Evening star., 1948-10-27
Nevada Retains Biq
Edge Among College
Teams in Yardage
Dy The Assoeiossd Press

NEW YORK. Oct. 27.-California,
Notre Dame and Army have
strengthened their positions among
the leading offensive teams on the
Nations collegiate gridirons but
they still have q long way to 60 If
they are to overtake high-fiying
Nevada.
The Nevada Wolfpack. with the
help Of q great passer and a so-so
schedule. rolled merrily along at
the head of the offensive standings
released today by the National Col
legiate Athletic Bureau. leading all
ether teams in both forward pass
ing and total offense.
Chnging to second place In the
ratings based on both rushing and
passing was little Miami U. of OK
ford, Ohio, unbeaten but once-tied.
And following them in order were
California, Notre Dame and Army
all moving up a notch from the
previous week.
Nevada maintained its lofty posi-
ton on the spectacular passing of
Stan Heath, who virtually is certain
to rewrite the record books with his
aerial game before the season ends.
Averages 49S Yards q Game.
In winning all five of its games to
date, Nevada has piled up 2,940
yards by rushing and passing, an
average Of 498 yards a game. of that
total. 1,43s of Nevada's yards have
come through the air.
Miami has averaged 422.6 yards
game, California 40l, Notre Dame
1852 and Army 3ss.
A pair Of noticeable absentees in
the top Is offensive teams are
Michigan and North Carolina,
ranked first and third in the AS
sociated Press weekly pool. Michigan
was the offensive leader in the
country last year. At this point in
the 1947 season. the Wolverines
were averaging 1855 yards q game.
To date this season they have aver
aged 1854. although their won-lost
record Is the same.
Nevada Is followed in the passing
department by Georgia Tech. Will
liam and Mary, Columbia and Navy.
But Georgia Techs average of 1908
yards game Is far behind the
Nevada average of 1918.
The Wolfpack not only is the
passingest team in the country, but
its 65-14 shellacking of Tulsa last
Saturday set new high in aerial
performance. Together, the two
teams threw 81 passes, a college
record for a single game. Nevada's S
total Of Is completed passes also
was a mark, as was the total of
A competitions by two teams.
Meanwhile, Texas Mines pushed
into first place in the rushing de-
partment, dropping Army to second
place, with Notre Dame third, Okla
homa fourth and California fifth.
The Texans are averaging 343 yards
a game on the ground, compared
with Army's 340.6 yards.
Irish Threaten to Climb.
Although Notre Dame didn't move
up, the Irish threaten to do so if
they keep up the pace of their last
three games. Against Michigan
State. Nebraska and Iowa, Notre
Dame piled up 1,275 yards on the
ground. an average of 425 yards a
game.
The Irish have a five-game aver
age Of $50 yards a game, while Okla
homa is averaging exactly 800 and
California 1855.
The ten leaders in each depart
ment:
Total offense (gains rushing and
passing)-Nevada, 498 yards aver
age per game; Miami (Ohio. 422!6;
California. 40l; Notre Dame, 1852:
Army, $3.50; Maryland, 1888; Texas
Mines. 1886; Missouri, 375.8; La
fayette, 375.6; Oklahoma, 370.2.
Rushing offense - Texas mines,
343 yards average per game; Army,
340.6; Notre Dame. $50: Oklahoma,
300; California, 1855; Maryland,
291.8; Missouri, 2706; Lafayette,
1852; wyoming, 260.8; Michigan
State, 1908.
Passing offense - Nevada, 2878
yards average per game; Georgia
Tech, 1908; William and Mary,
1883: Columbia, 171s; Navy, 1902;
Michigan, 1884; Tulsa, 1877: South
ern Methodist, 1858; Miami (Ohio),
1644; San Francisco, 1885.