Evening star., 1938-11-08
Schedules Pressure
Bound 10 Affect
Top Fighters
'One Defect Over Trying
Stretch Doesn't Mean
Precipitous Drop
BY GRANTLAND RICE.
Special Correspondent Of The Star.

Dy OhAN LAND hlCE,
Special Correspondent Of The Star.
NEW YORK, Nov. 8.-Ranking
the first 10 or the first IS teams
IN the correct order is about as
simple as taking relativity apart and
putting it back in one compact
jigsaw sample.
For example. we have such un-
beaten teams left in the so-called
upper sector as Notre Dame, T. c. u,
Tennessee. Duke, Santa Clara, Dart
mouth, Oklahoma, Iowa State-un-
beaten, united, undented, unsocked.
But how many of these would
have been unbeaten If they had
drawn Pittsburgh, Carnegie Tech,
Holy Cross or Michigan? Southern
California lost its first game to Ala
bama in September, but Southern
California is quite another football
outfit today. I should say that
Notre Dame and T. c. U. now
head the list together.
Duke and Tennessee are both
strong. So are Oklahoma and Dart
mouth. So is Iowa State. Duke
has the harder road ahead-for
Pittsburgh still Is Pittsburgh and
Syracuse, after all, has trimmed such
teams as Cornell and Colgate.
We have named eight unbeaten
teams in the top flight. How do
you think they would fare against
Pittsburgh, Carnegie Tech, Holy
Crocc Co,,tbor,, CoEFor,,;o AIoL>,,,o
Michigan, Minnesota, California,
Villanova or which have
been tied or beaten? You wouldn't
pass your spare shirt, would you?
Telling Tests This Week.
To be beaten in one game doesn't
mean any precipitous drop. Sci I'd
ules play too big a part.
I still doubt that any one can
pick four unbeaten teams that could
step out next Saturday and beat
Pittsburgh, Carnegie Tech, Holy
Cross and Southern California.
Well get a much better test this
week when those now riding the
top will have to face keener rifles.
Suppose we look over the assign
ments again.
Notre Dame and Dartmouth have
two of the harder afternoons against
Minnesota and Cornell, the Gopher
and the Big Red.
Tennessee has no romp over Van
derbilt and Duke can bump into
sorrow at Syracuse Oklahoma has
to beat the Missouri team that, last
Saturday, was good enough to whip
Michigan State.
Santa Clara has no waffle -eating
against st. Mary's. T. C. U. and
Iowa State look fairly safe. Espe-
cially T. C. U.
This will be one of the seasons
bigger week ends, including the
Yale-Princeton classic, which al
ways is part of footballs tradition.
There will be more than one vacant
gap in the ranks of the unpurged
and the unsocked by Saturdays
dusk. Washington can make 1t
though for Southern California up
in Seattle.
Road Rough for Notre Dame.
How many Of the unbeaten will
finish their labors in spotless town
when the season ends?
I believe the list will include T.
c. u, Tennessee. Oklahoma. Santa
Clara and Dartmouth Oklahoma
here has the stouter Job.
What about Notre Dame? Well.
after five hard games in row Notre
Dame has Minnesota, Northwestern
and Southern California left. It
can be done. but this is much the
harder highway or the rougher road
into helzapoppin' country. For all
that, I think Notre Dame has a
f1rst-class chance. Too much power.
II Duke gets by Syracuse, the
Duke-Pitt battle at Durham will be
one of the best of the year. Just at
this spot, Id hate to pick any team
to beat Pittsburgh again.
doubt that even a first class
Iowa State team can handle Okla
homa.
Tennessee's main Job now is to
beat Vanderbilt. The Commodore
line is made up largely of sopho-
mores. But Ray Morrison still has
good young team ready to give the
Volunteers from Knoxville all they
have. Ray Morrison has pulled of
more than one big surprise.
II Santa Clara can handle st,
Marys, Buck Shaw's team should
take Detroit later.
I don't believe any opponent is 60
ing to ruffle up T. c. U-not with
O'Briens passing and the brilliant
defensive play of Aldrich at center.
T. G. U. has both offensive and de-
fenslve strength. 1t is a well-rounded
outfit-elong the ground or through
the air. 1t has one of the season s
most dangerous passers in l5O-pound
Dave O'Brien, for Dave can hit his
target, and he has the receivers
who are just as important as the
passers.
Modern Grid Trail Long Haul.
Don't forget that November is a
different month. Teams that had
late September and early October
strength now may be fading. Teams
that started slow, such as Southern
California, now are at their peak.
There are few squads that can be
ready in September and late No.
vember.
Even Pitts powerful Panther
starting lineup couldn't keep geared
up. saw Pitt, with all her replace
ments, slide back against Duke a
year ago-a football-weary bunch.
You can understand from this
what such coaches as Lou Little,
Harlow, Pond, Wieman and others
are up against who haven't even
the starting material with which to
work-barring few men. If Pitts