The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 16

45 Tennessee P7 saves Battle from the axe foils 1 3 it I I unteers had all their points before Kentucky could get itself untracked. Big-play artistry did the job. Stanley Morgan broke free for an 80-yard touchdown run, and Mike Gayles plunged one yard after a 36-yard pass from Randy Wallace to Larry Seivers. The other three points on Jim Gaylor's 32-yard field goal were products of Kentucky strategy, following a 30-yard UK punt on third down. iJust as it did in 1973, Kentucky came back as if possessed by demons.

Teetering on disintegration, its defense brutalized Tennessee for the balance of the afternoon. Forsaking conservatism, its offense went on the attack, narrowing See TENNESSEE'S Page 5, Col. 1 Kentucky comeback. He told them not to worry about talk that Battle will be axed. "We weren't playing for Bill Battle, we were playing for us." sail defensive end Ron McCartney.

"By that I mean the players, all the coaches and the university. This thing we have going with Kentucky has been important to me ever since I was a glitter in my pappy's eye back in Charleston, West Virginia." By every standard temper, crowd noise, excitement and bone-rattling contact yesterday's game was an object lesson in why Tennessee-Kentucky passes from father to son. It also was strikingly similar to the 1973 thriller which Tennessee won 16-14. Here's how: Just as in the prior contest, the Vol By MIKE SULLIVAN Courier-Journal Times Staff Writer LEXINGTON. Ky.

A fighting bunch of orange-clad Tennessee Volunteers kept their coach off the unemployment rolls yesterday, holding on by their fingernails for a 17-13 football victory over Kentucky in front of 56,000 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. "It wasn't the prettiest win, but it sure was a good win," said 34-ycar-old Bill Battle. "It's great to come to Lexington and beat the Wildcats." Battle didn't have to add that it's great to almost assure yourself of a seventh year as head coach at one of the nation's most glamorous football schools. Tennessee athletic director Bob Woodruff addressed the players just moments after they had weathered a spine-tingling bowl over Michigan 4thquarter heroics Buckeyes 21-14 on By DICK I'ENLON Louisville Times Sports Editor ANN ARBOR, Mich. Lou Williott, a reserve fullback, clutched a single rose in his right hand, holding it protectively in the air as he fought his way through the tunnel leading to the Ohio State dressing room in.

Michigan Stadium. A solitary rose, but enough to tell the story. In another of those magnificent games that national television audiences have come to expect from this annual show S3)c down, Ohio State scored two touchdowns within 59 seconds in, the final four minutes yesterday to come from seven points behind and defeat Michigan 21-14 before a record crowd of 105,543. The victory, achieved on what Ohio State's Woody Hayes described as "the greatest comeback I've ever had as a coach," enabled his team, ranked No. 1 in the country, to complete a spotless regular season and advance to the Rose Bowl for the fourth straight year.

It will meet the Pacific-8 Conference champion, either 1973 Section Page 5 Page 6 -r- mm in November 23, UCLA or California, on New Year's Day. Michigan, shut out of the Rose Bowl again as it was when it tied Ohio State for the Big Ten title the past three years, will also go a-bowling. Freed by a revision of Big Ten policy, it will meet Big Eight Conference co-champion Okolo-homa, which defeated previously unbeaten Nebraska 35-10 yesterday at Norman, in the Orange Bowl at Miami New Year's night. A consolation, right, Gordon Bell? "Yeah," said Gorden Bell. "It's not bad." A lie.

For Michigan, it WAS bad yesterday. In those final four moments, a horror story of grotesque proportions unfolded for the Wolverines, denying them a triumph that would have wiped out all the frustrations they have endured for most of Wayne Woodrow Hayes' 25 years at Ohio State. Instead of the win that would have given it an undisputed Big Ten title, extending a string of five straight outright or shared championships, Michigan tumbled into second place in the final Big Ten standings, finishing 6-1 behind Ohio State's 7-0. And instead of dissipating the frustration of the past, misery heaped upon misery, particularly because of the manner in which Michigan outplayed Ohio State See ROSES Page 6, Col. 1 Page 6 Western pride.

But you have to go through a lot of history to find a game where Western played better. The offense was a thing of beauty, doing what it had to when it had to, and not making any mistakes in between. Western's defense, meanwhile well, Mike Hobbie can tell you about it. Hobbie is the Murray quarterback and the leader of a pack regarded as a thinking-man's team with a tendency to lose when swamped with flattery. The hypothesis was confirmed again, but only because Western never gave Murray a chance.

So now to Hobbie. "This was the longest day in my life. Tex. Luth. 32 Oe Penn Slate 7 California ..48 Hanover ...13 Miss.

7 Pitt ....6 Stanford ...15 Indiana coach Lee Corso falls to his knees in dismay 9-7 loss to Purdue. IU fumbled twice in the last two after a fumble kills a potential scoring drive in IU's minutes deep in Purdue territory. Page 4 By TOM PATTERSON Courier-Journal Times Staff Writer Playoff bound stifles Hobbie, Murray 19-0 Oh those fumbles! was drug off the field by two teammates and never returned. Keith Tandy, a defensive end for Western, said "Hobbie was scared." Huh? "Yep scared," said Tandy walking away. He stopped, turned around and added: "I'm not bragging.

It's just a fact." Two field goals by Charlie Johnson and a two-yard TD run by Lawrence Jefferson gave Western a 12-0 lead heading into the final quarter. Murray had accomplished little up to then. The only thing it had going in the first half was a drive which produced a BOWLING GREEN, Ky. With the precision of a Swiss clock that has not lost a second in 10 college football games, Western Kentucky University's Big Red -Machine marched past Murray State yes-; terday and now seems destined for better things. The 19-0 victory, achieved before some 1 15,300 bone-chilled spectators, gave Western a share of the Ohio Valley Con-; ference title with Tennessee Tech, both wth 6-1 league records.

"Very nice," I said Western coach Jimmy Feix. Now how about the playoffs? Eastern outlasts stubborn Morehead Visier no surprise to Fischer, Riera Associated Press touchdown which was nullied because of a penalty. Behind 3-0, Murray turned to Hobbie, who put on a brief performance throwing passes impeccably. The TD strike was a 25-yarder into the arms of Gary Brumm. But Brumm had left the line of scrimmage too soon, and Murray's opportunity flittered away with the five yard penalty.

"That TD would have given this game a different look, I'll guarantee you that," said Murray coach Bill Furgerson, Who suffered through his first losing season See WESTERN Page 3, Col. 5 the mud, he won on the dry, he won going long and sprinting. What more can you expect?" Not much. The triumph by Visier, a son of Hail to All, was expected also by his jockey, Rene Riera Jr. "I was never worried about this colt losing," Riera said.

"I had a hold on him in the early going and when the running began he went right to the front." Visier took the lead after six furlongs with Riera having an enjoyable ride. "I knew what he could do. I've ridden him before and I've galloped him in the mornings." Finishing back of the top pair in order, were Ski Run, Doug, Rubber Tree and Glenwood Park. The early pace was set See VISIER Page 8, Col. 1 "I guarartee you we'll never have a 1-10 season again," he said.

"I've never seen anything like this. In all my years of coaching I've never seen a team play any harder and win only one game.1 We don't have enough experience and talent, but we're going to get it before next year. "We'll be the biggest surpirse of college football in 1976." Gibson was burning over several things that happened yesterday. Some were the doing of West Texas. One was a 40-yard pass on the last play of the game by West Texas reserve Tracy Quails to an open receiver in the end zone.

The receiver dropped the ball. Had See PEACOCK Page 7, Col. 1 I've never been more frustrated on a football field. Everytime I looked up, there was a red uniform coming at me. When I passed, I was hitting helmets." Here, Hobbie held out his hand.

His knuckles were skinned. "One time somebody grabbed my arm when I tried to pass. They were spinning me around and I rushed everything. That's their game, though. They force you into mistakes." Western also did one other thing to Hobbie.

Nute Haire, a second-string linebacker, crashed into Hobbie in the final quarter. Hobbie never saw him coming and never saw him leave. He (Hobbie) Staff Photo by Paul Schuhmann By MARVIN N. GAY Jr. Courier-Journal Times Staff Writer The 3-year-old colt Visier has a habit that is pleasing to owners and trainers.

He is at his best with big money on the line. Yesterday, for example, Visier was a romping winner in the $26,500 Kentucky Cardinal Stakes at Churchill Downs, and it was his sixth stakes triumph in eight victories this year. The triumph didn't surprise trainer R. J. Fischer, a Louisvillian by way of Covington.

Fischer was calm before and after the 1 116-mile race for 3-year-olds. "This is an exceedingly versatile horse," said Fischer of Visier, who finished three lengths ahead of runner-up Slade's Prospect before a crowd of 11,238 watching the race in chilly weather. "He won on the grass by five lengths, he won With the victory, its ninth against one loss, Western will learn sometime today that it has been invited to the Division II playoffs, probably against Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, where it snowed a bunch last Thursday. "I've only been to Iowa once in my life," said Feix. "That was to scout Murray a long time ago." If only ironically, it was Murray that ultimately was the final step to the playoffs, a step Western took with the grace of a ballerina.

There have been scads of games in this rivalry with equal pressure and buildup, some for championships, all of them for "We've been told there's a slight possibility of an at-large berth," Kidd said after his team kept itself in contention for a bid with a 17-9 win yesterday over Ohio Valley Conference rival Morehead. "It's funny, though," he continued. "(Tennessee) Tech could have won the conference outright and maybe us and Western would go to the playoffs." Tech, though, will have to settle for a share of the conference title with Western which blanked Murray 19-0 yesterday and See EASTERN Page 3, Col. 1 sports Mike Barry columns Page 2 Old Oaken Bucket tiItPage 4 after favorite bolts- Page 8 p.m.-NCAA football, UCLA-USC, ABC, Ch. 32.

SATURDAY 12:30 p.m.-NCAA football, Army-Navy, ABC, Channel 32. 4 p.m.-NCAA football, Auburn-Alabama, ABC, Channel 32. 4:30 p.m. Churchill Downs feature race, Ch. 11.

9 p.m.-NCAA basketball, UCLA-Indiana, NBC, Channel 3. NEXT SUNDAY 1 p.m.-NFL, Oilers-Bengals, NBC, Channel 3. 1 p.m.-NFL, Saints-Browns, CBS, Channel 11. 4 p.m.-NFL, Vikings-Redskins, CBS, Channel 11. Today's radio log on Page 2 By CARTER PENCE 1 Courier-Journal Timet Staff Writer MOREHEAD, Ky.

Eastern Kentucky football coach Roy Kidd already has plans for Monday. He intends to go out and recruit ball players for next season. But they're flexible, and Kidd probably wouldn't mind delaying his sales pitch for a week or two. Kidd will be at phoneside this aftcr-noon, waiting for the right person to dial his number in Richmond. The right per- son would be representing the NCAA and offering an invitation to participate in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

inside Dave Kindred, Dick Fenlon, Purdue edges Indiana 9-7 in Dismal season ends at 1-10 for Louisville UK nips ugonlavs o-74 in basketball exhibition Page Oklahoma stuns Nebraska 33-10 for Orange Bowl spot.Pagc Tennessee Tech wins, lies Western for OYC title Page Eastern Kentucky repeals as volleyball champ Page I Vf ilc Free Journey raptures stakes sports on television 1 p.m. NFt, Bengals-Browns, NBC, Channel 3. 1 p.m.-NFL, Cardinals-Jets, CBS, Channel 11. 4 p.m.-NFL, Raide'S-Redsltint, NBC, Channel 3. 4 p.m.-NBA, Philadelphia-Atlanta, CBS, Ch.

11. MONDAY 9 p.m.-NFL Steelers-Oilers, ABC, Channel 32. THURSDAY 12:30 p.m.-NFL, Rams-Lions, CBS, Channel 11. 3:30 p.m.-NFL, Bills-Cardinals, NBC, Channel 3. 9 p.m.-NCAA football Georgia-Georgia Tech, ABC, Channel 32.

FRIDAY 2:30 p.m. NCAA football, Texas-Texas A ABC, Channel 32. Material In this report cam from special dispatches and the broadcast of the game over WAVE radio. CANYON, Tex. So it ends with one victory and 10 losses.

The University of Louisville football team was submerged 49-23 by the stampeding, wishboning West Texas State Buffaloes here yesterday afternoon. Embarrassing records continue to mount. Ten is the highest number of losses ever in of football history. The 49 points were the most of gave up in any one 1975 game. Vince Gibson, the man who came to Louisville with unabashed optimism to pour Red Rage into of L's sinking program, walked away from the final game of his first season in a blue funk.

Western Kentucky defensive back James Jones is congratulated by teammate and fellow Louisville native Rick Green following Jones' touchdown run of an interception. Western beat Murray 19-0 yesterday. i ifc i.