Tulane Takes Lead From Missouri

THE COLLEGES

It was a bad weekend for the bookends of the football world, Iowa (7-1) and Missouri (1-7), each of whom had streaks end unexpectedly to tumble out of No. 1 positions. Missouri’s costly last-minute victory over No. 12 Iowa State (3-5) enabled Too Little Tulane (0-8) to take the Bottom Ten lead.

The Green Ripple absorbed a 3-58 beating by Georgia, but Tulane Coach Mack Brown pointed out that, at least, the Bulldogs “didn’t come over to the sidelines afterward and whip what we had there and then go outside and turn over the buses. And they’ve got some players that could have done it.”

Earlier this year, the Ripple set an NCAA record by losing four straight homecoming games (including its own) this year. Any time a school has a homecoming game approaching, it seems to want to celebrate the event with Tulane.

Next, the Ripple faces Southwestern Louisiana (4-5), one of whose coaches pointed out that Tulane “is a very, very good 0-8 team.” Chances are they’ll make a very good 0-9 team, as well.

The Rankings: BB Team, Record Last Loss Next Loss 1. Tulane (0-8) 3-58, Georgia SW Louisiana 2. K-State (1-7) 3-41,Nebraska Oklahoma St 3. Wyoming (1-7) 0-59, BYU San Diego St 4. Columbia (0-7) 11-55, Colgate* Dartmouth 5. Rutgers (1-6-1) 0-40, Tennessee W. Virginia 6. N Mex St (1-7) 12-17, Vegas CS Disney 7. Dartmth (1-5-1) Tied Yale, 17-17 Columbia 8. Duke (2-6) 0-9, Georgia Tech Awake Forest 9. Utah State (2-7) 7-34, Utah BYU 10. San Jose St (2-7 13-35, Oregon CS Goose 11. Texas of No Intercepted New Mexico Pasos (1-7); 12. Iowa State (3-5); 13. Washington State (2-7); 14. Cal State Disneyland (2-5); 15. San Diego State (3-5); 16. Stanford (2-6); 17. Cal (3-6); 18. Awake Forest (3-6); 19. Texas Tech (3-5); 20. Pentagon (at sea) (3-5).

Under Observation: Missouri (1-7).EB *No brushing jokes will be permitted.

ROUT OF THE WEEK: BYU (7-2) at Utah State (2-7).

CRUMMY GAME OF THE WEEK: Dartmouth (1-5-1) at Columbia (0-7).

QUOTEBOOK: Washington Coach Don James, quoted by the (Portland) Oregonian’s Paul Buker on the Huskies’ early season No. 1 rating in the Bottom Ten: “It might have done us some good. Everybody knew we were struggling, but the (media) here wasn’t willing to kick us while we were down.” (The Bottom Ten selectors are always willing, coach!)

QUOTEBOOK II: Tulane Coach Brown: “Someone asked me if Southwestern (Louisiana) doesn’t afford us the best chance we’ve had in nine games to win one. We’re 0-8, so, obviously, it’s the best chance we’ve got to win in the first nine.”

THE PROS

In the tradition of the tie-maker from Cyprus and the bartender from Atlanta, a substitute French teacher came out of nowhere (New Jersey, to be exact) to kick five field goals for the Giants Sunday and sink the Buccaneers (0-9) deeper than ever into Tampa Bay.

The 5-foot-6-inch newcomer, Eric (The Ice Bucket) Schubert, thus became the NFL’s latest unexpected offensive weapon. (Schubert is also an assistant football coach at Lakeland High (3-1-2) in Wanaque, N.J., which, unfortunately, lost, 7-14, over the weekend and moved into the No. 9 slot in the Bottom Ten.)

Other scoring threats to be unveiled included Anthony Munoz, Cincinnati’s 280-pound offensive tackle, who caught a pass for one yard (but no touchdown) Sunday against No. 2 Buffalo. A designed play, a la The Refrigerator’s? No, a botched field goal attempt, which culminated in a desperation pass. Nevertheless, the No. 2 Bills (1-8) were so unnerved by the play, they lost, 17-23.

And the Rams may have found a running back in one Eric Dickerson, who ran to daylight (or, to smog, actually) for more than 100 yards for the first time in a month in a 28-10 win over No. 6 Old Orleans. Until that performance, Dickerson looked like a leading candidate for 1986 comeback player of the year.

The Rankings: BB Team, Record Last Loss Next Loss 1. Tampa-at-Bay(0-9) 20-22, N.J. Giants St. Louis 2. Buffalo (1-8) 17-23, Cincinnati Houston 3. Atlanta (1-8) 10-44, Atlanta Philadelphia 4. Green Bay (3-6) 10-16, ‘Fridge Minnesota 5. Miami (5-4) 13-17, New Eng N.J. Jets 6. Old Orleans (3-6); 7. Indianapolis (3-6); 8. Kansas City (3-6); 9. Lakeland High (3-1-2); 10. Commitment to Excellence (6-3).

EB

CRUMMY GAME OF THE WEEK: Atlanta (1-8) at Philadelphia (4-5).