Gator's Marcus Gilbert Earns SEC Honor

University of Florida redshirt junior right tackle Marcus Gilbert earned Southeastern Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week honors following the Gators’ 41-7 victory over Kentucky, the league office announced Monday.
Gilbert graded out a “Champion” for the 4th-consecutive week in the 41-7 victory over Kentucky. He helped UF to 362 yards rushing in the win, the most by Florida against an SEC opponent since 1989 (Vanderbilt). Gilbert contributes to a Florida offense that has scored a touchdown in 47 of the last 53 quarters, while going three-and-out just 21 times over 56 quarters. The 31 points scored by the Gators in the first quarter in Lexington were the most in the first quarter in Urban Meyer’s head coaching career.
No. 1 Florida (4-0. 2-0) continues SEC play as they travel to Baton Rouge to face No. 4 LSU (4-0, 2-0) on Saturday, Oct. 10. The game, set to kick off at 8 p.m., will be broadcast live by CBS. The SEC Rocks!

Auburn told by UT: no Tiger Walk before Saturday's game

The only team walking anywhere before the game this weekend will be Tennessee.
Auburn requested permission to add a Tiger Walk to go with the Vols' version of the Vol Walk before Saturday's game at Neyland Stadium , but UT won't be sharing the streets for pregame festivities thanks to concerns about safety.
"The area where the visiting teams drop off is on a hill in a very tight space ," UT spokesperson Tiffany Carpenter said Wednesday. "In 2004 when the Tigers played here, we had approximately 5,000 fans show up with the band and the cheerleaders, which was a great atmosphere, but a huge safety issue for the student-athletes, band and cheerleaders and fans because of the tight space.
"If something had happened to a fan in that area, EMT would not have been able to respond because of the crowd size."
UT had to cancel the Vol Walk last week due to weather issues, though it should be return as scheduled before kickoff this weekend.
And though Auburn won't be allowed to stage its own march to the stadium, visiting fans can still greet the Tigers before they enter it. The SEC Rocks!

Razorbacks prepare for Southwest Classic

Head Coach Bobby Petrino On the Texas A&M game in Dallas: "We are looking forward to going to Dallas and playing Texas A&M. It's exciting for our players, exciting for our program. I think it's great for the tradition of the rivalry from the old Southwest Conference days."
On Texas A&M's offense: "They're executing well. They're a very fast-paced offense. They run it and throw it well. You see the quick passing game utilized in the West Coast Offense. They really try to get up to the ball and get it snapped quickly. It's a good challenge. You have to be very disciplined."
On Texas A&M's defense: "Defensively, they do some things that we saw last week with some of their zone pressure. There are some similarities to what we saw against both Georgia and Alabama. They've got a great defensive end. He's leading the nation in sacks. He's very good when it's one-on-one."
On Ryan Mallett: "He needs to get his feet set and be comfortable when bodies are flashing around him. There's never been a quarterback who has played football who hasn't gone through what Ryan went through against Alabama; where the pass rush and the blitzes distract your concentration. He needs to understand that fact and face it that he didn't operate as well as he can, and that's how you get better as a quarterback. He needs to have a good game."
On the positives of the Alabama game:"I told the team last night that we've played two very good football teams. They're very fast, big and physical. We should be better because of it. As long as we have a great attitude and stick together as a team." The SEC Rocks!

Rival coaches defend Meyer's decision to leave Tebow in game

LSU coach Les Miles defended Florida's Urban Meyer on the decision to leave Tim Tebow in the game despite being sick in last Saturday's 41-7 win at Kentucky. And Miles said he hopes Tebow is healthy for next week's game against the Tigers in Baton Rouge.
Tebow was hurt, suffering a concussion, in the third quarter with UF ahead 31-7.
"It's always a tough thing,'' Miles said. "The main thing is you want to finish the game in solid, solid fashion how you started it. It's one where the coach weighs the responsibility of getting the starters out with the responsibility of finishing this game well.''
Alabama coach Nick Saban said that, "31-7 in the third quarter is not a game that's out of reach. One score and an onside kick and that team's right back in the game.''
Saban noted the Tide starters stayed in last week's game when Alabama had a 35-7 lead.
"I certainly wouldn't have any issue with the way that was managed at Florida,'' Saban said. The SEC Rocks!

Gators' Tebow showing improvement

University of Florida coach Urban Meyer says quarterback Tim Tebow continues to show improvement from his concussion.
Meyer said Wednesday on the weekly Southeastern Conference teleconference that Tebow "looked terrific" when he saw him late Tuesday night.
"That's the best I've seen him," Meyer said.
Meyer also saw Tebow earlier Tuesday, when the coach went through balance and memory tests with his star player, and said he just looked OK.
Meyer took several balance and memory tests with Tebow because he was curious about the process.
"It's been an amazing week," Meyer said Tuesday.
Meyer has inundated with questions about Tebow's recovery. On Tuesday, Meyer said the quarterback still had a headache but he was able to attend a team meeting. Meyer said Tebow hasn't been allowed to watch television or read, and didn't attend practice.
Meyer also said Tebow understands the severity of his brain injury.
"This isn't a turf toe or a shoulder," Meyer said. "This is a concussion. He's a grown man, so he's going to take care of himself. I'm very proud of the way he's handled it." The SEC Rocks!

Dogs Prepare For Tigers

The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 14 in the USA Today poll and No. 18 by the AP this week, will host No. 4 LSU this Saturday. Though Georgia (3-1, 2-0 SEC) has won its last three matchups with LSU (4-0, 2-0), the Tigers lead the series between the two schools, 14-12-1. During practice, Richt announced to the team that defensive tackle Geno Atkins, offensive lineman Cordy Glenn, receiver A.J. Green and defensive end Justin Houston would serve as captains against LSU.Richt discussed the game at length earlier in the day during the Bulldogs' weekly press conference.“LSU, what can you say about them?" Richt said. "In all the years that I’ve been here, they won the most games of anybody in the SEC. They have two national championships and three SEC championships. It’s just a great program. They did it under Nick Saban and they are doing it under Les Miles. You certainly could say they are the team of the 2000s. The past decade they have been one of the best if not the best football team in the country." The SEC Rocks!

Tide Defense Preps for UK Offense

The Alabama football team practiced for two hours in full pads Tuesday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Facility in preparation for Saturday’s Southeastern Conference game at Kentucky.
Alabama senior linebacker Cory Reamer talked about the defense’s preparation for the Wildcats offense this weekend.
“They run the ball really well,” Reamer said after practice. “They are a lot like Arkansas with the game plan that they bring, but they do run the ball a little more. They have a great quarterback. (Mike) Hartline is a good guy. He can definitely throw the ball, but they do run the ball really well and they are tough and physical inside the tackles.”
The Alabama-Kentucky game will be televised by the SEC Network, beginning at 11:21 a.m. (CDT) on Saturday, Oct. 3, with Dave Neal, Andre Ware and Cara Capuano calling the action. The game will be available on a regional basis throughout the nine-state SEC region, including WTTO (Channel 21) in Birmingham. The game is available outside the SEC region on ESPN GamePlan and ESPN360.com. The SEC Rocks!

Vols' task: Holding those Tigers

On Nov. 29 of last year, Tennessee and Auburn were both shutting down for the season. At 5-7, no bowl bids were forthcoming.
Tennessee at least sent Phillip Fulmer out with a win over Kentucky. Auburn’s finale was a 36-0 drubbing from Alabama, setting the stage for Tommy Tuberville’s resignation a couple of days later.
Fulmer and Tuberville both became unwanted because their respective offenses were a mess. The Vols and Tigers averaged a matching 17.3 points a game.
When they met at Jordan-Hare Stadium last year, it was a tandem exercise in futility or a punting showcase, depending on how you look at it.
In the decisive fourth quarter nobody could make a first down. Auburn won, 14-12, because it finally did, with 2:04 to play, and was able to run out the clock.
Well, Tigers, you’ve come along way, baby.
Tennessee’s offensive progress in 2009 under Lane Kiffin is measurable, but comes in fits and starts.
Auburn, under Gene Chizik, has been shot out of a cannon. Might the Tigers score 17.3 points in the first quarter Saturday at Neyland Stadium?
Auburn is spewing 45.3 points and 526 yards a game, ranking third nationally in both. The SEC Rocks!

Gene Chizik Previews The Tennessee Game

"It's going to be a really fun week for us, a really exciting week. Obviously, this is our first SEC road game and we are really looking forward to playing it. We've got a lot work that we've got to be able to do to travel to Tennessee and win the ball game. But, we feel like everything that we saw in the Ball State game, there was some good things and there was some bad things; but again they are very fixable and again we've got to make some progress. We feel like we made some progress in some areas. There are some areas that we feel like we still need a good amount of work to do. But again this is a very good Tennessee football team and we all know how tough it is to play at Tennessee. It's going to be a fun trip but we've got a lot of work to do for us to win the game." The SEC Rocks!

Vols sifting through options at MLB

"Uncertainty" would best describe Tennessee's situation at the middle linebacker position following a season-ending injury Saturday.
Starter Nick Reveiz suffered a torn ACL in the win in the 34-23 win over Ohio and is lost for the season. Reveiz's backup, Herman Lathers, was held out of the last game with a concussion, which left true freshman Nigel Mitchell-Thornton to finish up the win over the Bobcats.
Also seemingly in the mix is backup outside linebacker Savion Frazier, who worked in the middle during practice yesterday.
Regardless of which way they go, head coach Lane Kiffin wants to go with the best player available, not just whichever falls next on the depth chart.
"There's two ways to go about it,'' Kiffin said. "If it was the 10th or 11th game you just play the back-up because he knows it best.
"But eight regular-season games left is a long season. We have to make sure we're not just playing a guy because he knows what to do if we have guys that would be better." The SEC Rocks!

Norwood Honored by SEC Senior Linebacker Named Defensive Player of the Week

University of South Carolina senior linebacker Eric Norwood has been selected as the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the Gamecocks' 16-10 win over fourth-ranked Ole Miss last week.
Norwood, a 6-1, 252-pounder from Acworth, Ga., logged a game-high 10 tackles (seven solos) with a pair of sacks and another half-tackle for loss, partially blocked a punt and added two quarterback pressures in the upset win. The two sacks give Norwood 28.0 in his career, which is a school record and tied for eighth place in SEC history. His 2.5 tackles for loss against the Rebels now give him 49.5 for his career, which ranks 11th in SEC history and is also a school record.
The Norwood-led defense held Ole Miss to just 10 points and 248 yards of total offense, including just 109 through the air. The SEC Rocks!

No. 18 Rebels Face Road Test At Vanderbilt

The Rebels are 18th in this week’s USA Today Coaches’ poll, 21st in the Associated Press poll and 18th in the first Harris Interactive Poll of 2009. Ole Miss rose to No. 4 in the rankings on Sept. 20 for the first time since sitting fourth in the rankings on October 12, 1970. The last time the Rebels were ranked higher than fourth was September 1964, when the team was the nation's No. 1. The Rebels’ No. 4 ranking marked the highest ever by a Houston Nutt coached team. Vanderbilt does not appear in this week’s polls. This game will be the 84th meeting between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt dating back to 1894. The Rebels lead the series 46-35-2 and have won 12 of the last 16 meetings since 1992, despite last year’s 23-17 setback in Oxford. The Commdores hold a 26-20-2 advantage in games played in Nashville. although the Rebels have taken five of the last seven. The Dores won the last two at Vanderbilt Stadium. Ole Miss leads 46-17-2 in SEC games versus VU. Vanderbilt won the first 19 games in the series, with Ole Miss having won 46 of the last 64 games played between the two teams. Ole Miss faces its third road test in the season’s first four games ... The Rebels are shooting for their first 3-1 start since 2002 ... Ole Miss looks to bounce back from its first loss following an eight-game win streak ... The Rebels are attempting to split their first two SEC games for the second straight year ... Ole Miss is averaging 41.3 points over its last seven games. The SEC Rocks!

Alabama's Hightower likely done for season

Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower will need surgery to repair the knee injury suffered Saturday against Arkansas.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban released a short statement updating the situation Sunday evening.
“Dont’a Hightower’s MRI confirmed that he has ligament damage in his knee that will require surgery,” Saban said. “Dont’a is a fine young man, has beenww an outstanding player for us, and we are confident he will make a full recovery.”
The damage came on a running play late in the second quarter of No. 3 Alabama’s 35-7 win over Arkansas. Pulling Razorback guard Mitch Petrus went low to block Hightower on what ended up as a 2-yard Michael Smith run to the left side of the line.
Petrus appeared to hit Hightower square on the left kneecap. The 2008 freshman All-American attempted to get off the Bryant-Denny Stadium turf on his own before going back down in obvious discomfort. He was eventually carted off the field with an ice pack taped to the knee. Using a pair of crutches, Hightower returned to the field to watch the end of the game.
Since Hightower played in 4 games this fall, he would not qualify for a medical redshirt. Injured players must not play in 20 percent of the season to qualify.

'Bama LB's suspension to last six games

There is finally an official answer on the suspension for linebacker Jerrell Harris.
Alabama coach Nick Saban said during today's press conference that Harris will miss 6 games, meaning he'll be back for the South Carolina game Oct. 17. As has been reported, UA compliance has investigated whether Harris obtained impermissible benefits, which would violate NCAA rules. The school deferred to the NCAA on the ruling.
Saban said UA received the information Friday night on Harris.
Harris' status became more signficant with Saturday's season-ending injury to Dont'a Hightower. Said Saban, Harris is "a guy that's certainly going to be one of the guys that's competing to take (Hightower's) place."
"He did an outstanding job in fall camp ... but he has not gotten the reps in the practice the last four weeks because of us not knowing when he would return," Saban said of Harris. The SEC Rocks!

Florida 'cautiously optimistic' Tebow will play vs. LSU

A normal human being would have been hurt pretty badly with the shot that Tebow took in the Kentucky game. But Tebow, who is a beast in the weight room, and came away with a concussion. Florida can be second-guessed for having Tebow in the game throwing the ball with a 31-7 lead. But the truth is that what Florida did is consistent with what they’ve done with Tebow his entire career. Florida is cautiously optimistic that Tebow will be able to play on Oct. 10, when Florida plays its next game at LSU. The next 48 hours, will be crucial in determining how long Tebow will need to rest. But even if Tebow can’t go in Baton Rouge, Florida can still win as long as its defense keeps playing like it did against Kentucky. The SEC Rocks!

Tebow expected to be released from hospital today

Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was released from a Lexington, Ky., hospital Sunday morning, about 12 hours after taking a hard hit to the head against Kentucky.
Coach Urban Meyer said Sunday that Tebow sustained a concussion when he was sacked by defensive end Taylor Wyndham in the third quarter Saturday night in a 41-7 win. Tebow's head struck teammate Marcus Gilbert's leg, violently bending his neck forward.
"Tim is doing fine this morning," Meyer said in a statement. "His CT scans came back and indicated that Tim suffered a concussion. Our medical and athletic training staff will continue to monitor him to determine how much rest and recovery he needs. We will have additional information and updates this week."
Tebow was coherent and joking with hospital visitors earlier Sunday morning. The SEC Rocks!

UT can't whet appetite; soggy play against underdog Ohio

The Vols were pressed to the end to subdue 23-point underdog Ohio 34-23 before launching into a menacing SEC gauntlet.
Perhaps a short-handed defense, 3 starters were missing was a factor in the Vols' inability to dominate the Bobcats.
Before the final horn, 2 more defensive starters were sidelined. One, linebacker Nick Reveiz, appears out for the season.
"We've got to make plays, I don't care who's in there,'' said UT coach Lane Kiffin.
"We're a long ways from being a championship team.''
The Vols (2-2) got 140 rushing yards and a touchdown from Montario Hardesty.
Jonathan Crompton threw touchdown passes to Brandon Warren and Bryce Brown and his 8th interception.
Defensive end Chris Walker chipped in with a 7-yard interception-return touchdown to give the Vols some needed breathing room.
Kiffin was clearly less upbeat than he was a week ago when his team played better than expected in a 23-13 loss at No. 1 Florida.
The consistency and momentum he hoped to see Saturday night didn't materialize.
"Half of the NCAA lost today,'' he said. "We won.
"We'd feel a lot worse if we didn't win.'' The SEC Rocks!

Vanderbilt finds offense in win over Rice

Vanderbilt snapped out of a two-game funk with its two biggest gains of the season in a 36-17 win at Rice on Saturday night. Quarterback Larry Smith’s 54-yard pass to Udom Umoh in the third quarter led to a touchdown and lifted the Commodores to a 20-10 lead. That served as the biggest gainer until freshman tailback Warren Norman slipped free for a 58-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

It was an offensive spark that Vanderbilt (2-2) had been in search of since its season-opening win over Western Carolina. The Commodores totaled just 12 points and averaged 187.5 yards of offense in losses to LSU and Mississippi State.This warm Houston night rendered a different result against the reeling Owls (0-4).Smith completed 23 of 41 passes for 268 yards, and Norman rushed 11 times for 119 yards. John Cole had seven catches for 67 yards. Tied at halftime, Ryan Fowler staked the Commodores to a 13-10 lead in the third quarter following Eddie Foster’s interception deep in Rice territory.Vanderbilt’s defense did its job once again, giving the offense time and opportunities to find the end zone. But most of the chances fell by the wayside until Smith spotted Umoh streaking along the left sideline behind cornerback Chris Jammer. The deep completion put the Commodores at the Rice 10. Three plays later, Smith faked a toss left and ran right on a 6-yard keeper to make it 20-10.Rice punted the ball right back to Vanderbilt, and Norman took off running on the next play for a 27-10 lead. Vanderbilt held the Rice offense to one first down and 28 yards in the third quarter to change the game’s complexion. Norman eclipsed 100 rushing yards for the second time. Kennard Reeves added an 11-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. Myron Lewis notched his seventh career interception and PatrickBenoist got his first for the Commodores.Senior tailback Jared Hawkins was sharp in his first action of the season. Hawkins, who had acortisone shot 10 days ago to ease the pain in his sprained foot, started at tailback and showed a good burst of speed in his runs.( by www.tennessean.com) The SEC Rocks!

Tigers Have Feast on Cardinals Behalf 54-30

AUBURN, Ala. - The Ball State University football team dropped to 0-4 on the season after falling 54-30 to Auburn Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Cardinals were forced to punt the ball after the opening kickoff, but strong safety Kyle Hokerecovered an Auburn muff on the 18-yard line for his first career fumble recovery. MiQuale Lewiswould capitalize offensively for Ball State with a two-yard touchdown run just two minutes into the contest, giving the Cardinals a 7-0 advantage. It was Lewis second rushing touchdown of the season and the 27^th of his career. He moved into fourth in the Ball State record books for career rushing touchdowns. Auburn would answer back after quarterback Chris Todd completed a 6-yard pass to tight end Tommy Trott with 2:53 left in the first quarter to even the score at 7-7. Auburn started the second quarter by scoring on a Todd 46-yard pass to wide receiver Terrell Zachery to put the Tigers up 14-7 at the 13:47 mark. Ball State would get the ball back but Auburn's defense tackled Lewis for a safety in the end zone increasing the Tigers lead to 16-7 with 12:53 remaining in the half. Auburn marched down the field quickly on its next possession and tailback Onterio McCalebb rushed for a 1-yard TD, making it a 23-7 advantage for the Tigers.Todd connected again with Zachery in the end zone after a 65-yard touchdown pass with 8:22 to go in the second quarter to improve Auburn's lead to 30-7.On Ball State's last scoring drive of the half Ian McGarvey kicked a 33-yard field goal at the 2:35 mark to close the Cardinals within 30-10. Auburn ended the half with a 32-yard field goal from Wes Byrum to give Auburn a 33-10 halftime advantage. Auburn came out of the gates after the half and scored off of a 26-yard touchdown pass from Todd to wide receiver Darvin Adams. Ball State would then score on its opening drive of the half after quarterback Kelly Page rushed for 21-yards making the score 40-17. It was Page's second rushing touchdown of the season. With 12:39 remaining Page connected with tight end Zane Fakes for a 1-yard touchdown pass. It was Fakes first career touchdown reception. McGarvey would make the point after, his school record 79^thconsecutive made extra point. McGarvey also hit a 37-yard field goal at the 10:14 mark in the fourth quarter to make the score 47-27. He scored the final points of the game for Ball State after hitting a 33-yard field goal with 2:12 left in the contest.

1st quarter

Ball State 12:26 - MiQuale Lewis 2-yard run (18-yards, 4 plays, 1:025) (Ian McGarvey kick good)

Ball State 7, Auburn 0

Auburn 2:53 - 6-yard pass from Chris Todd to Tommy Trott (38-yards, 4 plays, :50) (Wes Byrum kick good)

Ball State 7, Auburn 7

2nd quarter

Auburn 13:47 - 46-yard pass from Chris Todd to Terrell Zachery (78-yards, 6 plays, 1:50) (Wes Byrum kick good)

Auburn 14, Ball State 7

Auburn 12:53 - Safety

Auburn 16, Ball State 7

Auburn 12:20 - Onterio McCalebb 1-yard run (63-yards, 2-plays, :42) (Wes Byrum kick good)

Auburn 23, Ball State 7

Auburn 8:22 - 65-yard pass from Chris Todd to Terrell Zachery (77-yards, 3-plays, :31) (Wes Byrum kick good)

Auburn 30, Ball State 7

Ball State 2:35- Ian McGarvey 33-yard field goal (17-yards, 4-plays, 1:43)

Auburn 30, Ball State 10

Auburn :07 - Wes Byrum 32-yard field goal (49-yards, 9-plays, 2:28)

3rd quarter

Auburn 11:39 - 26-yard pass from Chris Todd to Darvin Adams (76-yards, 10 plays, 3:21) (Wes Byrum kick good)

Auburn 40, Ball State 10

Ball State 8:50 - 21-yard run from Kelly Page (70-yards, 7-plays, 2:39) (Ian McGarvey kick good)

Auburn 40, Ball State 17

Auburn 7:09 - 36-yard pass from Chris Todd to Mario Fannin (72-yards, 4-plays, 1:41) (Wes Byrum kick good)

Auburn 47, Ball State 17

4th quarter

Ball State 12:39 - 1-yard pass from Kelly Page to Zane Fakes (67-yards, 13-plays, 12:39) (Ian McGarveykick good)

Auburn 47, Ball State 24

Ball State 10:14- 37-yard field goal from Ian McGarvey (5-yards, 13-plays, 1:34)

Auburn 47, Ball State 27

Auburn - 7:19 - 52-yard run from Neil Caudle (74-yards, 5-plays, 2:55) (West Byrum kick good)

Auburn 54, Ball State 27

Ball State 2:12- 33-yard field goal from Ian McGarvey (53-yards, 9-plays, 4:58)

Auburn 54, Ball State 30

( by ballstatesports.com) The SEC Rocks!

Vols Outlast Ohio 34-23

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Jonathan Crompton threw for two touchdowns as Tennessee turned to its unsteady passing game to beat Ohio 34-23 Saturday night. Crompton threw a 26-yard screen pass to Bryce Brown to give the Vols (2-2) a 31-20 lead with 2:38 in the third quarter and lobbed a 3-yard scoring strike to Brandon Warren at the end of the first. The Vols, who have been relying on their strong running game to make up for woeful passing, rushed for 177 yards while Crompton completed 17 of 34 passes for 222 yards. He also threw his eighth interception of the season. Ohio (2-2) kept Tennessee uncomfortable by taking advantage of the Vols' mistakes and passing for 319 yards. Ohio's Chris Garrett returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. ( by www.utsports.com) The SEC Rocks!

Dawgs Dont Get Burned by Sun Devils

A.J. Green haunted Arizona State for the second year in a row. In a game featuring more raincoats than Redcoats, Blair Walsh nailed a 37-yard field goal at the buzzer to lift No. 21 Georgia to a 20-17 win over the Sun Devils at Sanford Stadium. Sophomore wide receiver A.J. Green, who had a career game against Arizona State last year, blocked a field goal in the fourth quarter and later hauled in a 36-yard reception on third down. Georgia (3-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) committed three turnovers in the second half, letting the Sun Devils back in the game. Arizona State (2-1) had a chance to take a late lead. But Bobby Wenzig's 38-yard field-goal attempt with 4:31 remaining got blocked up the middle by Green. Against Arizona State last season, Green posted 159 receiving yards and a touchdown. In the first quarter, he hauled in a 56-yard scoring pass from Joe Cox in the first quarter. Cox, the reigning Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week, threw two second-half interceptions, extending Georgia's turnover margin to minus-9 on the season. The Bulldogs led 14-9 at halftime and appeared to be cruising when the turnover bug bit again - in dry weather. Arizona State scored 14 points off a fumble and an interception to take a three-point lead. Georgia's much-maligned defense, which entered last in conference scoring (34.0 average) and total defense (406.3 yards per game), contained the Sun Devils. Despite allowing Dimitri Nance to rush for 108 yards on 23 carries through three quarters, the Bulldogs pressured quarterback Danny Sullivan at times and held him to 9-for-24 passing with no touchdowns and one interception through three quarters. Arizona State took advantage of Georgia's 10th turnover of the season, a Caleb King fumble on the Georgia 37. Nine plays later, Sullivan connected with Nance on a 6-yard touchdown pass to pull the Sun Devils within 14-10 midway through the third quarter. Arizona State safety Jarrell Holman picked off a high Cox pass at the 47. Holman then shook off three tackles en route to the end zone to give the Red Devils their first lead of the game at 17-14 with 5:25 left in the third quarter. Blair Walsh's 21-yard field goal tied the game 17 seven seconds into the fourth quarter. Fred Munzenmaier scored on a 2-yard run late in the first quarter to push the Georgia lead to 14-3. The junior fullback has now scored on each of his three career carries. The SEC Rocks!

Tebow Down...41 -7 Florida goes 4-0

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Tim Tebow was taken to the hospital by ambulance after taking a shot to the head while being sacked in the third quarter of No. 1 Florida's game against Kentucky on Saturday night.

There was no immediate report on the quarterback's condition.

The Gators were in Kentucky territory when Tebow took a big hit from Kentucky defensive end Taylor Wyndham. Tebow's head hit the leg of Florida right tackle Marcus Gilbert as he fell to the ground. He lay motionless for several minutes before sitting up. He walked off the field with help to the bench, where his parents came down from the stands to join him.

As Tebow was being carted from the sideline, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner appeared to be vomiting.

He was replaced by backup John Brantley on Florida's next possession.

Tebow had rushed for 123 yards and two scores and added another 103 yards passing and a touchdown before the injury. He started despite having respiratory issues that force him and several teammates to take a separate plane to Lexington on Friday.

Tebow, cornerback Joe Haden, safety Major Wright and others were isolated on a separate plane Friday according to a person familiar with Florida's travel plans. They rejoined the top-ranked Gators at the hotel, and all were listed as active for the game. The person, who requested anonymity, was not authorized to discuss players' health.

Tebow appeared energized while running onto the field for Florida's first series. His presence was booed lustily by Kentucky fans eager to end a 22-game losing streak to the Gators. He hardly looked tired while ripping off a 29-yard gain on the game's third play.

Tebow arrived at Commonwealth Stadium with the rest of the top-ranked Gators about two hours before kickoff against the Wildcats. The senior was one of the last players off the bus. Wearing a shiny gray suit, his cheeks appearing a little flushed in the muggy conditions, Tebow received a hug from coach Urban Meyer before ducking in to the visitors locker room.

He took the field about an hour before kickoff, jogging in uniform alongside backup quarterback John Brantley before starting his typical warmup regimen.

Florida has been battling illnesses for the last three weeks, and Meyer estimated that more than 35 players have been sick during that stretch.

Running back Jeff Demps, defensive end Jermaine Cunningham, linebacker A.J. Jones and tight end Aaron Hernandez -- all starters -- were among the players isolated in the last 10 days because of flulike symptoms.

Haden and Wright missed practice Thursday, but Meyer said he expected both to play against the Wildcats. The person familiar with Florida's travel plans said the health of all three has improved since arriving in Lexington.

The person said everyone on the team's expected travel roster made the trip, including receivers coach Billy Gonzales. He was sent home early in the week, but he returned and wore gloves and a mask at practice.

Meyer said earlier in the week there was no chance he would rest sick players.

"That'd be one of the major errors in coaching history to go do that, because you'd go lose," he said. "No. Absolutely not. We're going to bring everything and go as hard as we can. That gets you out of the profession, those kind of thoughts. You go as hard as you can.

"The good thing is I've got a mature group. Not a whole lot of cheerleading going on this week. Got to get better and go play."

( by www.orlandosentinel.com)

Bama's View on the Game

Greg McElroy passed for a career-high 291 yards and three touchdowns and No. 3 Alabama opened Southeastern Conference play with a 35-7 win over Arkansas on Saturday.The Crimson Tide (4-0, 1-0) picked on the Razorbacks' beleaguered defense with three huge plays and blocked a punt to win its 18th consecutive league opener dating to its 1992 national championship season. A relentless defense hounded Ryan Mallett and the nation's No. 2 offense. Mallett was just 12-for-35 for 161 yards for Arkansas (1-2, 0-2) and threw his first interception. Alabama romped against a team scorched for 52 points last week by Georgia. Trent Richardson broke four tackles for a 52-yard touchdown run, Julio Jones caught a 50-yard TD pass on a trick play and McElroy hit Marquis Maze for an 80-yarder.The Tide managed to avoid the troubles of its two Top 10 SEC West rivals. Bama,, just coasted to another easy win, dominating its last three games by a collective 100 points. Arkansas scored on its opening drive of the second half to cut the deficit to 14-7, but the momentum was short-lived. McElroy hit a streaking Maze down the right sideline on the next play to halt that comeback for the school's sixth-longest pass play and the nation's No. 3 defense didn't allow any more chances. McElroy was 17-of-24 passing and Alabama rolled up 425 total yards. Bobby Petrino's Arkansas offense managed just 254 yards after coming in averaging 538 a game and scoring 41 even in defeat against Georgia. Alabama had eight tackles for loss. The nation's most efficient passer, Mallett didn't get much time to uncork his powerful arm. He was sacked three times — twice on corner blitzes by Javier Arenas — and pressured on numerous other plays. Mallett was also intercepted for the first time this season when a pass bounced off his receiver into the hands of Justin Woodall in the fourth quarter, his final attempt. The only time he got going was when he was 3-for-3 on the opening drive of the third, capped by an 18-yard touchdown pass to Greg Childs. Other than that, Alabama was the one producing the big plays Mallett and the Razorbacks had been piling up. Richardson broke a scoreless tie when he shed two tacklers behind the line, shook off a couple more, then sprinted down the right sideline for a 52-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter. Petrino also had some trickery work in the first half, even if it didn't lead to points. Ronnie Wingo ran for a first down on fourth-and-5 on a fake punt from his own 25. Ingram was held to 50 yards on 17 carries, but also caught a 14-yard touchdown pass and capped a 99-yard drive with a 2-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter. ( by http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/) The SEC Rocks!

Crimson Tide Rolls over Razorbacks 35 - 7

Alabama Crimson Tide scored 3 touchdowns on plays of over 50 yards to defeat the Arkansas Razorbacks, 35-7, at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Alabama, 4-0, moved to 1-0 in Southeastern Conference play while the Razorbacks, 1-2, fall to 0-2.
Senior running back Michael Smith had 12 carries for 61 yards and quarterback Ryan Mallett hit 12-of-33 for 160 yards, scoring the Razorbacks’ only touchdown on an 18-yard pass to Greg Childs.
After a rough 1st half, Mallett guided Arkansas on a 5 play, 55-yard touchdown drive. Three straight completions by the 6-7 sophomore highlighted by a 23-yard pass to D.J. Williams before the 18-yard fade route to the deep left corner for the score. Alex Tejada’s PAT made it 14-7.
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy put the margin back to 14 on the first play of the ensuing Alabama possession as he found Maze on a post route for an 80-yard touchdown with 10:21 left in the third and a 21-7 lead.
Mallett moved Arkansas downfield, but on 4th down Breeding’s rugby-style punt attempt was blocked by Lorenzo Washington. McElroy connected with Ingram for a 14-yard touchdown to take advantage of the miscue and a 28-7 lead with 5:33 in the 3rd.
The Razorbacks looked like they had a big break as Dylan Breeding’s punt was downed inside the one yard line. Alabama went on a game clinching 99-yard drive that soaked up almost 6 and a half minutes of clock before Mark Ingram’s 2 yard dash made it 35-7 with 13:12 left in the game.
After giving up over 50 points to Georgia in the last game, the Razorback defense opened the game by holding the powerful Alabama offense scoreless in the 1st quarter.
Defense held sway almost the entire opening quarter as a combined two offensive first downs, and two more by penalty, was the highlight early. The teams swapped field position advantages early until Alabama pinned Arkansas for consecutive possesions inside the Razorbacks’ 20.
Coach Bobby Petrino went with a fake punt with a direct snap to Ronnie Wingo, Jr., on 4th and 5 at the Hogs’ 25 yard line to spark the 1st sustained drive for either team. Mallett connected with Joe Adams for a 19-yard 1st down play to put the Razorbacks at the Bama 47 to close the 1st quarter. He backed it up with another 1st down pass to Wright to push the Hogs to the 33, but Javier Arenas’ 8-yard sack of Mallett ended the drive.
The Tide broke the scorless start with a 6 play, 86-yard drive capped by a 52-yard touchdown run by T. Richardson. The Alabama back evaded a potential tackle for loss for the scoring run with 9:30 left in the quarter for a 7-0 lead.
After a 1st down seemed to have Arkansas moving, Arenas picked up his second sack, a 13-yard loss for the Razorbacks. Arenas returned the ensuing Hogs’ punt to the 50. Saban calls for a Wildcat reverse, ending with a McElroy 50-yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones and a quick 14-0 Alabama lead.
Arkansas’ defense settled down after the 14-point outburst sending the teams to halftime with the same 14-0 spread.
The Tide racked up 217 first half yards, but 102 of Alabama’s yardage came on the 2 touchdown plays. Mallett hit his 1st two passes, and had a series of 3 straight in Arkansas’ one sustained drive, but went only 7-of-21 in the first half for 74 yards. McElroy was 8-of-15 for 103 yards and a TD in the 1st half.
McElrory finished with a career high 17-of-24 for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns. The SEC Rocks!

Bama's LB Hightower injures leg in 1st quarter

Alabama linebacker Hightower left the field with a leg injury late in the 1st quarter against Arkansas.
Hightower was helped off the field, favoring his left leg. He was carried to the locker room on a cart as the 2nd quarter began on Saturday. Hightower had an ice pack on his left knee.
He came into Saturday's game 3rd on the team with 14 tackles and with a team-high 4 stops behind the line.
Hightower had 2 tackles before taken to locker room. He was replaced by Courtney Upshaw.

LSU vs Miss St...Scoring Summary LSU 30 - Miss St. 26

LSU
Patrick Peterson 37 yard interception return for TD (Josh Jasper Kick Failed)
6-0
12:47
1st Qtr
MissSt
Anthony Dixon 2 yard TD run (Sean Brauchle Extra Point)
7-6
7:14
1st Qtr
LSU
Brandon LaFell 5 yard TD pass from Jordan Jefferson (Josh Jasper Extra Point)
13-7
3:45
1st Qtr
MissSt
Anthony Dixon 1 yard TD run (Sean Brauchle Extra Point)
14-13
0:41
1st Qtr
LSU
Josh Jasper 22 yard field goal
16-14
6:16
2nd Qtr
LSU
Brandon LaFell 58 yard TD pass from Jordan Jefferson (Josh Jasper Extra Point)
23-14
13:30
3rd Qtr
MissSt
Marcus Green 50 yard TD pass from Tyson Lee (Sean Brauchle Extra Point)
23-21
6:33
3rd Qtr
LSU
Chad Jones 93 yard punt return for TD (Josh Jasper Extra Point)
30-21
14:36
4th Qtr
MissSt
Sean Brauchle 22 yard field goal
30-24
10:13
4th Qtr
MissSt
Safety
30-26
0:51
4th Qtr

Arkansas Razorbacks vs Alabama Crimson Tide...Betting book

The Tide were able to take advantage of the departure of Darren McFadden last year, trouncing Arkansas 49-14, but the Razorbacks have made steadfast improvements across the board. With significant injuries to ‘Bama’s top receiver, Julio Junes, and their star tailback, Roy Upchurch, the spread might be too big for even a viscious Tide team to overcome. They’ll score at will, but restraining Mallet for making this loss his own, personal statement will also be a tough task.
Bet Arkansas with a nice 3-score point cushion. ‘Bama will push this game in to the OVER with a balanced offense attack while Mallet keeps the pressure on by tossing big scores to frustrate Saban’sbetting backers all day.
Arkansas +17.5 (OVER) The SEC Rocks!

Razorbacks Look To Upset #3 Crimson Tide

The Tide were miffed about their pre-season ranking to open the college football betting season, and have now been the biggest benefactor of some resounding upsets in the past three weeks. The 3rd-ranked Crimson Tide will get to justify their top billing against Arkansas, a team which is 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games against Alabama.
Say what you will about Nick Saban’s unceremonious departure from the Miami Dolphins, but this man knows just how to build a college football team. His defense ranks second overall, allowing just 185.3 yards total, with only 15.0 points against. Behind that stellar defense, Alabama has gone 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games, including a 5-2 ATS stretch at home. With an 11-1 SU record to protect at home, the Tide have to secure their SEC West title hopes with a win over a big program from Arkansas that holds the nation’s second best offense (so far).
It’s easy to get excited about Ryan Mallet’s season. The 21-year old sophomore has notched 717-yards and 6 touchdowns with zero mistakes. The offense ranks second in total yards with 538.0 yards and 6th in scoring with 44.5 per game. The problem for Arkansas will be keeping the Tide off the board. The Razorbacks gave up a 41-52 loss last week against the Georgia Bulldogs. The SEC Rocks!

Gamecock's Robertson done for season; Garcia OK

South Carolina's defensive tackle Travian Robertson’s knee injury will sideline him for the season, USC confirmed Friday night.
Robertson sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, an MRI confirmed Friday night, according to team physician Dr. Jeff Guy. The injury happened in the third quarter against Ole Miss Thursday.
Robertson will undergo surgery in a couple of weeks, USC said.
A CT scan on USC quarterback Stephen Garcia’s bruised ribs Friday revealed no fractures.
Garcia was injured on a quarterback sneak Thursday in the first half of the Gamecocks’ 16-10 win against Mississippi. Garcia, who stayed in the game after taking Tylenol and receiving a cortisone shot at halftime, said he planned to spend the weekend in Tampa with his girlfriend and their 2-year-old son.

Vandy vs Rice...at Historic Rice Stadium...Saturday 8 pm

Rice Stadium remains unique because it was built for football only. There is no running track around the perimeter of the field, so sightlines and facilities are still as functional today as they were in 1950. One of America's great stadiums and the largest on-campus facility in Conference-USA, Rice Stadium will celebrate its 60th season in 2009.
The entire Rice football operation is housed in the stadium. The Owls' locker rooms and the Owl Club at the south end of the stadium are among the finest in C-USA. Offices for the Owls' coaching staff and football meeting rooms are also located in the stadium.
The Owl Club, atop the south end zone, is virtually a historical museum of the great Rice athletes and teams. The walls are filled with the photos of past Owls, forming a fitting site for many team functions. The room is also used for academic, civic and other social events.

Super Bowl VIIIRice Stadium has been the scene of many exciting moments in the football histories of Rice, the city of Houston and the National Football League. At various times, the stadium has served as the home stadium for the Bluebonnet Bowl, the University of Houston, Texas Southern University and the NFL's Houston Oilers. John Kennedy made his famous challenge to America to place a man on the moon in a speech at Rice Stadium!