Sport: Well Bowled

Appalled West Coast sportswriters moaned their prophecy: Oregon would have less chance against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl than a small boy against the town tough. Playing in the spotty Pacific Coast Conference, Oregon was a two-time loser in its last three games. And Ohio State's brawny Buckeyes, despite an opening-game upset by Texas Christian, were undefeated in the mighty Big Ten. From San Diego to Portland, bookies hefted the sheer weight of the Ohio State ground attack and made the visitors the favorites by as much as 24 points.

Last week 98,202 fans had barely settled down in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena before the slaughter seemed to start. Ohio State took the opening kickoff and turned loose a bullnecked, bulldozing fullback named Bob White. With White whacking away at the middle of the Oregon line, the Midwesterners knocked Oregon's Star Guard Harry Mondale out of the game, rumbled across the goal line after only 13 plays. Score: 7-0.

Then, to the delighted astonishment of the crowd, the boy lit out after the tough. Oregon Quarterback Jack Crabtree looked like a pro as he fooled Ohio State ends and linebackers in running plays that piled up yardage. When he faded to pass, charging defensive linemen were suddenly choked off by the supposedly weak Oregon line. Given time to throw, he made a damaging discovery: the Buckeyes had a weak pass defense. In the second quarter, led by Crabtree's crafty signal-calling, Oregon tied the score, 7-7.

The game became a duel between Crab-tree's passes (seven caught by End Ron Stover) and White's line plunges. In the third quarter, Oregon moved to the Buckeye 18-yard line, but Halfback Tom Morris missed a field goal. Minutes later, running mainly behind All-American Guard Aurelius Thomas, White bucked the ball to the Oregon 17. Then Reserve Halfback Don Sutherin thrice flexed his kicking leg and booted a field goal. That squeezed out a Buckeye victory, 10-7.

Weakling Oregon had outgained Ohio State (351 yds. to 304 yds.), and rung up more first downs (21 to 19), but Buckeye Coach Woody Hayes was satisfied. Said he: "The better team wins, always. And we won." Oregon Coach Len "Cazz" Casanova, who was carried off the field by his players, had a simple explanation for their great game: "We've been derided by everyone. I just told the boys I wanted to be proud of them after it was all over. And I am."

Other bowls:

¶In the third period. Navy End Pete Jokanovich leaned across the line and made a startling offer to Rice End Gene Jones: "Hey, kid, you want a ticket to the game?" In Jokanovich's grimy fist were two tickets for the Cotton Bowl. His gag had a sharp point. Jones was in the Cotton Bowl, but his team was hardly in the ball game. Cool, cocky Navy did not take Rice seriously, and did not need to. Middie Quarterback Tom Forrestal, playing his last game, put on a deft lesson in the tactics of offensive warfare. Sharp-eyed while the Rice line shifted defensively, Forrestal changed many of his plays as he crouched over his center, completed 13 out of 24 passes for 153 yards. Against such opposition. Rice's big (6 ft. 3 in., 205 Ibs.) Quarterback King Hill, also an All-American and the bonus draft choice of the Chicago Cardinals, got nowhere, sat out most of the second half. Final score: 20-7.