit of luck, Florida could finish the season undefeated.

The situation at Tennessee is the reverse of a year ago: The Vols will have a veteran defense to go with an inexperienced offense. Graduation nearly obliterated the attack unit. However, the few survivors are blue chippers and the replacements are nearly the equal of their predecessors. Playboy All-America guard Charles Rosenfelder leads an offensive line that might outhit last year's superb crew. Soph center Chip Kell will probably dim fond memories of departed Bob Johnson. The backfield, despite losses, will be deadly, as passer Bubba Wyche and runner Mike Jones step into starting roles.

Alabama won eight games last year because a great quarterback carried a relatively ordinary squad to victories they couldn't otherwise have won. But Ken Stabler is gone and no one comparable is available to replace him. The Alabama squad as a whole should be sounder in '68, and Tommy Wade could turn out to be a spectacular runner. But unless the Bear can dig up another passer, we won't see an Alabama powerhouse.

Georgia and LSU will have replacement problems at quarterback, too. Prospects at Georgia are bright, however, because strong-armed sophomore Mike Cavan will probably be running the show by midseason. If coach Vince Dooley can scrounge some offensive linemen to block for runner Kent Lawrence, the Bulldogs could challenge Florida and Tennessee. The Georgia defense, led by Playboy All-America tackle Bill Stanfill, will probably be the stingiest in the South.

The LSU coaching staff is looking for someone who can approximate quarterback Nelson Stokley's superhero performance during his senior year, when he managed to stay healthy the whole season. Unless someone can be found to ignite the offense as Stokley did, the Tigers can't expect to be as potent. The running game will be good, though, and if the youngsters on the defensive unit survive the opening game with Texas A&M without too many traumatic experiences, the LSU defense will be as vicious as ever.

Auburn will again upset some higher-rated teams if its young linemen mature quickly. The running game, last year's weakness, has shaped up and quarterback Loran Carter ranks with the great college passers.

Mississippi is our nomination for Southeastern Conference dark horse. Although the Rebs suffered severe graduation losses, the replacements are first-rate. The best group of yearlings in eons features a brilliant young passer, Archie Manning. As many as ten sophomores will be starters and growing pains will be evident; but by midseason the Rebs should have their best offensive unit in several seasons. Consistent passing, long missing in Oxford, should make the big difference. The Rebels will finish strong.

Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Mississippi State are still fighting the rebuilding battle. Most progress seems to be in Nashville, where athletic director Jess Neely is pumping fresh life into the Vanderbilt athletic program. Some progress will be evident this year. A gung-ho recruiting campaign is under way, so look for a major revival of power in the next few years.

Dicky Lyons was virtually a one-man team at Kentucky last year, and he may have to repeat the performance this season if newcomers Stan Forston at quarterback and Raynard Makin at fullback don't measure up to advance billings. The Wildcat squad will be sturdier and injuries probably won't be as devastating this year as last, but the schedule is so horrendous that a break-even season would be a minor miracle.

Quarterback Tommy Pharr and a now-healthy Andy Rhoades will give Mississippi State the offense that was so evidently missing in '67, but depth is still a problem. Yet, things are looking up in Starkville. The schedule has been eased a bit and more top-flight players are available than in recent years.

Clemson will again be the favorite to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title, though the non-Conference schedule may prevent the Tigers from having the best won-lost record. Buddy Gore could be an All-American, if coach Frank Howard can patch up a depleted offensive line to provide some blocking. The Tiger defense should be the best in school history, so no one is going to run up a high score on them.

Only 5 of 22 starters return from North Carolina State's Liberty Bowl team, so the Wolfpack can't hope to do it again. There is a good supply of flashy offensive backs, however, and with field-goal specialist Gerald Warren, the Wolf-pack will still have good scoring potential. If the young linemen come through, this year could be a repeat of last.

Most improved team in the A. C. C. should be Virginia. A souped-up passing game will take some of the pressure off tailback Frank Quayle, who is one of the best runners anywhere. The Cavalier defense will again be solid. If the opening game with Purdue doesn't prove to be too ghastly an experience, Virginia could have its winningest season in years.

Coach Paul Dietzel's campaign to revive South Carolina gridiron fortunes will show a little progress this year. The Gamecocks will depend on an untested soph quarterback, Tommy Suggs. The running game should be explosive, however, because Benny Galloway returns and Warren Muir could develop into the most crunching fullback.

The bench is the problem at Wake Forest, though the Deacons have come a long way in the past few seasons. The defense seems to have been shored up and the offense should still be hot. Non-Conference games against the likes of Purdue, Minnesota and Florida State could keep the Deacons from looking as good as they are. If some junior college transfers come through, Wake Forest could be the upset team of the league.

It's going to be another lean year at North Carolina, Duke and Maryland. The North Carolina squad will still be young, slow and small, though they will have the benefit of a year's experience under coach Bill Dooley. There is a good backfield and supersoph Tony Blanchard (Doc's son) will add size and speed to the offensive line. The good news at Maryland is that quarterback Al Pastrana is healthy and will return. Several outstanding sophs are on hand. The Terps should do much to erase memories of last season's winless campaign. Duke has the potential to field the best passing attack in the Conference, but not much else to go with it.

East Carolina, with its gutsy single-wing offense, will continue to dominate the Southern Conference. An outstanding tailback could lead the Pirates to an undefeated season. The Citadel will be the most improved team in the Conference. Pro scouts insist that linebacker John Small could be the best in the land by the time he graduates.

If the University of Florida isn't the number-one team in the South this season, there is a good chance that Florida State will be. Word from Tallahassee is that the defense may be the best ever fielded at State. The offense features two blue-chip quarterbacks, Bill Cappleman and Gary Pajcic, who will throw to a whole covey of sure-handed receivers, best of whom is Playboy All-America flanker Ron Sellers. Some adequate running backs to take the pressure off the passers could produce a victory in the September 28th game with archrival Florida--and lead to a major Bowl at season's end.

Defense, as usual, will be Miami's asset, thanks largely to the presence of Playboy All-America defensive end Ted Hendricks. Offensive problems are unchanged: lack of an effective passer and a thin offensive line. If quarterback David Teal realizes his potential and if runner Vincent Opalsky gets some blocking, the Hurricanes could be as potent as last year, although the punishing schedule may be too much for them.

Georgia Tech is on its way back to respectability, but this year's squad will be too young to make a complete comeback. It is unlikely that last year's unbelievable rash of injuries will be repeated, so the Yellow Jackets should gain poise as the season progresses.

Coach Jim Pittman enters his third year of a rebuilding program at Tulane, with more quality athletes available than in recent seasons. But the Green Wave is still two years away.

The Big Eight could very well be the strongest Conference in the country this year. At least six of the eight are capable of winding up in the nation's top 20 teams. With a round-robin schedule, however, somebody is going to get eliminated, and there is a good possibility that the combatants will take turns knocking one another out of the national rankings.

When the debris clears, though, the winner should be Nebraska. One year out of the Conference throne room is enough for the Huskers. The offense, led by fullback Dick Davis and super quarterback Frank Patrick, returns almost intact, and the defense will be as unmovable as ever.

There are probably more great quarterbacks in the Big Eight this year than any Conference has ever had in a single season. Best of the lot is Kansas slinger Bobby Douglass, whom pro scouts tab as the prospect in college ball. Douglass will be surrounded by virtually the same team that was the surprise of the Conference in '67.

Missouri could upstage Nebraska. New quarterback Terry McMillan and behemoth rookie fullback James Harrison give the Tigers a sorely needed offensive punch to go with a defense that was second best in the nation last season. Coach Dan Devine almost always fields more power than opponents expect him to, and we have a hunch that this year will be no exception.

Despite a good supply of returning talent, it will be hard for Oklahoma to repeat last year's success. Starting off with Notre Dame doesn't help. The Sooners, still fast and elusive, will move the ball well, but size and reserves are inadequate for the harrowing schedule. Luck and injuries will determine Oklahoma's fortunes this season.

Colorado's entry into the Big Eight quarterback derby is Bob Anderson, who will probably be 90 percent of the Buffalo offense this year. Graduation cleaned out the offensive line except for Playboy All-America tackle Mike Montler. Unless the Buffs can find some help for Montler, passer Anderson won't have much time to throw to fine receivers Monte Huber and Mike Pruett. The Colorado squad is deep, however, so with a little luck, this season could be another winning one.

Both Kansas State and Oklahoma State will be stronger, but that also applies to nearly every team on their schedules, so fans probably won't notice much difference. Kansas State's offense will be dramatically improved. Tailback Russell Harrison could be the top sophomore back in the nation and junior college transfer Mack Herron was the leading J. C. runner in the country last year. If coach Vince Gibson can get some blockers (a woeful weakness last year) in front of these sprinters, Kansas State could be this year's big surprise in the plains country. Iowa State begins rebuilding under new coach John Majors. Bodies are scarce in Ames, so Cyclone fans will have to wait for a winning team.

The last few years have been lean ones in cow country. The three winningest teams in the Southwest Conference in '67, for example, each had 6-4 records. But this should be a revival season. The juggernauts appear to be Texas and Texas A&M, so the Conference honors should be decided when these aggregations tangle in the final game of the season on Thanksgiving Day. If we had to choose a winner right now, our nod would go to A&M. Coach Gene Stallings has assembled a trim and gutsy group of infighters at College Station. A blitzkrieg offense built around superb slinger Edd Hargett combines with a hell-for-leather defense that wreaks mayhem upon opponents. The defensive ringleader is Playboy All-America linebacker Bill Hobbs. On offense, watch the fleet Larry Stegent. In fact, A&M has everything to be allvictorious except enough reserve to cope with more than a few injuries. So if the Aggies stay healthy, they will be among the land's leading teams.

Coach Darrell Royal has at last completed his long and arduous reconstruction project at Texas. Result: The Longhorns should resemble the Texas war machines of the early Sixties. Backfield aces Chris Gilbert, Bill Bradley and Ted Koy return along with a crop of prime yearlings who might displace some of the veterans. Most notable is gangbusting fullback Steve Worster, who will probably be a Texas hero his first year. If the Long-horns can shake the injury bug that has pestered them the past two seasons, they will be a full match for Texas A&M.

Arkansas should be the chart climber in the Southwest Conference. The rebuilding project at Fayetteville was apparently a short and efficient one, because this squad looks nearly as good as any coach Frank Broyles has fielded. The arrival of heralded sophomore quarterback Bill Montgomery will give the Porkers needed offensive stability. To take advantage of Montgomery's talents, Broyles is switching to a pro-type offénse.

Texas Christian's success this season depends heavily upon finding an effective quarterback--a problem that has plagued the Frogs for several seasons. Coach Fred Taylor has a fabulous stable of runners and the defensive line could be nearly impregnable. Regardless of the quarterback problem, TCU will be tougher, but so will the opposition, so it will be difficult for the Frogs to do better than break even.

If quarterback Robby Shelton fully recovers from last season's injuries, Rice could be a surprise team. Shelton has a prime group of receivers and the Owls have had a full year to adjust to Bo Hagan's coaching style.

Baylor is ready, but a devastating schedule could defeat any chance of a decent won-lost record. The Bears at last have quality at quarterback, the offensive line could be the best in years and the Bear defense will be solid. Yet, if Baylor finishes even, coach John Bridgers will be a genius. It looks like another skimpy year at SMU. Phenomenal Jerry Levias returns at split end, but Mike Livingston, the other half of last year's great passing combo, has graduated. If new passer Chuck Hixson can get the ball to Levias often enough, the Mustangs will again pull off a couple of startling upsets. But the SMU squad will be too young and too small to compete with most opponents.

North Texas State will be the power of the Missouri Valley Conference. The Eagles still have the sizzling threat of passer Steve Ramsey and flanker Ronnie Shanklin. The defense is anchored by Playboy All-America tackle Joe Greene, whose lethal presence has given the North Texas defensive unit a new name--the Mean Green.

Graduation losses cut heavily into the Memphis State offense, though the defense--always coach Billy Murphy's stock in trade--will remain one of the most impenetrable anywhere. Tailback Nick Pap-pas, a blazer, could help give the Tigers an awesome running game. Tulsa will field the usual aerial circus, this time with help from highly touted soph slinger Johnny Dobbs (the coach's son), who looks so good that last year's quarter-back Mike Stripling could be moved to flanker. Protecting the passers with green linemen will be difficult, though, and finding replacements for a few tons of graduated defensive beef is a knotty problem.

Both Wichita State and Cincinnati should move up, thanks to an abundance of new talent. Both teams should come on strong by the end of the season.

It's difficult to believe that Houston could be more impressive than last year, but that seems to be the case. There won't be as much dazzling backfield speed, with Warren McVea missing. But McVea's replacement, Carlos Bell, is a better blocker and a much more powerful runner. He and fullback Paul Gipson may be the most crushing running twosome in the country. The Cougars' defensive quickness and agility is amazing. If the Houston schedule were arranged a little differently, the Cougars would probably go undefeated this year. With a little luck, they might do it anyway.

•••

Demosthenes Konstandies Andrecopolous, known to the general public as Dee Andros and to worshipful Oregon State fans as The Great Pumpkin, is perhaps the most charismatic football coach since Knute Rockne. An Oklahoma country boy with a Southwestern drawl and a perpetual sense of humor, Andros has a curious combination of paternal warmth and flinty hardness that elicits almost fanatic devotion from his players. These same qualities give him that most valuable of all coaching skills--recruiting expertise. At Oregon State, Andros is approaching the culmination of one of the most remarkable revitalizations in modern football annals. When he took over in 1965, the Beaver football program was in a state of torpor. In 1966, with only mediocre material, Andros just barely missed taking his team to the Rose Bowl. Last year, the two most stunning upsets were both engineered by Andros' scrappy Beavers over the number-one and number-two teams in the nation, Southern Cal and Purdue. The season also included, however, a mass attack of acute infectious ineptitude on the afternoon of the Brig-ham Young game, which illustrates the risk an emotionally mercurial team must bear.

The result of this astonishing season is that Andros' Beavers are known far and wide as the Giant Killers. But there is a lead lining to the silver cloud: All ambitious combatants want to kill a giant killer, so Oregon State is now the subject of myriad darkly laid game plans. But, as Dee Andros himself points out, the mark of a truly great team is not just that it can occasionally upset a much stronger opponent but that it can continue to win even when it has been tagged as the team to beat.

Any team that hopes to upend Oregon State this year will have a bloody battle on its hands. Only five of last season's 22 starters have graduated and the incoming sophs are so good that Andros thinks several of last year's starters will ride the bench much of this season. Playboy All-America players John Didion at center and Jon Sandstrom at middle guard anchor lines that are big and aggressive. Quarter-back Steve Preece, who is generally underrated by opponents--usually to their regret--is one of those enigmatic college quarterbacks who don't seem to do anything with exceptional skill except win ball games. Therefore, if The Great Pumpkin can maintain his squad's psychological impetus through another season, Oregon State should lead the West, with a good shot at the national championship. For his momentous accomplishments of the recent past as well as the bright prognosis for his immediate future, we tab Dee Andros our Coach of the Year.

Many readers will be surprised that we haven't selected Southern Cal as the giant of the West. After all, O. J. Simpson returns for his senior year. But one halfback, even of O. J.'s caliber, doesn't make a football team. In all the glare of residual glory from last year's national championship team, some fans may forget that now missing is a large contingent of players who were less publicized but equally invaluable. What team can lose five players who were first-round pro-draft choices and still thrive? Seven starters from the defensive crew are missing. On the brighter side of the picture is the fact that coach John McKay had better athletes sitting on his bench last year than most of his opponents could put on the field. A good example of this is junior quarterback Mike Holmgren, who should become the best passer on the West Coast. Yet, new men--no matter how talented--are unproven and less experienced. By the end of the season, the Trojans could be on the march, but the going will be precarious in early season. The first game, against Minnesota in Minneapolis, will tell the story.

Tommy Prothro has worked a few gridiron miracles in the course of his career, but overcoming UCLA's graduation losses this year would seem to be a task beyond the powers of even a coach of Prothro's guile. Gone are Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Gary Beban and seven other offensive starters. The defense will be as good this year and the running game--with Greg Jones, Rick Purdy and prize newcomer Mickey Cureton--will be better than ever. But there isn't anyone around who can throw the bomb like Beban, and the blockers will at best be unproved.

California may be the team to watch on the West Coast. Coach Ray Willsey seems to have completed his reconstruction project at Berkeley. The Bears will be experienced for a change and an influx of quality J. C. transfers will provide the horses. Quarterback Randy Humphries has developed into a dandy, and soph running sensation Bob Darby will help juice up the offense. We have a strong hunch that the planetary influences are at an apex in Berkeley this fall, so we hereby nominate California as our out-on-a-limb pick of the year.

Stanford is another illustration of the fact that West Coast football is stronger than ever. The Indians, in fact, resemble California in their unaccustomed experience and depth. Gene Washington is one of the nation's surest receivers and Jim Plunkett is a diamond-in-the-rough quarterback who could well gain enough polish this season to make Stanford a contender for Conference honors. Look for the Indians to field a new, wide-open attack.

Washington has been for several years --and remains--an enigma. The Huskies either begin their season sloppily and then end up like Gang Busters or the other way around, as they did last year. If coach Jim Owens ever finds the proper ingredients for a consistent season, the Huskies could regain some of their past glory. The running will be bruising--though still rather slow--and the passing game could be the big surprise of '68, thanks to the sudden emergence of senior quarterback Jerry Kaloper. Injured his entire career, Kaloper may be the late bloomer who will lead the Huskies through a successful campaign.

Oregon should be tremendously improved. The Ducks will be bigger, wiser and as fast as ever. The offense should be excellent, if passer Tom Blanchard recovers from a knee operation. New split end Bob Newland is destined for stardom. The defense, led by middle guard George Dames, will be beefier and hopefully less porous.

A new coach, Jim Sweeny, has taken up the laborious task of resuscitating Washington State's football fortunes. Not much progress can be expected this season, because Sweeny doesn't have much material to work with.

Two new members--Texas at El Paso and Colorado State--have joined the Western Conference. Unless Arizona State can stop them, the El Pasoans will dominate the loop their first time out. Despite the loss of Billy Stevens, passing will remain the Miners' strong suit and the ground game should be more muscular. The UTEP team has received much less recognition in other parts of the country than they rightly deserve, but that situation was partly rectified in '67, when they knocked off Ole Miss in the Sun Bowl. Look for the Miners to repeat last season's performance and to wind up in the nation's top 20.

Arizona State is no pushover, either. In fact, Oregon State coach Dee Andros looks upon the game with the Sun Devils as potentially the most dangerous encounter of his season. Very little has been lost and the squad is so loaded with quality veterans that senioritis is the major threat to an all-winning season.

Wyoming lost the entire starting backfield from last year's all-victorious squad, plus most of the defensive crew and the nation's deadliest kicker. New thrower Ed Synakowski looks good enough and the defense will still give the enemy fits, but this will be a slightly off season in the high country.

Arizona's team will be more adept in every phase of the game and, indeed, could turn out to be the dark horse of the Conference. Both Utah and New Mexico have new coaches. With more material on hand, Bill Meek at Utah will probably win more in his freshman season than Rudy Feldman will at New Mexico. Colorado State's losses via graduation will dampen its inaugural season in the Western Conference.

New Mexico State and Idaho also have new coaches. Las Cruces fans will see an unusual sight this season, because Jim Wood will field a good defense, while the offense, with four sophs in the starting backfield, will be less than spectacular. With a little luck, Y C (no periods) McNease could field the top Independent team in the West his first season at Idaho. Due to the arrival of talented new quarterback Steve Olson, the Vandals will throw the ball 75 percent of the time. Pacific has received such a massive boost in the form of junior college transfers that anything could happen, depending on how well all this material can be put together.

As we said earlier, it's a bad year for the spit-and-polish boys. The Air Force Academy seems destined for another victory drought. Coach Ben Martin has only a handful of lettermen returning; thus the Falcons will face a frightful schedule with a small and ingenuous crew. The offense will be revved up, so the fly-boys should at least get on the scoreboard more often this season.

Since only the improbable is certain in college football, there will no doubt be the usual number of surprises this season. Somewhere an unheralded new superstar will emerge from oblivion to become a household name. A supposedly mediocre team will surprise everyone and wind up among the top ten. So let the revels begin; it should be fun and games.

Top Twenty Teams

1. Purdue 9-1

2. Oregon State 9-1

3. Florida 9-1

4. Texas A&M 8-2

5. Notre Dame 8-2

6. Ohio State 8-1

7. Southern California 8-2

8. Houston 8-2

9. Nebraska 8-2

11. Penn State 9-1

12. Florida State 8-2

13. Tennessee 8-2

14. Minnesota 8-2

15. Georgia 7-3

16. Kansas 7-3

17. Alabama 7-3

18. Texas at El Paso 8-2

19. Missouri 7-3

20. Louisiana State 7-3

Possible Breakthroughs: Arizona State (8-2); Indiana (7-3); ULCA (6-4); Miami, Florida (6-4); Oklahoma (6-4); Clemson (6-4).

The All-America Squad

(Any one of whom has a good chance of making someone's All-America team)

Ends: Jim Seymour (Notre Dame), Jerry Levias (SMU), Volly Murphy (Texas at El Paso), Al Brenner (Michigan St.), John Sias (Georgia Tech), Jim Yarbrough (Florida), Gary Arthur (Miami of Ohio), Mark Capuano (North Carolina St.), John Zook (Kansas), Mike Ford(Alabama)

Tackles: Dave Foley (Ohio St.), Leland Winsfon (Rice), Ezell Jones (Minnesota), Jack Fenwick (Florida St.), Ron Carpenter (North Carolina St.), Phil Olsen (Utah St.), Mike McCoy (Notre Dame), Rich Moore (Villanova), Tony Pleviak (Illinois), Rolf Krueger (Texas A&M), Art Thoms (Syracuse)

Guards: James Ray (TCU), Danny Abbott (Texas), Don Jordan (North Carolina St.), Jim Barnes (Arkansas), Wally Schoessow (Wisconsin), Carl Crennel (West Virginia), Chuck Kyle (Purdue), Rex Barnes (Southern Mississippi)

Centers: Jon Kolb (Oklahoma St.), Dennis Bramleff (Texas at El paso), Wayne Mulligan (Clemson), Dave Harris (Washington St.)

Linebackers: Bob Olson (Notre Dame), Chip Healy (Vanderbilt), John Small (citadel), Jim Sniadecki (Indiana), Dave Mann (Florida), Jim House (Wyoming), Dennis Onkafz (Penn St.), Jim Snow (Southern California), Ken Criter (Wisconsin), Dale McCullers (Florida St.)

Backs: Bobby Douglass (Kansas), Edd Hargett (Texas A&M), Brian Dowling (Yale), Mike Phipps (Purdue), Frank Patrick (Nebraska), Bob Anderson (Colorado), Robby Shelton (Rice), Harry Gonso (Indiana), Steve Preece (Oregon St.), Chris Gilbert (Texas), Eugene Morris (West Texas St.), Buddy Gore (Clemson), Dicky Lyons (Kentucky), Paul Gipson (Houston), Frank Quayle (Virginia), Ron Johnson (Michigan), Bill Enyart (Oregon St.), Perry Williams (Purdue), Dick Davis (Nebraska), Calvin Hill (Yale), Warren Muir (South Carolina), Mike Battle (Southern California), Wes Plummer (Arizona St.), Bill Kishman (Colorado St.), Glenn Cannon (Mississippi), Buddy McClinton (Auburn), Ron Davidson (Virginia Tech), Gary Adams (Arkansas)

Sophomore Lineman of the year: Center Chip Kell (Tennessee)

Sophomore back of the year: Quarterback Bill Montgomery (Arkansas)

The East

Independents

Penn State 9-1

Syracuse 6-4

Pittsburgh 6-4

West Virginia 6-4

Navy 5-5

Army 4-6

Buffalo 8-2

Holy Cross 7-3

Colgate 5-5

Rutgers 5-5

Boston College 4-5

Boston University 4-5

Villanova 4-6

Ivy League

Yale 8-1

Cornell 8-1

Princeton 7-2

Dartmouth 5-4

Harvard 4-5

Penn 3-6

Columbia 3-6

Brown 1-8

Middle Atlantic Conference

Gettyburg 7-2

Temple 6-4

Hofstra 6-4

Bucknell 5-5

Lafayette 5-5

Delaware 4-6

Lehigh 3-7

Top Players: Kwalick, Campbell, Onkotz, Smear (Penn St.); Kyasky, Thoms (Syracuse); Cindrich, Weston, Ferris, Orszulak (Pitt); Crennel, Brown (W.Virginia); Balsly, Clark (Navy); Jarvis, Johnson (Army); Moncevicz (Holy Cross); Luzny (Buffalo); Burton, Powers ?(Colgate); Van Ness (Rutgers); Hughes (Boston U); Kroner (Boston C.); Moore, Sodaski (Villanova); Dowling, Hill (Yale); Kleiber, Sponheimer (Cornell); Moore, Bracken (Princeton); Gatto, Emery (Harvard); Koenig, Lawrence (Dartmouth); Joseph (Penn); Kontas, Murphy (Brown); Domres (Columbia); Waller, Callahan (Temple); Havrilak, Onischenko (Bucknell); Jennings (Lehigh); Zimmers, Lewis (Lafayette); Favero, DiMuzio (Delaware); Barton, Maloney (Gettysburg); Williams (Hofstra).

The Midwest

Big Ten

Purdue 9-1

Ohio State 8-1

Minnesota 8-2

Indiana 7-3

Michigan State 6-4

Iowa 4-6

Illinois 4-6

Wisconsin 4-6

Northwestern 3-7

Michigan 3-7

Mid-American Conference

Ohio University 8-2

Toledo 8-2

Miami 7-3

Bowling Green 7-3

Western Michigan 6-3

Kent State 3-7

Marshall 2-8

Independents

Notre Dame 8-2

Dayton 5-5

Xavier 4-6

Top Players: Keyes, Williams, Kyle, Phipps (Purdue); Foley, Mayes (Ohio St.); Stein, Jones, Carter (Minn.); Gonso, Isenbarger, Sniadecki, Snowden (Indiana); Brenner, Bailey, Saul (Mich. St.); Podolak, Bream (Iowa); Pleviak, Naponic (Ill.); Criter, Schoessow (Wisconsin); Johnson, Stincic (Michigan); Rudnay, Kurzawski, Cornell (Northwestern); Hanratty, Kunz, Seymour, Olson, McCoy (Notre Dame); Green, Zolciak (Bowling Green); Hamlin (Western Mich.); Babich, Arthur (Miami); Moss, Tucker (Toledo); Carmon, Bryant, Conley (Ohio U.); Hurst, Ball (Marshall); Corrigall, Walter (Kent St.); Biebuyck (Dayton); Shinners, Waller (Xavier?).

The South

Southeastern Conference

Florida 9-1

Tennessee 8-2

Georgia 7-3

Alabama 7-3

Louisiana State 7-3

Auburn 6-4

Mississippi 5-5

Vanderbilt 4-6

Mississippi St. 3-7

Kentucky 2-8

Atlantic Coast Conference

Clemson 6-4

Virginia 6-4

N. C. State 6-4

South Carolina 6-4

Wake Forest 5-5

North Carolina 3-7

Maryland 3-7

Duke 2-8

Southern Conference

East Carolina 7-3

Virginia Military 5-5

The Citadel 5-5

William & Mary 4-6

Furman 4-6

Richmond 4-6

Davidson 4-5

Independents

Florida State 8-2

Miami 6-4

Georgia Tech 4-6

Southern Miss 7-3

Virginia Tech 4-6

Tulane 4-6

Top Players: Smith, Dennis, Yarbrough, Mann, Tannen (Florida); Rosenfelder, Weatherford, Kell (Tennessee); Morel, Allen, Hamlett (LSU); Stanfill, Scott, Lawrence (Georgia); Ford, Samples, Childs, Wade (Alabama); McClinton, Carter (Auburn); Cannon, Shows, Hindman (Mississippi); Healy (Vanderbilt); Pharr, Rhoades (Mississippi St.); Lyons, Palmer (Kentucky); Gore, Ducworth, Mulligan (Clemson); Capuano, Carpenter, Jordan (North Carolina St.); Quayle, Shelly (Virginia); Muir, Galloway, Bice (South Carolina); Summers, Pate, Dolbin (Wake Forest); Bomar, Chalupka (North Carolina); Pastrana (Maryland); Biddle (Duke); Colson, Wheeler, Tyson (East Carolina); Small, Isaac (Citadel); Habasevich (VMI); Cavanaugh, Zychowski (William & Mary); Keith (Davidson); Hewell, Hahn (Furman); Gillette, O'Brien, Irvin (Richmond); Sellers, McCullers, Glass, Fenwick (Florida St.); Hendricks, Opalsky, Acuf, Pierce (Miami); Wilcox, Sias (Georgia Tech); Moore, Haber, Bankston (Tulane); Barnes (Southern Miss); Davidson, Harvey (Virginia Tech).

The Near West

Big Eight

Nebraska 8-2

Kansas 7-3

Missouri 7-3

Oklahoma 6-4

Colorado 5-5

Oklahoma State 4-6

Iowa State 3-7

Kansas State 3-7

Southwest Conference

Texas A&M 8-2

Texas 8-2

Arkansas 7-3

Texas Tech 5-5

Texas Christian 4-6

Rice 4-6

Baylor 3-7

SMU 3-7

Missouri Valley Conference

North Texas St. 8-2

Tulsa 6-4

Memphis State 6-4

Louisville 6-4

Wichita State 5-5

Cincinnati 4-6

Independents

Houston 8-2

West Texas St. 6-4

Top Players: Davis, Patrick, Orduna (Nebraska); Wehrli, Staggers (Missouri); Douglass, Zook (Kansas); Hinton, Barrett, Owens (Oklahoma); Montler, Schnitker, Anderson (Colorado); Kolb, Philpott (Oklahoma St.); Davis, Jones (Kansas St.); Muldrew (Iowa St.); Hobbs, Hargett, Krueger (Texas A&M); Gilbert, Abbott, Robertson (Texas); Adams, Dickey, Barnes, Montgomery (Arkansas); Ray, Montgomery (TCU); Shelton, Winston (Rice); Stevens (Baylor); Moylan, Stewwart (Texas Tech); Levias (SMU); Greene, Shanklin, Ramsey (North Texas St.); Rushing McRight (Memphis St.); Jenkins, Wood (Tulsa); Bouggess, Phelps (Louisville); Pate, O'Brien (Cincinnati); Jones, Stiverson (Wichita St.); Gipson, Cloud, Gardner, Peacock (Houston); Morris, Drones (West Texas St.).

The Far West

Pacific Eight

Oregon State 9-1

Southern Cal 8-2

ULCA 6-4

California 6-4

Stanford 6-4

Washington 5-5

Oregon 4-6

Washington St. 3-7

Western Conference

Texas at El Paso 8-2

Arizona State 8-2

Wyoming 6-4

Utah 5-5

Colorado State 3-7

Brigham Young 3-7

Arizona 6-4

New Mexico 2-8

Independents

New Mexico St. 6-4

Idaho 6-4

Pacific 6-4

Utah State 5-5

Air Force 3-7

San Jose State 3-7

Top Playes: Sanstrom, Didion, Enyart, Preece (Oregon St.); Simpson, Snow, Battle (Southern Cal); Agajanian, Jones, Purdy (ULCA); White, Williams (California); Washington, Snider (Stanford); Cope (Washington); Harris (Washington St.); Dames, Welch (Oregon); Pritchard, Plummer, Hill, Roseborough (Arizona St.); Guilford, Murphy, Bramlett (Texas at El Paso); Nels, House (Wyoming); Bozich, Boyet (BYU); Nelson, Klahr (Arizona); McBride, Kerl (Utah); Stone, Hendricks (New Mexico); Kishman, Jackson (Colorado St.); Olsen, Detwiler, Taylor (Utah St.); Hackley, Taylor (New Mexico St.); Thiemens, Hendren (Idaho); Epping (Air Force); Heinz, Redmond (Pacific); Tucker (San Jose St.).