Evening star., 1940-11-07
The
SPoRTLIGHT
Gridiron Hot in Three
Spots This Week
By GRANTLAND RICE.
sneciaI Correspondent of The Star.

NEW YORK, Nov. Z (N.A.N.AJ.-
There are three unusually hot spots
on footballs menu for Saturday
that must be listed as standoutS.
The reason is that all three are i'm
portant contests along the line of
conference championships. And all
bring in three of the hardest playing
conference teams we have in this
broad, white-chalked land.
In order they are:
l. Minnesota and Michigan at
Minneapolis, for the Western Con-
ference or the Big Nine
2. Stanford and Washington at
Palo Alto for a big lead in the Rose
Bowl march along the Pacific Coast.
8. Texas A. and M. and Southern
Methodist at Dallas for the annual
wild scramble in the hustling South
west.
You can understand the flame of
interest each of these games brings
to three of footballs leading ter
rains. No wonder this big sweep of
football territory is keyed up well
beyond the normal, which is dizzy
enough,
Six Teams Involved Hove Won
30, Lost One and Tied One
So far only one of these six teams
has been beaten and another tied.
Minnesota has swept through the
hardest schedule of the year un-
beaten Washington, Nebraska,
Ohio State, Iowa and Northwestern.
Michigan has moved by California,
Michigan State, Harvard, Illinois and
Pennsylvania.
Stanford has beaten San Fran
cisco, oregon, Santa Clara, Wash
ington State, U. S. c., and U. c. L. A.
Washington, beaten only by Min
nesota, 10 to IA, has whipped Idaho,
Oregon, Oregon State and Califor-
mia.
Unbeaten Texas A. and M, with
Kimbrough, Thomason, Robnett
and others, has stepped through
Texas A. and L, Tulsa, U. c. L. A.,
T. c. U, Baylor and Arkansas.
Southern Methodist has beaten
q. c. L. A., North Texas Teachers,
Auburn and Texas, with Pitts
burgh draw.
So the six teams involved in three
of our main conference champion
ships have won 80 games, lost and
tied l. And this includes hard in
tersectional games with such strong
outside opponents as Washington,
Nebraska, Pennsylvania, California,
Pittsburgh and U. c. L. A.
This record proves the outstand-
ing qualities of all six teams which
easily may decide the fate and the
resting spots of three major crowns.
Minnesota Turns in Best
Job, but Moy Be Tired
Among these six contenders for
three major penthouses, Minnesota
has turned in or turned out the
best job.
The Gophers have beaten three
of the country's finest teams-un-
beaten by any else-in Washing
ton, Nebraska and Northwestern.
They have had much rougher
trail to face than even Michigan
has known, and Michigan drew an
of Saturday in preparation for this
major test
But Michigan still has Tommy
Harmon. Minnesota has Franck
and Smith, two brilliant backs, but
neither so far has been quite a
Harmon.
Michigan yet has to face team
of Minnesota's caliber. Minnesota
already has beaten three teams on
a par with Michigan in playing
strength mean Washington, Ne
braska and Northwestern.
Just how much the Minnesota
schedule has removed from those
stalwart Gopher systems is another
guess. This Midwest clash un-
doubtedly will be one of the big
games of 1910, whatever happens.
Earlier in the season Matty Bell,
the Southern Methodist coach, told
me that as good as Texas A. and M.
was he did not believe Homer Nor
tons team could wade through the
year unmarked.
This may be the test game. For
Southern Methodist has been mov-
ing along since the pause at Pitts
burgh in the wake of a motor acci-
dent.
This should be the big day for
both the AggieS and the MethodiStS
which stands as the best along the
cottonwood trail, with Rice and
Texas close behind.
I.L.G. Az-.-ek K;r.hrauoh