Evening star., 1943-01-05
Will 10 Win Missino,
Eagles Looked Bad
Against 'Bama
Outelossed'UcIon. TuIso,
Georgia Tech EIevens
SporkIed in. Defect
BY GRANTLAND RICE,

NEW ORLEANS, La, Jan. s
(NANA). Out OF all the bowl
games and the post-season charity
games there was only one major
flop-that was Boston College.
Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and the
East team came through safely, after
more or less stormy moments. They
figured to win-and they did. Bos-
ton College also figured to win on
size, weight, speed, experience and
what it usually takes to win football
games.
Every one knew In advance that
Alabama was no pushover Ala
bama never is, with Frank Thomas
on the Job.
B. c. Couldn't Stop Tough Ones.
Boston College, up to the Holy
Gross game, had been touted by
many experienced experts as one of
the best college teams Of all time.
Why not? 1t had all the ingre-
dents. 1t had crushed one oppon-
ent after another, until it met Holy
Cross. They called that one nuke.
Alabama proved it was no f1uke.
Alabama this season was largely
q hne defensive team, for Thomas
had only light backs with which to
work. Alabama could score only one
touchdown against Georgia and no
touchdowns against Georgia Tech.
Yet Alabama spotted Boston College
II points and then proceeded to
wreck the low-hying Eagles by land
and air and every way you can score.
1t probably should have been appar-
ent after the Holy Cross game that
Boston College didn't have what 1t
takes to win the tough ones.
Alabama proved that, for I know
Frank Thomas didn't expect to win.
The answer is that in their last two
games, with the blue chips down,
Holy Cross and Alabama scored 81
points. You don't do that even
against poor teams-es not
against q team that has all the ad-
vantage in weight, speed, power and
experience.
'Bama, Texas Teams Sparkle.
The two big jobs Of the New Years
scramble were turned in by Alabama
and Texas. Alabama, beaten three
times, still had enough fighting
spirit left to handle a bigger oppo-
nent. Alabama spirit won this one.
Dana Bibles Texas team. after a
faltering start came along like one OF
those Texs Northers. Texas figured
to beat lighter Georgia Tech team
that took a physical beating from
Alabama and then dipped.
Georgia Tech gave all it had, but
1t wasn't quite enough Texas would
have been an even bet against any
bowl opponent, including Georgia.
Alabama or Tennessee. For Texas
was better than Boston College
much better-and Texas was better
than U. c. L. A. or Tulsa.
No question about that. Texas
could have given Georgia. Tennessee
or Alabama carload of trouble and
poison. For Texas had to beat a
high-class outfit in the Cotton Bowl
af1air. I'm referring to Georgia
Tech.
Sugar Bowl Game Ideal.
This Sugar Bowl Pageant was an
ideal game for this reason-you can
give a world Of credit to both teams.
Tennessee was the better team. Ten
nessee had the decisive margin in
manpower, which means replace
ments. Tennessee also had the worst
OF the breaks-a touchdown pass
called back on an offside play with
hve seconds to goa tumble on
Tulsa's 3. Tennessee might have
beaten Tulsa much more decisively.
Yet, again, this Tulsa easily might
have tied up Tennessee.
Trailing, IA to 7, starting from it's
own 40-yard line with time running
out, with Glenn Dobbs, their star,
on the sidelines, this Tulsa team
fought, clawed, passed, ran and
scrapped its way to Tennessee's IL.
It was a magnificent exhibition Of
skill. daring, courage and little
luck.
1t was apparent to every one at
this time that Tennessee was the
better team-the bigger team-the
stronger team. Tulsa alone refused
to concede this point. 1t took a
pass interception on Tennessee's IL
to halt this headlong charge headed
by N. A. Keithley, who used every
thing he had in the way of head and
heart to tie much better team.
Tribute Is Due U. G. l.. A.
Georgia had a rougher afternoon
than the red-clay warriors looked
for.
The West Coast had known it's
worst intersectional year. 1t had
lost every intersectional game and
yet U. C. l.. A. had Georgia trying
desperately to score down the
stretch. Georgia. on past perform
Ance charts, rated three touchdowns
over U. c. L. A.. team that could
not have beaten Tennessee, Texas
or Alabama.
This shows how close the bowl
games were, outside Of Alabamas
gallop over Boston College, the only
Northern team involved. Boston
College had everything except the
will to win. which still is and must
be the vital factor in any football
game. 1t is for this reason that.
as far as we can 60, there is a vital
need for competitive sport where
1t Is man to man. There still are
tributes that should be offered to
Tulsa, U. G. L. A. and Georgia Tech.