SEC roundup: Fans trash field at Tennessee; Gators fall in Death Valley

Ole Miss players stand on the field after the game was delayed because of fans throwing bottles onto the field during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Knoxville, Tenn. Ole Miss won 31-26. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 13 Ole Miss held off Tennessee 31-26 on Saturday night after Rebels coach Lane Kiffin avoided being by hit by golf balls as Volunteers fans pelted the field with objects in the chaotic final minutes.

Ole Miss stopped Tennessee a yard shy of a first down on a fourth-and-24 pass with just over a minute left. After that play, and the review that confirmed the spot of the ball, Tennessee fans pelted the field with objects. Tennessee’s cheerleaders, dance team and band were ordered out of the stadium and police cleared the student section.

“I don’t know if I’m more excited that we found a way to win or that I didn’t get hit with the golf balls that they were throwing at me,” former Vols coach Kiffin told SEC Network, holding up a yellow golf ball.

“I still have my souvenir golf ball,” Kiffin said. “I also got hit with bottles with some brown stuff in them. I don’t think those fans would waste moonshine. You’ve got one of the most passionate fan bases in America. A call didn’t go their way.”

Play resumed after about a 20-minute delay.

Matt Corral threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 195 yards for Mississippi (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference). Hendon Hooker threw for 233 yards and a touchdown and for Tennessee (4-3, 2-2) and ran for 108 yards and a score.

“I’m disappointed in the way the game ended with things being thrown from the crowd,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. “I know that’s very few of our crowd members. For the most part of the game, what an unbelievable atmosphere to see Vol Nation show out the way they did.”

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey released a statement, saying:

“The Conference has established expectations for behavior and sportsmanship, and the actions of fans at Saturday night’s game were unacceptable under any circumstances. We are accustomed to intense competition every week, but under no circumstances is it acceptable to endanger the contest participants and disrupt a game. We will review existing Conference policies and the Commissioner’s authority to impose penalties and communicate with the leadership at the University of Tennessee — and all of the SEC’s member universities — to make certain this situation is not repeated.”

Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman tweeted:

“I am astonished and sickened by the behavior of some Vol fans at the end of tonight’s game. Good sportsmanship must be part of who we are as Volunteers. Behavior that puts student-athletes, coaches, visitors and other fans at risk is not something we will tolerate.”

After play resumed, Tennessee’s Velus Jones returned a punt 40 yards to the Ole Miss 47. Hooker ran 14 yards, but was injured with 18 seconds to play. Joe Milton came off the bench to hit Walker Merrill for 12 yards to the 21. Milton spiked the ball, then misfired into the end zone, setting up the final play. Milton ran 13 yards on the final play and was pushed out of bounds at the 8 as time expired.

“I wish (Tennessee) had better class,” Ole Miss linebacker Mark Robinson said. “We just came here to win a game and we did.”

With Tennessee down 31-19 after three quarters, Hooker tightened it with a 5-yard scoring run less than 2 minutes into the fourth quarter.

Jones had a 29-yard reception on the first possession of the second half to set the table for Jabari Small to score from a yard out to cut the Rebel lead to 24-19. It went to 31-19 when Corral found Dontario Drummond for a 16-yard score to close out the third quarter.

LSU wins shootout with Florida

BATON ROUGE, La. — Tyrion Davis-Price rushed for an LSU-record 287 yards and three touchdowns, and the Tigers' banged-up defense came up with four interceptions in a 49-42 victory over No. 20 Florida on Saturday.

The stirring performance produced thunderous roars from a Death Valley crowd that came in with low expectations after unranked LSU (4-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) had dropped its previous two games against Auburn and Kentucky, fueling speculation coach Ed Orgeron's hold on his job was tenuous at best.

After Damone Clark's interception of Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, Davis-Price literally and fittingly ran out the final 1:59 on Florida (4-3, 2-3). Price ran for two more first downs and broke the previous LSU single-game rushing record of 285 yards by Derrius Guice.

Max Johnson passed for 133 yards and three touchdowns — all to Jaray Jenkins. The last one came on fourth and goal with 3:30 left.

The highlight-filled game, replete with big plays, wild momentum swings and even a converted Hail Mary pass by Florida at the end of the first half, was just the latest chapter in a rivalry that has produced high drama and unpredictable outcomes.

Last season, LSU pulled out a late and unlikely victory on Cade York's 57-yard field goal through fog at the Swamp after a Florida defender helped extend the winning drive with a penalty for throwing an LSU player's shoe. The Gators spent the past week talking about how they were focused on not beating themselves again this time, but they hurt their own cause again with turnovers.

Emory Jones threw two interceptions, including one returned by Dwight McGlothern 37 yards for a touchdown on the Gators' first series of the second half. Earlier, Jones' deflected pass was intercepted by linebacker Micah Baskerville and returned 54 yards to the Florida 28, setting up Johnson's first scoring pass to Jenkins.

Richardson was intercepted by Ward on the first play of Florida's next series, leading to Johnson's 5-yard TD pass to Jenkins to make it 21-6.

Florida appeared to be regaining momentum on the final play of the first half, when Jones heaved a Hail Mary pass from 42 yards out that was caught by Justin Shorter between three Tigers defensive backs to cut LSU's lead to 21-13.

But McGlothern provided a measure of redemption with his pick-six on the opening series of the third quarter. That was the first of four TDs scored in a span of 6:13, including Richardson's 5-yard run, followed by his run for a 2-point conversion, David-Price's 40-yard run and Richardson's 5-yard pass to Shorter.

Florida then tied it at 35 on Richardson's 11-yard pass to Dameon Pierce with 3:45 left in the third.

After Davis-Price's 25-yard scoring run and Richardson's pinpoint, 33-yard scoring pass to Jacob Copeland, the score was tied again at 42 with most of the fourth quarter still remaining.

Aggies win big at Mizzou

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Texas A&M’s running back duo of Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane combined for 292 rushing yards and three touchdowns to power the 21st-ranked Aggies to a 35-14 victory over Missouri on Saturday.

Spiller rushed 20 times for 168 yards and one touchdown, and Achane added 16 carries for 124 yards and two scores as Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) avoided a letdown after last week’s upset of Alabama.

Missouri (3-4, 0-3 SEC) has the nation’s worst run defense — allowing 287 rushing yards per game — and it offered little resistance as Spiller ripped off a 48-yard touchdown run and Achane followed with a 20-yard scoring run in the first quarter. The home crowd booed Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz when he ran out the clock in the first half rather than aggressively trying to cut into the Aggies’ 28-7 lead.

Zach Calzada completed 13 of 25 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Both scoring passes went to Ainias Smith.

Missouri’s Tyler Badie rushed 22 times for 68 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown run in the second quarter in which he dragged defensive back Demani Richardson for the final 5 yards. Badie also had seven catches for 53 yards.

Connor Bazelak completed 29 of 43 passes for 230 yards for the Tigers but was intercepted twice.

Texas A&M outgained Missouri 431 yards to 328.

Georgia wins matchup of unbeaten teams

ATHENS, Ga. — With Georgia playing its first game as the nation's No. 1-ranked team since 2008, Stetson Bennett tossed three touchdown passes and the Bulldogs got another stifling defensive effort in a 30-13 victory over No. 11 Kentucky on Saturday.

Bennett, starting his third straight game in place of injured JT Daniels, hooked up with freshman tight end Brock Bowers on a pair of scores.

The senior quarterback was 14 of 20 for 250 yards in another solid performance with Daniels watching from the sideline for the Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference),

Bowers, who has emerged as one of Georgia's most dynamic offensive weapons in his first college season, had five receptions for 101 yards.

Georgia's defense allowed two touchdown in a game for the first time all season — the second with 4 seconds remaining after Kentucky (6-1, 4-1) called a timeout to take one last shot at punching it in from the 1.

Otherwise, Georgia's top-ranked defense lived up to the billing, limiting Kentucky to 249 total yards and blocking a pair of kicks.

The Wildcats pulled out all stops, even running a hook and lateral. But one week after rushing for 330 yards in a win over LSU, they had little success on the ground against Georgia's fearsome defense, managing just 51 yards.

Kentucky trailed only 14-7 at halftime, matching Georgia's smallest lead of the season after two quarters.

But the Bulldogs took the second-half kickoff and drove 75 yards in six plays to effectively finish off the Wildcats and gain a stranglehold on the SEC East race. Every other team in the division has at least one conference loss.

An apparent 59-yard touchdown pass to Bowers was negated by a holding penalty, but Bennett connected again with the freshman right end in the right corner of the end zone for the 27-yard score that did stand, pushing the lead to 21-7.

Bowers had another TD on a 20-yard play with about 11 1/2 minutes remaining to make it 30-7.

After a scoreless opening quarter, Georgia scored on back-to-back possessions. James Cook took a short pass 19 yards to the end zone, and Zamir White followed with a 24-yard scoring burst right up the middle.

Late in the first half, Kentucky finally put together a lengthy drive against the Bulldogs.

Catching a break when a video review overturned a fumble call, the Wildcats covered 75 yards in 13 plays, converting three times on third down. Will Levis capped it off with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Justin Rigg.

Kentucky squandered another scoring chance when Devonte Wyatt powered right up the middle to block a 33-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the third quarter.

But Levis and the Wildcats would not be denied on their final drive, the quarterback going to Wan'Dale Robinson for another short scoring pass with the crowd that remained at Sanford Stadium booing loudly over Kentucky going to such efforts for a meaningless TD.

Clearly angry, the Bulldogs blocked the extra point.

Alabama rebounds with 40-point rout

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Nick Saban and his Alabama Crimson Tide had a long week. Seven days filled with doubt, disgust and uncharacteristic angst.

But a week after Alabama lost at Texas A&M, Bryce Young threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns and the No. 5 Crimson Tide rebounded to to rout Mississippi State 49-9 on Saturday night.

Alabama (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) had 543 yards of total offense and the Crimson Tide had seven sacks. Alabama converted 12 of 16 third-down opportunities.

Mississippi State (3-3, 1-2) had 24 first downs but managed only 299 total yards and had three turnovers. Mike Leach’s team finished with minus-1 yards rushing.

Alabama scored first against the Bulldogs and never trailed, leading 21-6 at the half. On the opening play of the third quarter, Young shaved the baby to hit Jameson Williams for a 75-yard touchdown strike and the rout was on.

Roydell Williams ran for 78 yards. Brian Robinson Jr. rushed for 73 yards and two touchdowns and caught five passes for 68 yards and another touchdown. John Metchie had seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. Traseshon Holden also caught a touchdown pass.

Safety Jordan Battle had two of the Tide’s three interceptions.

For Mississippi State, Will Rogers was 35 of 55 for 300 yards and three interceptions. Makai Polk caught seven passes for 59 yards, and Jaden Walley had six receptions for 64 yards. Jo’Quavious Marks also caught seven passes out of the backfield.

Ex-GA leads South Carolina rally

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Zeb Noland's played more than enough football to be ready when called on and cherish the moments of success. The former graduate assistant did both to rally South Carolina to its first Southeastern Conference win in more than year.

Noland entered on the Gamecocks' final drive and led a 75-yard touchdown drive, connecting with Xavier Legette on a 9-yard scoring pass with 37 seconds left for a 21-20 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday night.

Noland was calm and confident, leading South Carolina (4-3, 1-3 SEC) to snap its nine-game losing streak against conference opponents.

Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer said Noland came in when Luke Doty was feeling some soreness in a foot injury he sustained this summer at practice. Noland started the first three games before Doty took over in the middle of a 40-13 loss to Georgia last month. Noland hadn't played since then.

Noland got the Gamecocks rolling with a 29-yard pass to tight end Nick Muse to get into Vanderbilt territory.

He had completions of 15 yards to Josh Vann and 21 yards to Dakereon Joyner to the Commodores' 9. On Noland's winning throw, Legette ran to the back of the end zone and got open for the winning score.

Parker White made the extra point to send Vanderbilt, which held a 20-14 lead with less than two minutes left, to its 16th straight loss against SEC opponents.

Noland began his college career at Iowa State, moving on to North Dakota State where he was a teammate of San Francisco 49ers passer Trey Lance before accepting Beamer's offer to join the staff here.

Noland was convinced to put the pads back on when Doty hurt his foot this past August.

It looked like the Commodores would be the ones celebrating after Joseph Bulovas hit a 28-yard field goal with 1:36 to go for a 20-14 lead. Vanderbilt's defense had held South Carolina scoreless for nearly 49 minutes.

But Noland gave South Carolina the winning spark and Beamer his first SEC victory since taking over the program last December.

Vanderbilt quarterback Mike Wright threw for 206 yards including a 52-yard touchdown pass to Will Sheppard for a 17-14 lead in the third quarter that held up until the final seconds.

Vanderbilt broke its season-long scoring drought against the SEC with Bulovas' 42-yard field goal in the opening quarter. The Commodores added their first TD in league play when Rocko Griffin Jr. ran in from a yard out to take advantage of a South Carolina fumble and cut the lead to 14-10.

Bell finished with six catches for 136 yards for South Carolina.