The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-12-27
ALABAMA ROSE BOWL FAvORITE
By WILLIAM H. TILLY United Press Sports Writer)


 Birmingham, Ala, Dec. 27-(UP) An Alabama football team that already has made history as the highest scoring eleven in the schools annals, was a big favorite today to set another precedent by being the first team ever to beat Southern California in the Rose Bowl.
 The Dixie red-shirts, going to Pasadena for the sixth time, haven't any perfect bowl record to defend in the New Years day classic as do the Western Trojans, but the oddmakers are overlooking past performances and installing them two touchdown favorities to halt Southern CaliforniaS bid for 8 ninth straight Rose Bowl triumph.
 Along with the number one man in their offensive equipment, passer Harry Gilmer, who ranks as the best collegiate tosser in the nation, the SouthernerS have grinding ground attack that was piled up 2,679 yards from Scrimmage.
 Superior to Howell
 Gillmer, the Slingin' Sophomore considered by his Coach Frank Thomas as superior to the famed Dixie Howell of the 1894 Alabama team, has completed 57 out of 88 passes for 905 of the 1,116 yards that the tide has gained through the air. He threw 13 touchdown passes and backed up that mark by having only three of his heaveS intercepted all year.
 But Gilmer's smack-dab pass ing tells only part of the story. AL so prominent in the highly-mobile backfield which rolled up 396 points i'll nine games, are blond Lowell 'Tew, 18-year-old Sophomore right halfback, Hugh Morrow, alternate quarterback, and Fred Grant, who led the team and Southeastern Conference in scoring as a second string fullback. Grant, who made most of his II touchdowns for 66 points when the first team was sitting it out, may muscle into the starting lineup because he is hard to stop in scoring territory.
 Morrows chief value is as an extra point kicker and he booted 46 out of 58 attempts successfully, adding three touchdowns to finish second in scoring with points. He also is an excellent blocker.
 Few Gains On Turf
 Top ground-gainer is Few, who is going to play in the classic despite broken jaw suffered in a recent scrimmage. Using a specially -rigged mask, he Is expected to be near the efficiency at which he operated during the regular season when he made TIP yards in 88 carries for an average 8.1 yards per trip. Gilmer in addition to his passing talents, was the second best ball carrier, gaining 552 yards in 79 tries for an average of 60 yards per trip.
 Matching the offensive talent is the record of the 194-pound average line which held the combined op- position to 66 points, exactly the UOGdl 1A d1lU SSOIC GU 4l1AuoC14 my man is the all-America center Vaughan Mancha, 238 pounder who in addition to being the heav- jest player on the squad is a TO- second 100-yard dash man.
 Other standouts in the line are the ends, Rebel Steiner, who caught 18 passes for four touchdowns and Jimmy Cain, great defensive player. Both are Freshmen. The tackles are Tom Whitley, all-confer- ence Sophomore and Les Flowers, Jr., a yearling who developed fast enough to squeeze older men out of the first string job.
 Guards Rank High
 The guards, Johnny Wozniak and Jack Green, the latter a 18O-pound Freshman namesake of Armys all- America line star at the same spot, rate just behind Mancha as speed sters and as efficient tacklers.
 Alabama, arriving late after long train ride from the campus at Tuscaloosa, is on double-time workouts at Los Angeles, using the Occidental College field.