TOUCHDOWN THRILLS OF 1946

A packed house at West Point. Army's football juggernaut rolls against Columbia. All-American Doc Blanchard sparks the cadets' first touchdown drive racing to Columbia's 20. A moment later, same man, same play, and it's Blanchard scoring for Army. This time, no Blanchard, but plenty of Glenn Davis, a 14-yard gain. Pausing to catch his breath, Davis passes to end Tom Hayes, a 17-yard maneuver. Blanchard again answers the call to duty through the middle for 18 yards. Now, big Doc plunges for his second touchdown. The mercurial Glenn Davis takes over where Blanchard leaves off, and after an out-of-this-world fake on Lou Casciola, completes a 66-yard sprint into paydirt. Back to kick, Davis fumbles on fourth down. There's nothing for him to do but run, as you can see, and brother, does he go, knocking off a quick 35 yards. Paging Mr. Blanchard over for his third TD. Refreshed by the halftime rest, Davis grabs the second-half kickoff, shifts into high gear as he streaks down the gridiron for a neat 54-yard runback. Davis and Blanchard, Blanchard and Davis, Davis Blanchard. And if you think this is getting monotonous, how do you think Columbia feels? This time, no Blanchard, no Davis. It's halfback Rip Rowan, but the result is the same, a 25-yard gain. Andy Gustafson passes to Hank Foldberg, and Army scores again. Columbia's Lions strike back. Lou Casciola cracks through the cadet line, stopped just short of the goal. Yablonski smacks over for a Columbia touchdown. The Lions now kick off to Army, and who's that waiting for the ball? None other than lion tamer Doc Blanchard, who starts for the goal line a mere 92 yards away. His cadet teammates clear the way, Doc steps on the gas and roars to his fourth touchdown. Final score, Army 48, Columbia 14. Tony Minisi, brilliant Quaker back, passes to end Art Littleton in the end zone for Pennsylvania's first touchdown. Skippy Minisi takes the ball, races wide to his left, cuts down the sideline, is hit at the 25, stays in bounds, and skips to another Penn touchdown. Maybe Johnny Welch passes in the flat to Pistol Pete Williams, who shakes loose for a 44-yard touchdown run, but it's undefeated Penn's day. They sink Navy 32 to 19. At Pitt Stadium, Buddy Young carries the mail for a highly-rated Illinois team against Pittsburgh. Young, a heralded football speedster, gets the Illini off to a good start with a sparkling touchdown dash. Another Illinois drive is halted as a pass from Julius Rykovich is intercepted by Pitt's Ralph Short. A moment later, Short rams the middle for a touchdown, and the score is tied 7-7. But Illinois strikes back. Tom Stewart tosses a pass to halfback Paul Patterson, good for 30 yards and a touchdown. Now, keep your eyes peeled for the highlight of the game. Halfback Chick Maggioli of Illinois receives a Pittsburgh punt, heads for the far side of the field, and then cuts down the sideline, and fairly flies for a touchdown run covering 65 yards as Illinois runs away from Pitt 33 to 7. Notre Dame and Iowa tangle before 52,000 in Iowa Stadium. Johnny Lujack starts the Irish rolling, passing 32 yards to halfback Terry Brennan, who steps over for a touchdown. Lujack's hot today. Fading for a pass, he heaves a tremendous one to end Leon Hart, who makes a sparkling catch for a 50-yard completion on the Iowa 10. Bob Sullivan cracks over right tackle down to the 1-yard line. Fullback John Panelli smashes over, and Notre Dame scores again. Mello fumbles Lujack's handoff, but Mr. Lujack grabs the ball, puts on a burst of speed, and dances down the sideline for 45 yards and a touchdown. The unbeaten Irish thrash Iowa 41 to 6. At Athens, Georgia, Charley Trippi, Georgia Bulldog star, fades to pass, is badly rushed, shakes off the onrushing Alabama lineman, gets his pass away to Joe Garry, who races to Alabama's 33-yard line before he's finally hauled down. Bama's Gilmore back to pass. It's intercepted by Dick McAfee, who laterals to John Donaldson, and the Bulldog back races 40 yards to the Crimson Tide 13-yard line. A moment later, Trippi fades back to pass, is rushed, but gets the ball away. Alabama's Self deflects the ball, but Edwards makes a spectacular touchdown catch. Trippi again back to pass, is momentarily trapped, reverses his field, and then displays his All-America class as he sprints for a 28-yard gain. It's that man Trippi again. Faking a pass, he tucks the ball under his arm, breaks around right end, and races goalward on a twisting, weaving 46-yard touchdown run as the unbeaten Georgia Bulldogs trim Alabama 14 to nothing. At Austin, Texas, Bobby Layne, heralded University of Texas fullback, shakes loose on a scintillating 73-yard touchdown gallop against the Oklahoma Aggies in Memorial Stadium. The Aggies try a pass. It's intercepted by center Audrey Gill, and Texas is on the march once more. Tom Landry passes to Byron Gillory, and the Longhorns score again. Perry Samuels takes off on a thrilling 60-yard dash, another versatile performer in the powerful Texas constellation of football stars that makes the Longhorns one of the mightiest football machines in the land. Landry scores, and Texas wins 54 to 6. But Davis, running to the left, takes a pitchout from Tucker, and then thrills the crowd with one of his dazzling open-field shows. Eluding two tacklers, Davis picks up speed. Another tackler grabs Glenn's sleeve, hangs on desperately, but Davis wriggles loose, takes a long stride, and is over for the score. Tucker and Davis collide. The ball pops into the air. Fullback Rip Rowan grabs the loose pigskin for Army, but not for long. Rowan fumbles, too, and in the ensuing free-for-all, Carrington recovers for Navy. The half ends shortly thereafter, Army 21, Navy 6. A colorful halftime midshipman maneuver. Fourth period, Basinger laterals to Earl, who hits Bramlett for a TD. Army 21, Navy 18, and cadet coach Earl Blake is plenty worried. Navy's Lynn Tuning races 20 yards to a first down on the Army 3, and with just 90 seconds to go, the inspired middies are just 9 feet away from one of the greatest upsets of all time. Tuning smacks the left side. The now-aroused cadets hold the line. Tuning tries the right side. Army digs in and stops him cold. Can Navy make it? Hawkins takes the ball, laterals out to Williams, but Army's terrific goal-line stand sinks the Navy 21 to 18 in a hair-raising finish. The excited crowd surges onto the field for a last look at Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis, 60-minute players in their farewell to football.