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> Georgia Tech's Billy Lothridge, 21, is a one-man gang. He runs, he passes, he punts, he kicks, he calls 80% of Tech's offensive plays, and, what's more, he beats Coach Bobby Dodd at his own game: pool. Small wonder that Dodd calls Lothridge "the most valuable player in college today." It was Lothridge who, singlehanded, cost Alabama the 1962 national championship, using his talented toe to get Tech out of trouble nine times with punts that averaged 41 yds. and calmly booting the extra point that sent Alabama down to defeat for the only time all season, 7-6. A wiry, broadnosed senior, Lothridge is regarded by the pros as an adequate passer, a dependable runner—and the best kicker in college football. In four games so far this season, Lothridge has personally accounted for 52 of his team's 65 points.
> Northern Illinois' George Bork, 21, is the kind of small-college star no one hears about until he turns up as a pro. The Green Bay Packers want him, so do the Minnesota Vikings, and no less than 15 pro teams have dispatched scouts to DeKalb, Ill. On practically every play, the Northern Illinois team lines up in a shotgun formation, the ball goes to Bork on a direct snap from center, and five receivers fan out across the field. In four straight victories over the likes of Northeast Missouri and White water (Wis.) State, Bork has attempted 140 passes and completed an even 100 for a fantastic 1,431 yds. and 17 touchdowns. As a high school senior, Bork was too small (5 ft. 10 in., 155 Ibs.) to entice big-college football recruiters. But now he stands 6 ft. 1 in., weighs 170 Ibs., and is stuffing himself on mashed potatoes for the pros. As one scout says: "Anyone who completes that many passes has what it takes—and I don't care whether he's playing against girls."
> Alabama's Joe Namath, 20, is one of those oak-legged Pennsylvania steel-country lads who sifted through 52 college offers before settling on a choice. As a sophomore last year, he announced his arrival at Alabama by flinging three TD passes in the opening game 35-0 rout of Georgia, wound up leading the Southeastern Conference in passing with 76 completions and 1,192 yds., topped off the season by passing for Alabama's first touchdown in a 17-0 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. This year, Alabama casually clobbered Georgia (32-7), Tulane (28-0) and Vanderbilt (21-6) before getting its comeuppance from Florida, 10-6. Coach Bear Bryant's complaint is that Namath has not yet bothered to take the wraps off his throwing arm. "It's his greatest asset," says Bryant. Shrugs Namath: "Why should I throw? We're doing fine on the ground."
There are dozens more. Boston College's Jack Concannon has size (6 ft. 3 in., 200 Ibs.) and stamina, delights in the long scoring strike that breaks up ball games. The pros especially like Maryland's Dick Shiner ("a stylist") and Baylor's Don Trull ("a football genius"). Even the Ivy is blooming: up on Manhattan's Morningside Heights, Coach Buff Donelli is touting Junior Archie Roberts as the best quarterback in Columbia's history—better than Gene Rossides or Paul Governali, better even than Sid Luckman.