Showdown at San Francisco

Early in the year, the pro champion Baltimore Colts lolled on the laurels of success. With a rock-hard defense turned butter-soft, their record at mid-season was an embarrassing 4-3, and only the slingshot passes of Quarterback Johnny Unitas saved the Colts from a worse showing. Not until recent weeks did the Colts turn frisky again, climb to a first-place tie in the Western Conference with the faltering San Francisco Forty-Niners.

Last week was the showdown; the Colts tackled the Forty-Niners in their own stadium, with the conference title at stake. Cool and confident, Quarterback Unitas whipsawed the Forty-Niner defense by sending fleet Halfback Lennie Moore to the outside, barreling Fullback Alan ("The Horse") Ameche up the middle. But as always the big man was Unitas himself. Passing in the calm lee of Tackle Jim Parker (6 ft. 3 in., 275 lbs.), Unitas threw for three touchdowns to bring his season's total to 29, break the N.F.L. record held since 1943 by the Bears' Sid Luckman. When his receivers were covered, Unitas bolted 12 yds. for a fourth touchdown.

Not even a second-half appearance by balding Forty-Niner Quarterback Y. A. Tittle, still gimpy from an earlier Colt game, could save the day against a gang-tackling Colt defense led by massive (6 ft. 4 in., 240 Ibs.) Gino Marchetti. Final score: Colts 34, Forty-Niners 14. The victory at the least assured the Colts a first-place tie, setting up the prospect of another classic clash for the pro championship between Baltimore and the New York Giants, who won the Eastern Conference title by routing the Cleveland Browns, 48-7.

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The nation's TV football fans spent the afternoon frantically flicking from the Colts--Forty-Niners game on CBS to NBC, where undefeated Syracuse, intent on disproving the taunt that it had played only so-so opposition, was busy wrecking a U.C.L.A. team that had upended high ranking Southern California two weeks earlier. The game was never even close. Syracuse's "Sizable Seven" linemen (average weight: 216 lbs.) scornfully brushed aside U.C.L.A.'s specially designed trap plays, held U.C.L.A.'s offense to a humiliating minus 13 yds. on the ground. Led by German-born Team Captain Gerhard Schwedes, a slashing right halfback, Syracuse rolled up touchdowns with offhand ease. Score: Syracuse 36, U.C.L.A. 8--convincing proof that Syracuse was the finest college team in the land.

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