Evening star., 1938-12-06
Most Teams Chosen
Noted for Superb
Offensive Play
Duke Offsets Its Mild
Attack With Defense
ExceIIed by None
BY GRANTLAND RICE.

DALLAS. Tex, Dec. 6.-Carnegie
Tech and T. G. U. in the Sugar Bowl
and Tennessee and Oklahoma in the
Orange Bowl, plus the pairing Of
Southern California and Duke in
the Rose Bowl, guarantees q swell
brand of football from one end OF
the sun belt to the other on jan
uary 2.
These may not be the six strong
est teams in the country, but they
are 6 of the 8 or 10 strongest.
Carnegie Tech lost to Notre
Dame. but only by one touchdown
and undoubtedly was affected to
some extent by the unfortunate
confusion over the number of
downs at a critical moment in the
game. 1t beat Pitt and Holy Cross
among others. Now 1t goes South
to meet the finest team from the
Southwest.
Great Battle Looms.
T. c. U. will take into the clash
with Carnegie more than the bril-
liam passing of Davy O'Brien. This
has been the standout feature of
T. c. us play, of course. But the
Christians have a fine running
game, too-directed by little guy
named O'Brien, who not only is
the country's leading passer. but
also f1rst-class quarterback.
Tennessee, with smashing at
tack and stout defense, Is ranked
by many critics in that section as
the best in the South, including
Duke. The Vols have three fine
running backs in Cafego, Coffman
and Wood, a great end in Wyatt
and a strong line sparked by
Suffridge, the left guard.
Not much is known of Oklahoma
in the East, but it swept through a
10-game schedule unbeaten and
with only IL points being scored
against 1t, beating Rice, Texas
Kansas, Nebraska, Tulsa, Kansas
State, Missouri, Iowa State, Okla
homa A. and M. and Washington
State. If you point out that there
are no Pitts, Minnesotas, Fordhams
or Notre Danes in that group, III
agree with you-but I'll add that
there are no pushovers in it. either.
It makes no difference into what
secluded or into what hidden spots
of this country you may wander,
there is one theme you can't duck
or elude. This Is football. It
reaches everywhere. AS you sit down
on a log at monday to absorb a
sandwich while in pursuit of quail
in the deep-tangled wildwood of
Arkansas, all those around want to
know about this team and that.
Duke Attack Questionable.
In nominating Duke for the Rose
Bowl game over r. c. U. and Ten
nessee. Southern California picked
the strongest defensive team of the
unbeaten trio, but not the strongest
team on attack.
Duke has a strong line, ably
coached. and a brilliant kicker in
Eric Upton, but no running or
passing assault to match its Texas
and Tennessee rivals. This was
shown in the Pittsburgh game, as
we'll as in four or five other con-
tests, limited to single touchdown.
Duke will be hard for any one
to push out of the way, especially
when its well-guarded goal line is
threatened. but there will have to be
decided improvement in offense to
match the Trojans along this line
Dukes backs lacked the starting
speed of Pitt or Tennessee backs,
and there is only one Dave O,Brien.
1t may be that, with Upton,
OMara, JEFF Davis and McAfee all
in shape together for the first time
this season, Duke will have strong
er attack to offer than the Blue
Devils have shown this fall. Wal
lace Wade has had long series of
injuries to fight against in this re-
spect. He will find Southern Cali
fornia also stout defensive op-
ponent. which means that there will
be little rapid-fire action up and
down the field If the game runs to
expected form.
(copyriEht. 1881