Top Ten

With Bowl selection committees studying form charts and showing up at key games around the U.S., a whole lot of candidates could not stand the pressure, blew a good share of their hopes in a series of big upsets. Rice could not stop downtrodden (3-5) Texas A. & M., took a 28-21 licking that dimmed its Cotton Bowl hopes. Southern Methodist, another Cotton Bowl candidate, lost to anemic (2-6) Arkansas 13-6. Pittsburgh fell out of the postseason picture by losing 14-6 to a Nebraska team that had dropped five straight. Georgia Tech's prospects were punctured by Alabama 17-8. Overrated Mississippi blew an 18-16 decision to punchless Tennessee. Holy Cross, rated tops in New England, took a fearsome 32-0 shellacking from Penn State, and Rutgers (with Bill Austin injured) had its hopes for its first unbeaten season in history smashed by the Quantico Marines 13-12.

TIME'S Top Ten:

1) Louisiana State (9-0)--but not by much after being forced to come from behind to edge unheralded Mississippi State 7-6.

2) Iowa (6-1-1)--yielded its top rank with a letdown after clinching the Rose Bowl bid, lost to aroused Ohio State 38-28.

3) Army (7-0-1)--steam-rolled over Villanova 26-0 as Captain Pete Dawkins caught a pass for one touchdown, slashed 5 yds. for another, ran back a punt for a third.

4) Wisconsin (6-1-1)--neatly dumped Illinois 31-12.

5) Purdue (6-1-1)--better every week, flattened Northwestern 23-6.

6) Oklahoma (7-1)--clinched a date in the Orange Bowl by walloping Missouri 39-0.

7) Auburn (7-0-1)--still plodding along, methodically conquered Georgia 21-6.

8) Ohio State (5-1-2)--finally got its crunching ground game stoing against Iowa.

9) Air Force Academy (7-0-1)--remained a prime Bowl candidate with a solid 21-6 triumph over rugged Wyoming.

10) Texas Christian (7-1)--trailed Texas 8-0 at half time but came alive with a 22-8 victory; beaten only by Iowa, should win a berth in the Cotton Bowl.

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