AUBURN, Ala. — That merciless Southeastern Conference claimed another victim: No. 2 Florida.
Auburn scored on a blocked punt, a last-play fumble and a safety to beat the Gators 27-17 on Saturday night and leave the powerhouse conference without an unbeaten team.
The Tigers (6-1, 4-1) failed to score an offensive touchdown. Instead, they turned in a dominant defensive performance in the second half and benefited from Leak’s fumble deep in Auburn territory that killed a chance for at least a go-ahead field goal.
Florida coach Urban Meyer challenged the call arguing that it was an incomplete pass but replay officials let the play stand — and it turned the game around.
Eric Brock’s late interception of Leak’s pass set up the last of John Vaughn’s four field goals, a 39-yarder with 31 seconds left after missing a 45-yard attempt on the previous possession.
It was just another chapter in the topsy-turvy saga of SEC front-runners this season, with Auburn beating LSU, Arkansas beating then-No. 2 Auburn last week and Florida (6-1, 4-1) toppling Tennessee. The internal battering has threatened to leave the league without a strong national championship contender.
Auburn hardly looked like the same team that was physically whipped in that 27-10 loss to the Razorbacks — at least in the second half.
Alabama 26,
Mississippi 23, OT
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama broke Mississippi’s heart once again.
The Crimson Tide did it last year with a last second kick, this year it was an overtime touchdown.
Le’Ron McClain grabbed a 2-yard touchdown pass from John Parker Wilson in overtime to lift Alabama to a 26-23 win over Mississippi on Saturday, the Crimson Tide’s second straight last-play victory against Ole Miss.
The Rebels (2-5, 1-3 Southeastern Conference) got the ball first in OT but had to settle for a 37-yard field goal by Joshua Shene after Alabama’s Keith Saunders dropped Mico McSwain for a loss on third-and-2 at the 17.
Alabama (5-2, 2-2) had first-and-goal at the 3 after a 1-yard sneak by Wilson, and got the TD third-and-goal from the 2 when McClain slipped past a defender and into the open in the middle of the end zone.
Arkansas 63,
S.E. Miss. State 7
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Darren McFadden ran 52 yards for a touchdown on Arkansas’ first offensive play, and the No. 17 Razorbacks rolled to their most lopsided victory in more than 30 years, 63-7 over Southeast Missouri State on Saturday.
Arkansas (5-1) was in the Top 25 this week for the first time since 2003, and the Hogs looked the part while dismantling the Division I-AA Redhawks. McFadden finished with 71 yards on only six carries, and Felix Jones had 106 on just five, including an 85-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Neither McFadden nor Jones had a carry in the second half. Instead, they watched redshirt freshman Michael Smith, who finished with 116 yards on eight carries.
Smith ran for touchdowns of 10 and 11 yards in the second quarter, and Arkansas led 42-0 at halftime.
Southeast Missouri State (3-3) is 1-11 against I-A teams since moving to I-AA in 1991. Arkansas’ 56-point margin of victory was its largest since a 60-0 win over Tulsa in 1974.
LSU 49,
Kentucky 0
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Dwayne Bowe caught three touchdown passes to move into second-place on LSU’s career list, highlighting a 49-0 victory over Kentucky on Saturday night.
Bowe caught six passes for 111 yards to spearhead the No. 14 Tigers’ fifth blowout in as many home games. His first two touchdown receptions, thrown by JaMarcus Russell, went for 7 and 48 yards. Backup quarterback Matt Flynn threw the last from 8 yards out in the third quarter, making the score 42-0.
Bowe now has 20 career touchdowns.
Auburn scored on a blocked punt, a last-play fumble and a safety to beat the Gators 27-17 on Saturday night and leave the powerhouse conference without an unbeaten team.
The Tigers (6-1, 4-1) failed to score an offensive touchdown. Instead, they turned in a dominant defensive performance in the second half and benefited from Leak’s fumble deep in Auburn territory that killed a chance for at least a go-ahead field goal.
Florida coach Urban Meyer challenged the call arguing that it was an incomplete pass but replay officials let the play stand — and it turned the game around.
Eric Brock’s late interception of Leak’s pass set up the last of John Vaughn’s four field goals, a 39-yarder with 31 seconds left after missing a 45-yard attempt on the previous possession.
It was just another chapter in the topsy-turvy saga of SEC front-runners this season, with Auburn beating LSU, Arkansas beating then-No. 2 Auburn last week and Florida (6-1, 4-1) toppling Tennessee. The internal battering has threatened to leave the league without a strong national championship contender.
Auburn hardly looked like the same team that was physically whipped in that 27-10 loss to the Razorbacks — at least in the second half.
Alabama 26,
Mississippi 23, OT
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama broke Mississippi’s heart once again.
The Crimson Tide did it last year with a last second kick, this year it was an overtime touchdown.
Le’Ron McClain grabbed a 2-yard touchdown pass from John Parker Wilson in overtime to lift Alabama to a 26-23 win over Mississippi on Saturday, the Crimson Tide’s second straight last-play victory against Ole Miss.
The Rebels (2-5, 1-3 Southeastern Conference) got the ball first in OT but had to settle for a 37-yard field goal by Joshua Shene after Alabama’s Keith Saunders dropped Mico McSwain for a loss on third-and-2 at the 17.
Alabama (5-2, 2-2) had first-and-goal at the 3 after a 1-yard sneak by Wilson, and got the TD third-and-goal from the 2 when McClain slipped past a defender and into the open in the middle of the end zone.
Arkansas 63,
S.E. Miss. State 7
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Darren McFadden ran 52 yards for a touchdown on Arkansas’ first offensive play, and the No. 17 Razorbacks rolled to their most lopsided victory in more than 30 years, 63-7 over Southeast Missouri State on Saturday.
Arkansas (5-1) was in the Top 25 this week for the first time since 2003, and the Hogs looked the part while dismantling the Division I-AA Redhawks. McFadden finished with 71 yards on only six carries, and Felix Jones had 106 on just five, including an 85-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Neither McFadden nor Jones had a carry in the second half. Instead, they watched redshirt freshman Michael Smith, who finished with 116 yards on eight carries.
Smith ran for touchdowns of 10 and 11 yards in the second quarter, and Arkansas led 42-0 at halftime.
Southeast Missouri State (3-3) is 1-11 against I-A teams since moving to I-AA in 1991. Arkansas’ 56-point margin of victory was its largest since a 60-0 win over Tulsa in 1974.
LSU 49,
Kentucky 0
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Dwayne Bowe caught three touchdown passes to move into second-place on LSU’s career list, highlighting a 49-0 victory over Kentucky on Saturday night.
Bowe caught six passes for 111 yards to spearhead the No. 14 Tigers’ fifth blowout in as many home games. His first two touchdown receptions, thrown by JaMarcus Russell, went for 7 and 48 yards. Backup quarterback Matt Flynn threw the last from 8 yards out in the third quarter, making the score 42-0.
Bowe now has 20 career touchdowns.
