Nevertheless . . .

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

They played a football game in three acts in Fayetteville, Ark., last week. The first lasted 30 minutes, and Arkan sas had all the lines. The second lasted 26 minutes, and Texas was the lone star. The third lasted only four minutes, but it brought down the house.

All week long the pressure had been building up for the annual grudge match between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Texas Longhorns -- a game that was sure to decide the Southwest Conference championship, and maybe the national title. Texas was ranked No. 1 in one national poll, No. 2 in the other. Arkansas was No. 3 in both. Texas Coach Darrell Royal, whose only loss in his past 26 games was to Arkansas, was so nervous that he closed his practice field to visitors. Arkansas was riding a 16-game winning streak, longest in major college football. On a Fayette ville church, a sign read: FOOTBALL IS ONLY A GAME. ETERNAL THINGS ARE SPIRITUAL. NEVERTHELESS, BEAT TEXAS.

Arkansas did, in the toughest way imaginable. The Razorbacks spurted into a 20-0 second-quarter lead, then stood helplessly as Texas fought back to pull ahead 24-20 with only four minutes left. At that point, the Razorbacks launched their only sustained drive of the second half. Flipping short sideline passes to conserve the clock, Quarterback Jon Brittenum marched his team 80 yds. and plunged over from the 1-yd. line for the TD that made it Arkansas 27, Texas 24.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.