(2 of 2)
First-year Coach Dennis Green, 32, and Athletic Director Doug Single, 30, served apprenticeships at Stanford, whose strong academics and respectable football program are a model for Northwestern. In an interview with TIME Correspondent Lee Griggs, Single vowed: "We're in the Big Ten to stay." Green, a bullnecked black man in his first head-coaching job, passed up a possible tie in the season opener when he ordered an unsuccessful two-point conversion in a one-point loss to Indiana. He is a straight talker, given to sometimes bitter post-game oratory. After his eighth loss, to Wisconsin (52-0), Green angered longer-sufferers when he said: "I'm embarrassed to have my name associated with North western University." In a much softer voice, he said, "We're not used to playing hard enough at Northwestern."
Last Saturday the Wildcats broke the losing streak record they shared with Virginia (1958-60) and Kansas State (1945-48). And they did it in style. Michigan State marched to a touchdown with the opening kickoff, scored every time it had the ball in the first half, and led 41-0 at intermission.
Northwestern wound up losing 61-14, and with powerful Ohio State and improving Illinois still ahead this season, victory was not yet in sight.