Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-30
FOUR ELEvENS
OUTSTANDING IN
1926 GRID GAME
Last Minute Elimination Of
Notre Dame - The Brown
Colgate Tussle And The
Army-Navy Game Cleared
Up Matters to Some Extent
fRv Thu Associated Press)


football season of thrills and spills
has left legacy Of greater dispute
over mythical national championship
honors than any campaign in years.
Where Notre Danes -Four Horse
men" roamed VIGOROUSLY far and
wide In 1924 and Dartmouth's fam
Gus aerial artists decorated the
heights without much controversy in
1925 the close of the regular 1926
season finds at least four outstanding
elevens in a title debate. Rebuttals
from two or three others further
complicate the situation.
A projected New Years battle at
Pasadena between Alabama's South
,ern champions and Pop warmers
Stanford outfit, titleholders on the
Pacific coast, may do lot to clear
the air but 1t can't entirely settle the
Issue. These two teams share with
Lafayette the distinction of being
neither tied nor beaten. Victory at
Pasadena for one or the other would
establish as strong championship
claim as any contender.
In spite of its spectacular tie -
the Army in Chicago's record break
ing service classic, the Navy still re-
CARDS itself as very much in the run
ming when title laurels are passed
around. simultaneously the Army's
claims would seem to be on the same
level but tho Cadets tasted one de-
feat, at the hands of Notre Dame,
while the Navy, up to its final tussle,
sank all opposition in nine successive
games against some Of the most
powerful outfits of the East or Mid
die West.
Brown too, enters some claim for
recognition in spite Of having its
winning streak checked by q final tie
with Colgate. Notre Dame after
eight straight victories over rugged
foes and q defensive record Of yield
ing only one touchdown had its case
already for argument until Carnegie
swooped over the PROSTATE Hoosiers
In an astonishing 10 to upheaval.
Notre Danes elimination left the
middle West without a real national
title contender for the first time in
years. Michigan and Northwestern.
who finished tied for the Western
conference championship, both met
defeat by outsiders" the Wolverines
losing to Navy and Northwestern to
Notre Dame.
Except for tie with Missouri the
Mustangs Of Southern Methorist Uni
versity, southwestern conference
champions. would be in the thick OF
the fight. They won all Of their re-
naming games. Oklahoma Aggies,
Missouri Valley champions for the first
conference fold.
While tho argument Of experts races
over the relative merits Of these title
claims, assessing of the more stable
products Of the season reveals these
salient features.
1-Establ1shment Of new records fol-
attendance and receipts, with esti-
mates placing the total number of
spectators at 100000 and the nation
Wide gate" at $4,000 900, featured by
figures Of 10000 onlookers and $780,
900 in receipts for the Army-Navy
same. breaking the previous high mark
OF $4,000 spectators, set at the Ohio
State-Michigan contest at Columbus
earlier in the season.
2-The reinforcement Of nine out of
IL 1925 champions in various sectional
groups and conferences, featured by
the fall Of Dartmouth in the east and
Washington on the Pacific coast.
3-Elevation Of the field goal as a
decisive factor in an unusual number
OF big games, corresponding with a
somewhat sharp decline in the general
0hoStlVcHoSS OIL IOTWaTQ passing at
tacks. except those Of Brown and the
Navy.
4-Emphasis on the development Of
1l-man attacks, as opposed to the one
or two star offensives. a trend which
produced fewer individual performers
OF the conspicous stamp Of Grange,
Nsvers. George Wilson, Oberlander or
Flournoy.
b-Agitation against the use Of the
shift play. eliminating in the decision
OF coaches of the western conference
Big Ten" to enforce a two second halt
after all shift formations a move in
terpreted as likely to mean nationwide
adjustment of the shift.
e-Rupture Of the historic big
Three" by Princston's break in rela-
lions with Harvard, brought about by
apparent bitterness of undergraduate
feeling and resulting in revival of pro-
posals for an organized eastern big
Ten"