DARTMOUTH 20 – BUCKNELL 18

The opener with Bucknell University proved to be the toughest first-game the Big Green has been forced to play in many years. The contest was just as close as the 20-18 score indicates. When the final whistle had blown, the fans were asking themselves whether Bucknell was really that good or the Big Green below par. On the other hand, two points were obvious: the Indian pass defense needed work, and Bucknell had a fine passing quarterback in Don Rodgers.

The Indians broke the game open with a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter and left the field at halftime ahead 13-0. The first was scored by McLean on a 25-yard draw play. Five minutes later, the Indians scored again to cap a 57-yard march. Spangenberg, Kelly, and McLean all made long runs, but it was McLean who took the ball across the goal line on a nine-yard-screen pass from Kelly.

McLean received a hip injury late in the second period and was out for the rest of the game. His absence was felt as the Green offense sputtered. Bucknell took the opening kickoff of the second half and put together a drive of 74 yards with Rodgers hitting on five out of five passes to gain the touchdown. Less than three minutes later, the Bisons came roaring back to score again after sophomore end Tom Mitchell intercepted a Kelly pass on the Dartmouth 39. On the first play from scrimmage Mitchell went down and out to take a Rodgers pass for a touchdown. At this point the score stood 13-12.

In the fourth period the Big Green drove 42 yards after end Charlie Greer intercepted a Rodgers pass. The Green stuck to the ground with Kelly going over from the one on a wedge play. Gary Wilson booted his second extra point and the score stood 20-12.

Even with the minutes fast ticking away Bucknell was far from dead. The Bisons took the Dartmouth kickoff and on the first play from their 31 went the entire distance. Again, it was the combination of Rodgers to Mitchell. Mitchell simply outraced the Dartmouth secondary and was en his way to the goal line when he scooped in the ball.

The Dartmouth victory streak hung in the balance as the Bisons lined up for the extra point. There was no doubt they were going for two points and a tie. Rodgers stepped back, looked for a receiver and tossed a bullet pass right over the middle of the line. Indian left guard, Ed Keible, was there, however, and knocked down the conversion attempt.

The fact that Keible was in the game at all at that point was part of the gridiron drama. Earlier in the game, Keible had been injured and when a preliminary inspection indicated the injury might be serious he was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. The doctors, however, found that he had only sustained a bump on the thigh and was okay for further action. With sirens blasting, Keible was rushed back to Memorial Field and re-entered the game in time to make one of the best defensive plays of the game.

Keible, McLean, and end Al Pierce, who had also done a fine job on defense, were all destined to miss the Penn game the following week because of injuries received against Bucknell.

Jack McLean fights through Brown line.

NO. 15 A pass from Dana Kelly to Bob O'Brien gave the Big Green a 13-8 victory over Holy Cross and extended the winning streak to fifteen. The Indians pushed across the deciding touchdown with less than five minutes left in the game. Trailing 8-7 at the half, Dartmouth dominated the last 30 minutes of play, coming close to scoring on three different occasions.