Titans Are in a Close Race for Top Spot

THE COLLEGES

With numerous absentee ballots in the West still to be counted by the Bottom Ten’s 1960s-era computer, Arkansas maintained a narrow edge over Pitt and Cal State Fullerton in the race with one week remaining.

It wouldn’t be correct, exactly, to say that Texas A$M phoned in its 20-16 victory over the Razorbacks Saturday. However, earlier in the week, six Aggie players were charged in connection with the alleged illegal use of telephone charge cards.

An early candidate for Sportsman of the Year is Houston Coach John Jenkins who left quarterback David Klingler in until midway in the fourth quarter against powerful Eastern Washington, removing him with the Cougars apparently safely ahead, 77-14.

Suspense over Saturday’s USC-Notre Dame game centered on whether the USC Marching Band could break its NCAA record for number of times played “Tribute to Troy” (85, set last Saturday against UCLA and 98,088 defenseless fans).

RANKINGS

Team, Record Last Loss Next Loss 1. Arkansas (2-8) 16-20,Texas A$M SMU 2. Pitt (3-6-1) Idle Penn St. 3. CS Fullerton (1-11) 9-43, N. Mex. St. Finished 4. Jenkins (Hou) Pride Gloating 5. LSU (4-6) 22-34, Miss St Tulane 6. Ga. (4-6) 10-33, Auburn Idle 7. Va. (1-2)* 30-35, Maryland Va. Tech 8. Sugar Bowl Chose Va. TV ratings 9. Cal fans** Def. Cal, 27-25 Idle 10. N. Dame (0-2)*** 21-24, Penn St. USC

11. Texas A&M; (six players charged with phone misuse last week); 12. New Mexico State (1-10); 13. Northwestern (2-8); 14. Arizona State (4-5); 15. The concept “undefeated” in college football this year; 16. Washington State (3-8); 17. Vanderbilt (1-8); 18. Kentucky (4-6) ; 19. Idle; 20. USC song, “Tribute to Troy.”

*Record in November.

**Stormed onto field, which resulted in a penalty that helped position Stanford for winning field goal.

***Record in games in which Raghib (Rocket) Ismail has missed half or more.

ROUT OF THE WEEK: Virginia Tech (5-5) over Virginia (1-2 in November).

AND THIS GUY USED TO PLAY FOOTBALL: ABC’s Bob Griese said that the loss of All-American underclassmen Mark Carrier and Junior Seau to the pros hadn’t weakened USC’s defense this year.

THE PROS

Could the Rams be involved in a Milli Vanilli-type scandal? Were those the club’s actual players on the field Sunday? Or were the uniforms worn by studio musicians hired by owner Georgia Frontiere, a former singer with links to the entertainment industry?

How else to explain the 21-24 loss by a supposed Super Bowl contender to Dallas? Such a massive fraud would, of course, be unprecedented. (USC used to have a placekicker named Tommy Walker who played trumpet with the school band at halftime, but it was no secret and, besides, he was a fine kicker.)

The Cowboys’ victory dropped the dispute between quarterback Troy Aikman and Coach Jimmy Johnson over Aikman’s alleged badgering of teammates to No. 4 in the Family Feuds Division. No. 1 is the clash between Sam Wyche of Cincinnati and Bill Walsh of NBC over a report by Walsh that Wyche has fallen out of favor with team owner Paul Brown.

Some credence has been given the report because Brown was believed to be the only remaining person associated with the NFL that Wyche has not feuded with.

RANKINGS LYGHT-ISMAIL-DETMER* DIVISION

Team, Record Last Loss Next Loss 1. Old England (1-9) 0-14, Buffalo Phoenix* 2. Phoenix (2-8) 21-24, Green Bay OldEnglnd* 3. Cleveland (2-8) 23-35, Houston Miami 4. L.A. Lambs (3-7) 21-24, Dallas S.F.

* Winner entitled to first round pick in next draft, which could be Notre Dame’s Todd Lyght or Rocket Ismail or Brigham Young’s Ty Detmer.

FAMILY-FEUD DIVISION

Combatants Dispute 1. Wyche (Cin) vs Walsh (NBC) Wyche getting axe? 2. Sanders (Atl) vs Stinson (Chi) Which one stinks? 3. Elway (Den) vs. Reeves (Den) Wimpy playbook? 4. Aikman (Dal) vs. Johnson (Dal). Troy too tart?