Die Macht » aturday and Sept. 30 and then in the wil

By the 1950s, college footballs balance of power had drifted from the elite Eastern schools to the Midwest, where Bud Wilkinsons Oklahoma Sooners dominated the polls and set a record winning streak that still stands.Over the decade, the Sooners appeared in nearly 95 percent of The Associated Press polls, with their 26 weeks at No. 1 by far the most of any team. They won three national championships and rolled to 47 straight victories between 1953 and 1957.Ive only known one genius in my lifetime. His name was Bud Wilkinson, the late Sooners quarterback and Colorado coach Eddie Crowder famously said.While the Sooners unprecedented success dominates any conversation about college football in the 1950s, the era brought some notable changes.In 1953, the NCAA implemented stricter substitution rules requiring teams to go back to the one-platoon system used before 1941 (free substitution returned in the 1960s). More penalties were called after back judges were added to officiating crews in 1955, the option to run or pass for two points after a touchdown came in 1958 and the goal posts were widened from 18 feet, 6 inches to 23-4 in 1959.The 1950s also saw greater reliance on the running game. Of the decades Heisman Trophy winners, nine were running backs, including Alan Ameche, Howard Hopalong Cassady, John David Crow and Billy Cannon. The other was Notre Dame quarterback Paul Hornung, a converted running back who became one of the NFLs greatest halfbacks for the Green Bay Packers.At Oklahoma, Wilkinson unveiled the split-T offensive formation he learned from his mentor, Don Faurot, and in the mid-1950s he came up with a hurry-up offense allowing the Sooners to capitalize on their superior conditioning. Wilkinson also is credited with introducing the 5-2 defensive alignment -- five defensive linemen, two linebackers -- to the college game. That was a change from the seven-man defensive fronts that were common.Wilkinsons recruiting philosophy required that his players not only be fast and strong but football smart. He placed a premium on intelligence because of his low tolerance for mistakes.The fact our men believe they can use their brains to defeat a physically superior opponent pays dividends you cant reckon with, Wilkinson once said.Rarely were the Sooners outmanned, not with Crowder, Billy Vessels and Tommy McDonald among 13 consensus All-Americans on the field during the `50s.With all that talent and Wilkinsons innovations, the Sooners won conference titles every year from 1950-59 and national championships in `50, 55 and 56. But for all the titles, the Sooners of that era are best remembered for their 47-game run in which they outscored their opponents by an average of 35-6. No major-college team since has come close to winning so many in a row.The streak started in October 1953 with a 19-14 win over rival Texas in Dallas. The Sooners ended that season 9-1-1 and went 10-0, 11-0 and 10-0 the next three years to extend the streak to 40 games. Win No. 47 was a 39-14 road victory over Missouri on Nov. 9, 1957. The streak ended the following week when the Sooners, as 18-point favorites, lost 7-0 to Notre Dame on their home field.The star running back on that OU team, Jakie Sandefer, said, I remember coach Wilkinson coming into the dressing room and saying, `Im proud of you guys. Youve been part of winning 47 straight games. That is something no major college team will ever do again.BEST PROGRAMSOklahoma appeared in 94.83 percent of all polls taken.Michigan State, 74.14 percent.Notre Dame, 71.55 percent.BEST RIVALRYMichigan vs. Ohio State. The 1950 Snow Bowl played in a blizzard in Columbus -- the No. 8 Buckeyes lost 9-3 -- started a decade in which the teams split 10 games. One or both teams were ranked in seven of those.MAIN TAKEAWAYThe decade belonged to Wilkinson and his Oklahoma Sooners, with their three national championships, 47-game win streak and 93-10-2 record. The Sooners dominance overshadowed the championship program Woody Hayes started building at Ohio State. The decade also was the dawn of the games television era, though there were no national broadcasts until the 1960s.---Online:More on the APs Top 100 retrospective: http://collegefootball.ap.org/ap-poll-all-time Ian McCoshen Panthers Jersey . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. Jonathan Huberdeau Jersey . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline.com/henrik-borgstrom-hockey-jersey/ . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. Aaron Ekblad Panthers Jersey . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. Aleksander Barkov Panthers Jersey .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. NEW YORK -- So much for the New York Mets lining up Noah Syndergaard for the National League wild-card game on Oct. 5.Syndergaards scheduled start on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies has been shelved because the ace is suffering from strep throat.Left-hander Sean Gilmartin instead will make a spot start for the Mets.Manager Terry Collins said the hope is that Syndergaard can return Monday or Tuesday in Miami and not miss a full rotation turn. That would allow Syndergaard to still make two more regular-season starts.However, Syndergaard no longer would be lined up for the wild-card game.With the Mets, San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals all bunched within a game in the standings, Collins noted the Mets may no longer have the luxury of lining up a pitcher for the wild-card game.Right now, in our situation, we cant worry about Oct. 5, Collins said.Collins added that the Mets could skip Bartolo Colon or Syndergaard the final weekend of the regular season at Philadelphia and use one of those pitchers in the wild-card game if the Mets are fortunate to clinch early.The Mets originally had eyed Syndergaard pitching on Saturday and Sept. 30 and then in the wild-card game and Colon pitching the regular-season finale and then Games 1 and 5 of an NLDS.Although not overly serious, Syndergaards brief unavailability is the latest blow to a ddepleted rotation.ddddddddddddThe Mets had hoped left-hander Steven Matz would pitch on Friday for the first time since Aug. 14. But Matz experienced renewed shoulder discomfort after throwing a bullpen session Wednesday and was scratched. Rookie Gabriel Ynoa will plug the rotation void for Matz.Meanwhile, right-hander Jacob deGrom underwent season-ending surgery Wednesday to relocate the ulnar nerve in his pitching elbow. Matt Harvey underwent season-ending surgery in July to remove a rib and alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome, and Zack Wheeler has been shut down until next season because of complications in his rehab from Tommy John surgery.The Mets already are relying on rookies Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman in the rotation. Both likely would start games should the Mets reach a division series against the Chicago Cubs.Gilmartin will become the 12th starting pitcher used by the Mets this season. He has thrown no more than 18 pitches in any appearance since rejoining the Mets in late August from Triple-A Las Vegas, so his ability to pitch deep into a game will be an issue.As long as Im out there and throwing pitches that are getting people out, I think Im able to go out as long as they need me to go, Gilmartin said. ' ' '