PAGE TEN * * * --Collegian Photo by Marty Sam TOUCHDOWN--13111 Brown (39), Illinois fullback, plunges over for score during Saturday's Penn State-Illinois game in Cleveland. The Lions won, 20-9. Center Bob Saul, Guard Sam Stellatella and fullback Sam Sobczak of Penn State attempt to stop Brown. * * Win Over Big 10 Foe Should Quell 'Fluke' Claims Lions' By JOHNNY BLACK Assistant Sports Editor "For all those people that were bellyachin' about the Army game, this should give them the idea that it was no fluke." That was Rip Engle's beaming summation of his Nit tany Lion gridders' decisive 20-9 triumph over Illinois in Cleveland Saturday. It was a victory-hungry pack of Lions that was turned loose on the 111 mi in the massive Municipal Stadium for the entertainment of a spare crowd of 15,045. "They wanted the game badly, and they went after it and got it," said Ray Eliot. Illinois coach. But the disgrunted Illini men tor, who is retiring at the end of this season, gruffly refused to compare the "minor-league" Lions with Big Ten clubs and avoided further comment by hurrying to the safety of the team bus. Likewise, the Orange and Blue players who were nursing their Moises and their hurt pride in the locker room were reluctant to late the Lions on a par with the Big Ten teams. "We beat ourselves" said Cap tain Bill Burrell, Illinois All- American candidate at guard, and fullback Bill Brown, the two de fensi‘ e linebackers who made more tackles than the rest of the Illinois squad combined, But they got then• signals crossed as to whom they had faced that was better than Penn State. Ohio State, said Blown. but Burrell had claimed Minnesota (the Gophers Pre last in the Big 10 with a 1-3 record). The feeling, however, was mutual. Army was tougher than Illinois, agreed the Lions after the esoteric know--- it's MORRELL'S THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA * * * * * * * BILL POPP ... tough on defense * r. * . the game. "They hit harder and more often." said Stew Barber, who was promptly seconded by Hank Opperman. But it was evident to sideline! and press box observers alike that! the big difference was the fierce: line play of the Nittanies. It was the shoestring tackles of, Bill Popp. hard-nosed Lion guard,) who spent half the afternoon un-t * lt * league team," proved that the East has some pretty fair ,squads when it beat Illinois, a contender for the Big Ten crown. ) But the Lions didn't get much 'credit. One veteran Chicago news 'paperman said the Illini lost be ;cause they just don't play fired-; lup football against Intersectional; opponents. (He forgot Illinois' win! 'over Army a few weeks ago.) Asked what they thought of Penn Stale as a team, two Illi nois players said they thought both Ohio State and Minnesota were better. , But the truth is Penn State out 'played the Illini from the open-) ling whistle to the end of the game. j So the controversy over Big, Ten football vs. the rest of the! country rages on and everyone j seems to have slightly different ;opinions on the matter. Take Notre Dame's ex-coach 'Terry Brennan who was in Cleve rl an d Saturday r— !for the game. I "I don't think you can really !say that any ;area is better; twiniNg his arms from the legs,t ha n another," of Illinois ball-carriers. It was the the young incur slashing tackles of linebackers, ance executive Jay Huffman and Bill Saul, the ;commented. driving blocks of Bud Kohlhaas,l "They play Frank Korbini and Tom Mulra_, good football all ney. It was the long arm of Andy nv e r including Stynchula, grabbing Mel Meyers' the East. - And) collar and dumping the Illim;Penn State's' Terry Brennan 'quarterback 10 yards behind the definitely one of the better teams scrimmage line. in the East along with Syracuse, iArmy and Navy. "It was our defense that wmi J • "Out west you have Southern the game," said assistant coach I Cal, U.C.L.A. and others while Joe Paterno, who scouts the ' ! game through field glasses from ;the South has its share of the his lofty perch on the stadium ;goo , d ‘ ones. roof. "Our linebackers keyed I think that Penn State or j exceptionally well, and were in j any of the big Eastern teams could hold its own in the Big ! the right place at the right Ten." I time." O'Hora.added line coach Jim ' I Leo Fischer. the former presi • !dent of the Football Writers Asso- Richie Lucas, running the roll - iciation. who covered the game out and Jim Kerr, running the in - 'for the Chicago American, said side reverse, did most of the ground-gaining for the Lions. I "Illinois played their ends soft'■ because of the danger of Lucas' rollout. Thus we coud block their ends and run outside," analyzed Paterno. When Cliff Roberts booted his, 30-yard field goal to give Illinois' a 3-0 lead early in the first quar-; ter, it was the first time that Penn State has been behind in any game this year. The Nittanies found this new sensation a rath er uncomfortable one and wasted ,no time getting back to the front where they have remained ( throughout the six games this fall. * * * Grandstand Views „ -••• AP, I , i -A . • IC` - . . • . „_ th: : : . , ‘ ;' , ~.: :.: "• ' ''. We're beginning to wonder just what it takes to convince the high and mighty people of the Big Ten that their teams aren't the only good ones in the country. Last Saturday in Cleveland, Penn State, just a "minor TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1959 Just How Good Is The the Big Ten plays the best foot ball in the country. "You have ten of the best teams in the land competing against each other week after week so its no wonder that Big Ten teams are so good. "But I think that this Penn State team would hold its own against most of the Big Ten squads." he said. Illinois coach Ray Eliot shared Fischer's view. "You have good football played all over," Eliot said, "but the teams in the Big Ten have to play topflight squads every Saturday and that makes ;a big difference." Penn State's backfield coach Joe Paterno said that good foot ball is played all over the country and no one section really has a monopoly. "The Big Ten has its share of good teams and so do the other sections," he said. "It just de pends on where the top ballplay ers are each year." Another Big Ten representa tive Russ Rippe, a Wisconsin scout, said that Saturday after Saturday the best games are play ed in the Big Ten. "In our conference you have a big game each week and`you have to be up for it," he said. "In some other parts of the country, the teams are good but they don't have to be up all the time be ,cause their opponents aren't so good." But a look at the records of the Big Ten schools against intersectional teams doesn't prove that their ballclubs are that much bailer. In 13 intersectional games this year Big Ten teams have won 7, lost 5, and tied 1. Two of those wins were by one and two points. Right now in the Big Ten race, Northwestern is leading with a 3-0 record and Illinois. Purdue, (Continued on page eleven) Big 10? By Sandy Padwe Collegian Sports Editor
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