New-York tribune., 1921-11-28
By Ray Mccarthy

SnlpS tnat are endangered by the con-
troversy over the football situation here
in the East this season, a champion
eleven should be named ANYBODY at
tempting to figure out rating Of the
Eastern teams can easily kill good
afternoon. The next problem is to try
to find somebody who will agree with
your selection. But the job here de-
mands some kind of ranking, so whether
or not you like it you're getting it Just
the same.
Trying to decide whether Penn State
or Cornell should be listed at the top
was the chief problem. This rating has
been figured on the basis of a teams
record, its schedule and personal obser-
walton. We have been fortunate enough
this season to see the great majority
of the twenty teams listed in action
1t is extremely unfortunate that Cor
nell did not have a harder schedule this
fall. Against Pennsylvania it looked
like q marvellous machine that had un-
limited possibilities. Just how good that
Big Red team was will never be known,
inasmuch as not one Of its opponents
gave it any kind Of opposition. SPRING
field, preceding the Penn game, held the
lthacans to two touchdowns, but Dobie
was using q team made up mostly of
reserves and was taking no chances
whatsoever.
A Great Assault Line
1t Is said that against real line
Dobie's attack would have been stopped.
Perhaps it would have but, arguing in
the same vein, it would certainly have
taken real line, yes, a mighty line, to
check that hard-running assault Stop
ping the interference alone of the Cor
nellians is a stupendous task. Mailing
the runner is something else again.
Considering the schedule Penn State
has waded through and the fact that
the men of the Nittany Mountain stand
undefeated, it seems only proper that
Hugo Bezdek's protegcs should be
ranked as the champions for the sea-
son of 1921. Had the Blue and White
defeated Pittsburgh on Thanksgiving
Day it would have clear claim to
first place. That scoreless tie game
and Harvard's tie are the only blots
on the State record. Penn State
was prevented from claiming the title
last year, in our opinion, also on &C.
count of a tie game with Pitt
This year, however, Cornell is the
only eleven that can really dispute the
claim of Penn State and the schedule
OF the lthacans was not nearly SO hard
as was States. But the impressive rec
ord Of Dobie's machine certainly merits
serious consideration. 1t has scored
more points than any other college
eleven IN the country and great teams
IKE Notre Dame, Center. Georgia Tech,
Detroit and Lafayette have played as
Cornell. That total of 392 points, even
II made against inferior opponents.
gives fair idea Of the speed of the
upstate crew.
Lafayette Team Ranks High
Lafayette and Washington and JEFF
ferson will, of course, put in claims
for the championship. But the
schedule of each of these was not much
| harder than Cornell's, while the rec
oros were not nearly so impressive.
i!i.n Mucn mas been said about the neligi-
SiIty OF some of the Lafayette players.
80 lar as we can see that is matter
That concerns Lafayette's opponents
soniy. II those teams that played the
maroon and White were satisfied Win
tne scholastlc standing of the members
OF Sutherland's eleven nobody elsa
should kick. 'oS c'se
II college does not approve Of
a.aalayette's methods and Scholastic
Sg Sstandlng it should not schedule the
natoS ,,as svohiahs. But SO long as it partici
pa'Is IN lhtercollegiate athletics lust
to "a q ranking, whatever that NAV he
Inc only teams whose schedules vya,.o
as eXactlng and as rugged as pcnn
states were Pittsburgh and Svr.onsa
az the START OF the season Pitt with
veteran eleven, appeared to be on the
seese vi most prosperous year. B1lt
aenciencies in the line handicapneS
.ne IN team considerably and worked to
sne m disadvantage of such great per-
iormers as Stein and Davie4. Pitts
ourgh got, several bad breaks In the
games IT lost, but, of course. breaks
are part of the game and must he @s%a ao7
cepted accordingly
Syracuse in Hard Luck
Syracuse also might have enioved
even better rating had it not been
1or one bad play in the Washington
ana az JeHerson game, forward pass
.hrown by Syracuse in its own terri
tory in the last few minutes that was
Intercepted and which enabled the
Pres sldents to pull out close win.
Yale also with better luck might
nave been sitting on high to-day In
stead Of being crowded down into fifth
position; Those first eight teams are
so evenly matched that we're they to
meet IN an elimination tournament the
breaks undoubtedly would play
pr?minent part in deciding the issue.
II we were to group these elevens
instead OF mbering them we would
place the first eight in the first class
the next four in the second class. the
next foul in third class and the last
four in the fourth class. There will he
some, perhaps, who will demand to
know why Princeton's fine eleven has
been placed in tenth position: we
would answer that by asking, What
team besides Harvard, which was not
hrst class this season, has Princeton
beaten? wv"
Wilson HeoIo Rosoho1u