Evening star., 1941-11-18
Several Others,
.0nce Defeated,
Alabama in Fine Spot
IfIt Whips Vondy;
Roms Not Out of Ii
BY GRANTLAND RICE.
,pecial correspondent Of The Star.

SPECIAL correspondent Oh ne 6Ldf.
NEW YORK, Nov. 18.-The weird
dance Of the bowls now has taken
on a strictly dervish aspect. 1t is
even wilder than Sioux or CO.
manche war dance. Stanford had
barely fallen for the second time.
when the cheering voices of Dick
Andrade and Buddy Fogelson came
over the long distance phone from
Cotton Bowl headquarters at Dallas.
There was even louder cheering at
New Orleans and Miami, for STAN
ford's downfall meant the Rose
Bowl had to enter at least one two
time loser in place Of an unbeaten
Western defender. The bowl situ-
alton at this November spot might
be classified as follows:
East-Duquesne, Fordham.
South-Duke, Alabama, Missis-
sippi, Vanderbilt, Clemson. (Ths
last four only once beaten1
Southwest-Texas A. and NJ,
Texas Christian.
Big Six-Missouri.
Far West-Oregon State, STAN
ford, Washington.
The bowl leaders are now Texas
A. and NJ, Duke and Duquesne,
In the next group We find Ford
ham and Alabama, although 'Bama
this week has a dangerous oppo-
nent IN Red Sanders Vanderbilt
squad If Vanderbilt can duck by
Alabama and Tennessee the Com
modore rankings will be high up.
Missouri and Ole Miss are two
other fine teams-crowd-p pleasing
teams-that are as close to the
top as paper on the ceiling Mis-
souri, has the edge here with a
lone first-game defeat and only
Kansas ahead. Looking back over
this collection you can understand
the feverish activity now taking
place among bowl promoters to
round up their New Year show.
Gophers' Defense Emphasized.
Those who saw Michigan's big,
brilliant team take Columbia apart
can now understand the power OF
Minnesota defense that could
keep Westfall and KuzIna away
from the Gopher goal. Michigan
also has a big, fast line in front
of these star backs and that makes
Minnesotas performance all the
more remarkable. In these days Of
upsets, overthrows, ups and downs,
Minnesota's ability to win is straight
games against such terrific oppo-
sition is another startling addition
to her record.
Equally sensational along con.
sistent lines is Texas Aggies' mark
of % victories in 20 starts. And
Frank Leahy's remarkable sweep at
Boston College and Notre Dame.
Both Minnesota and Texas Aggies
belong in two of footballs toughest
pastures. so far as winning in con-
cerned. When you are meeting the
picked teams of the Midwest and
the Southwest you are in a battle
from ankle to scalp on almost every
Saturday.
Minnesota now is only one game
away from another fiawleSS year.
But this great Minnesota defense
still must meet a Wisconsin attack
that has scored 131 points against
such teams as Northwestern. Iowa,
Indiana, Syracuse, Ohio State and
Purdue. This means over 20 points
game against competitors of class.
1t will be interesting to see what
that fast, giant Gopher line can
do against the Badger attack.
Texas Likely Lost Its Edge.
Taking no credit from Baylor or
T. c. u, certainly not from the
latter. meeting Texas at the Steers
full strength, there is only ono
reason to account for Texas US
sudden descent from the pinnacle
to the deep. In her first six games
Texas rolled up 230 points, an
average count of 38 to the game.
This indicates that Texas was
well ahead of all opposition in con-
dition and football readiness. A
team as keen. as much on edge as
Texas was on September 27 set
too fast a pace for any one to hold
through November
Texas is like race horse in a
2-mile test that set a killing pace
from the start. picked up a To-
length lead at the mile and quarter
spot, and then suddenly found its
wind and legs were not what they
used to be.
The team that ran up "a points
against Rice and S. M. U. had worn
away its old keen edge. Especially
against team as strong as T. G. y.
Is at this date.
Eleven years ago Knute Rockne
gave Notre Dame here greatest
(See RICE, Page A-20)