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Being No. lis No Longer Fun College football's powers try a new training diet: humble pie hat old college cry "We're No. 1!" this year has brought a host of new replies: T "Who isn't?" Or "Who wasn't?" Or "Who will be next week?" Who knows why? The coaches say they do. The reason for the impression that there is no one great college football team any more is that there is no one great college football team any more. "Which comes as no surprise." says Fred Akers. coach of the University of Texas. "We've been expecting it for six years, since the 30-scholarships-per-year rule took effect. The motivation was to save money in a time when inflation makes everything expensive. But the effect has been an imposed mediocrity nationwide. Competition has been leveled. The word upset has been removed from football terminology." If Akers sounds a bit upset, consider the position he found himself in: his Longhorns were No. 1. University of Michigan and Coach Bo Schembechler began the season six weeks ago a solid No. 1 in the
eyes of many and the polls of the Associated Press and United Press International. The Wolverines promptly dropped their opener to Wisconsin. 21-14. "There's a simple explanation for all the upsets this year." Schembechler says. "There just is no longer any dominant team in college football." Isn't that good? "I liked it better back when I did the dominating," says Bo. With Michigan's quick fall, Notre Dame became No. 1. and Gerry Faust became the new Knute Rockne. The rookie Irish coach and instant legend was already the new Frank Leahy. In one easy game with L.S.U., he had gone from the high school leagues of Cincinnati to the
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top of college football. The second week, he had to go to Michigan. Three losses later, he is now the new Terry Brennan, who held the job for five years in the '50s withoutjoining the ranks of the holy ghosts. Next came the University of Southern California, often ~o. I through the years. blessed to have had the company of many great tailbacks and to be in the vicinity of many junior colleges. which act as a feeder system for the gnstle mills. The last college football learn to remain No. 1 all through the season was U .S.C. in 1972. As long as Senior Tailback Marcus Allen got his 200 yds .. nobody figured to beat the Trojans. Arizona figured other-
wise. Even allowing 211 yds. for Allen, Arizona Coach Larry Smith could measure the difference in the top 50 or 60 college football teams by holding two fingers apart barely an inch. "I told the kids all week that there'sjust that much difference between the No. 1 team and, say, the 56th team," he said after the 13-10 upset. U.S.C.'s quick rise and fall brought the Longhorns to the top. Yet. contends Texas' Akers, "there is not a football team in the country with what I call in-depth strength. That's why injuries are such a threat and make a critical difference." Imagining Texas, U.S.C. or Alabama running out of players is a little difficult, but the fact is that against Arizona, the Trojans had used up so many offensive tackles that a tight end had to be put on alert. Recruiting has become a crapshoot. No longer can the powers gobble up every good player that they can find. giving themselves endless depth and keeping talented players away from opponents. Gone is the spectacle of 180 or more troops dressing for a home game. Bear Bryant, whose timetable for matching Amos Alonzo Stagg's record 314 victories keeps getting moved back as Alabama loses to the likes of Georgia
Tech or ties Southern Mississippi, laments that there are "too many football players at too many colleges." He means good ones. "It's the effect of the 30-scholarships rule making itselffelt," sighs the Bear. John Robinson ofSouthern Cal agrees "there aren't any invincible teams." and, in fact, considers this U.S.C. team "in some areas the weakest" he has coached. Fellow Pac 10 Coaches Terry Donahue (U.C.L.A.) and Jim Walden (Washington State) are somewhat lighthearted about it all. "A week before we play Wisconsin. they pound Michigan." Donahue says, ''then we go out there and pound them. then we come back. and Iowa pounds us." TIME. OCTOBER 26. 1981