Fitful Fall

Missouri was clobbered by Nebraska 62-0. Nebraska lost to U.C.L.A. 20-17. U.C.L.A. was defeated by Michigan 26-9. Michigan barely squeaked by Northwestern 7-0. And Northwestern was manhandled by Notre Dame 37-0. That, by all the rules of logic, means that Missouri should have lost to Notre Dame by a lopsided score of something like a zillion to zip. Right?

Wrong. The lowly, thrice-beaten Missourians not only met the unbeaten Irish on Notre Dame's home turf, a prospect about as promising as the Christians' venturing into the Colosseum, but pulled off a startling 30-26 upset. That same weekend mighty Oklahoma, the nation's No. 2-ranked team behind the high-scoring Trojans of Southern Cal, was put out of contention by a barefooted Chilean placekicker named Fred Lima, who booted two field goals for Colorado in the final period to down the Sooners 20-14. It's been that kind of season so far, for college football in particular and sports in general--a fitful fall full of upsets, letdowns and enduring surprises.

Youthful adrenalin--and perhaps the sloppy drizzle in South Bend, Ind., or the mile-high altitude in Boulder, Colo.--might "account for some of the unexpected scores on the college circuit. But what of the pros, those supposedly steady, seasoned old veterans? In the National Hockey League, for instance, the venerable Montreal Canadiens are battling for the Eastern Division lead with the likes of the Detroit Red Wings (who have not won the Stanley Cup in 18 years) and a gang of young upstarts called the Buffalo Sabres. The Boston Bruins? Last year's Stanley Cup winners, weakened by defections to the fledgling World Hockey Association, are languishing in a tie for fifth place. In pro basketball the World Champion Los Angeles Lakers have already lost twice, while the Boston Celtics, an also-ran team in recent years, are out in front in their division with a perfect 8-0 record.

Pro football has been a bettor's nightmare. After yet another round of upsets last week, the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Colts, both play-off participants last season, were in last place with a woeful total of only three victories in twelve games. Meanwhile, the surprising Green Bay Packers, dead last in their division last year, are now in a first-place tie with the Detroit Lions. As Joe Willie Namath might have said last week, after he threw a desperation pass that a Colt defender bounced volleyball fashion into the arms of Jet Receiver Eddie Bell, who ran for a touchdown and a last-minute 24-20 victory: It's just one of those freak things.

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