Hardesty named SEC co-offensive player of week

Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty shared the SEC offensive player of the week award with Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, the SEC office announced.
Hardesty had 39 carries for 179 yards and three touchdowns in the Vols' 30-24 overtime victory over Kentucky on Saturday at Lexington, Ky.
Tebow threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns in Florida's 37-10 victory over Florida State.
Other awards: defense-Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain, special teams-LSU kicker Josh Jasper, offensive lineman-Florida guard Mike Pouncey, co-defensive linemen-South Carolina tackle Ladi Ajiboye and Mississippi State end Pernell McPhee, freshman-Georgia running back Washaun Ealey.

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No. 2 Alabama Meets No. 1 Florida for SEC Championship

ALABAMA (12-0, 8-0 SEC) VS. FLORIDA (12-0, 8-0 SEC)SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009 • 3 P.M. CST • CBS GEORGIA DOME (71,500) • ATLANTA, GA.
The No. 2/3 University of Alabama football team makes its second straight trip to the Southeastern Conference Championship Game to face the top-ranked Florida Gators on Saturday, December 5, 2009. It will be the 36th meeting between the two schools in a series that dates back to 1904. The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. (CST) kickoff at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., and will be televised by CBS with Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and Tracy Wolfson calling the action. Eli Gold, Phil Savage and Barry Krauss will have the radio call on the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban (Kent State, 1973) is in his third season with the Crimson Tide. He was named the school's 27th head coach on January 3, 2007. Saban has compiled a 122-50-1 (.708) record as a collegiate head coach with a 31-8 (.795) mark at Alabama that includes a 12-0 record this year with a perfect 8-0 mark in the SEC. Saban has now won 10 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career. He captured his 100th career win and coached his 150th game as a collegiate head coach during the 2008 campaign. In 2003, Saban led LSU to a 13-1 record and the BCS National Championship. Overall, Saban has coached three conference championship teams (1990 Mid-American, 2001 SEC and 2003 SEC) and nine of his 12 teams have played in post-season bowl games with Alabama already bowl eligible this season. Saban is one of two (Bob Stoops) current Football Bowl Subdivision coaches to coach for at least 10 years and not suffer a losing season.
The Crimson Tide is ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, No. 2 in the BCS standings, No. 3 in the Harris Poll and No. 3 in the USA Today Coaches' poll this week following a 26-21 win at Auburn. Alabama has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the AP poll and No. 2 in the coaches' poll this season. UA garnered seven first-place votes in the AP poll and three in the coaches' poll this week. Alabama was ranked fifth in both the AP and USA Today Coaches' preseason polls, the highest preseason ranking for the Tide since the 2000 season when Alabama opened at No. 3.
Alabama is ranked second in this week's Bowl Championship Series standings released on Sunday, November 29. The Crimson Tide (.9513) trails No. 1 Florida (.9868) by a margin of just .0355 with Texas in third at .9282. The Tide is ranked No. 3 in the Harris Interactive poll and the USA Today Coaches poll but is tied at No. 1 with Florida in the average of all six computer rankings, while third-place Texas is fourth in the computers. TCU is fourth in the BCS with an average of 0.8689 with Cincinnati fifth (.8096).
Head coach Nick Saban's arrival in Tuscaloosa has seen his Crimson Tide vault up the national rankings. That success in such a short period of time has quickly impacted the Tide's record book. Saban produced the largest win increase from year one to year two in school history as Alabama went from seven wins in 2007 to 12 wins in 2008. He is one of two coaches (Bob Stoops, Oklahoma) in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football to have coached 10 years and never suffered through a losing season. Saban achieved another first in 2009 with back-to-back 10-win seasons. He also ranks fifth in winning percentage (70.8 percent) among active coaches who have coached at least 10 years of FBS football.
Alabama is 7-2 against the Associated Press Top 25 over the 2008 and 2009 seasons. The Crimson Tide's 24-15 win over No. 9 LSU on November 7 was the Tide's fourth win over a top-10 team dating back to the start of the 2008 season. Alabama is 4-0 against the AP Top 25 in the 2009 season.
Alabama ran the table in the 2009 regular season and finished the season with a perfect 8-0 record in SEC play. Since the league split into a divisional format in 1992, nine SEC teams have navigated their way through the conference with a perfect 8-0 mark. Alabama has done it four times (1992, 1994, 2008 and 2009) while Florida has run the table three times (1995, 1996 and 2009). Tennessee went 8-0 in 1998 and Auburn was 8-0 in 2004.
With its win over Auburn, Alabama has completed back-to-back perfect seasons in SEC play. With 8-0 records in each of the last two seasons, the Crimson Tide joins the 1995-96 Florida Gators as the only two SEC teams to post consecutive 8-0 seasons since the league expanded to 12 teams in 1992.

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Tim Tebow and Mike Pouncey Earn SEC Weekly Honors

University of Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow and junior offensive lineman Mike Pouncey received accolades from the league office Monday for their contributions to UF’s 37-10 victory over Florida State. The Tebow and Pouncey recognitions mark the 10th and 11th UF honors of the 2009 season, as the duo helped the Gators bid farewell to 25 seniors with a defeat over the Sunshine State rival Saturday in front of a Ben Hill Griffin Stadium-record 90,907 fans.
Tebow picked up Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors, his second honor of the season, after connecting on 17-of-21 passes for 221 yards and three touch­downs, while adding 90 yards on 15 carries for two scores on the ground against FSU. Tebow accounted for 311 of UF’s 545 yards total offense en route to breaking the SEC record for most total offensive yards in a career (11,389).
Pouncey, the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, graded out a Champion at 96 percent as a key to UF’s offensive front, and had three knockdown blocks in the victory over FSU. Pouncey helped the Gators accumulate 545 yards of total offense and UF held the ball for 31:24, including eight minutes or more in 3-of-4 quarters of play.
Collaboratively, the Gators were 10-of-13 on third-down conversions and scored on all four tries in the red zone against Florida State. The Gators are now 11-of-14 in the red zone over the past three games, with two of those possessions coming as the Gators ran out the clock at the end of each game.
With the win, Florida posted a 12-0 regular-season record for the first time in UF history and extended its NCAA-leading win streak to 22 straight games.

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Vols Hardesty runs for touchdown in OT

A crowd of 70,981 came to Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday night, most dressed in blue and desperately hoping to see the streak end.
Tennessee escaped with a 30-24 overtime victory over Kentucky - its 25th in a row dating back to 1984, before any of the current players were born.
But when Montario Hardesty ended the game with a 20-yard touchdown run in the first overtime period, both sides were talking about anything but the longest winning streak in a major college football rivalry.
"It's not about the streak at all,'' said UT junior Ben Martin. "It's about each individual win.''
Ditto, said quarterback Jonathan Crompton.
"We weren't even thinking about that,'' said Crompton. "We wanted to win this game to get to a better bowl game.''
UT finished 7-5, 4-4 SEC, in coach Lane Kiffin's first season. The Vols will await a bowl invitation, with the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on New Year's Day a best-case scenario.
The Wildcats (7-5, 3-5 ) will go to a bowl game for a fourth consecutive year. But losing another close call to the Vols was a bitter pill to swallow and not just because of the "S" word.
"It's tough,'' said Kentucky coach Rich Brooks.
"We had a chance to do something that hadn't been done around here, finishing second in the SEC East. We failed.''


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USC ground game, stingy D smack Clemson

As they walked out of Williams-Brice Stadium following South Carolina's 34-17 win Saturday, USC tight end Weslye Saunders and tackle Jarriel King stopped in the southwest corner and held the Hardee's Trophy aloft and gave Gamecock fans a chance to snap pictures and soak in the moment.
Clemson (8-4) will be playing for a bigger, shinier trophy next week when the 15th-ranked Tigers face No. 7 Georgia Tech for the ACC championship in Tampa, Fla.
But USC (7-5) took away something more important than the hardware - salvation of a season following a rare win against its Upstate rival.
The Gamecocks rediscovered their running offense and overcame C.J. Spiller's NCAA record-setting touchdown return on the opening kickoff to win for the third time in the past 13 games against the Tigers.
USC had dropped three in a row entering Saturday's game and was in danger of limping into its bowl game in the midst of another late-season skid. Instead, the Gamecocks are guaranteed a winning season and will take momentum - and likely more fans - to their bowl destination.
"I feel like we accomplished something. We could easily be down on ourselves after those three games. But now we did something," said Saunders, who had two short touchdown receptions. "A lot of people have been telling us all year, 'As long as you beat Clemson.' We just beat Clemson."
But do not expect Steve Spurrier to sell commemorative Clemson game balls on the Gamecock Club circuit in the spring, as he did three years ago following his only other win against the Tigers at USC.
"I think sometimes we celebrate too much when we beat 'em, to tell you the truth," Spurrier said. "I think when Clemson beats us, they don't celebrate wildly. But I think we overdid it three years ago, and I was probably guilty also."
The Tigers barely resembled the team that had won six in a row entering the game.
Clemson gave up 223 rushing yards, matched a season high with three turnovers and did little offensively until the fourth quarter. With USC doing its best to surround Spiller, the Tigers managed 48 rushing yards on 19 carries - the second time since 1980 Clemson has run for fewer than 100 yards against USC.

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Tigers survive comeback in OT, 33-30

Ryan Mallett got everything he needed for a legendary touchdown drive, but his LSU counterpart Jordan Jefferson put his kicker, Josh Jasper, into position twice in the closing moments.
Jasper tied the LSU school record with four field goals as LSU escaped the comeback Arkansas Razorbacks with a 33-30 overtime victory before a crowd of 93,013 at Tiger Stadium.
Jeferson passed for 179 yards and Trindon Holliday combined for 166 all-purpose yards to lead LSU.
LSU moves to 9-3 on the season, and combined with Ole Miss' loss today claims second place in the SEC West at 5-3. The Razorbacks see their winning streak snapped, but close the season at 7-5 overall and 3-5 in league play. Both teams await the bowl selection process next weekend.
"I'm very proud of the way be battled," head coach Bobby Petrino said. "We got in a position to win the game. We made the adjustments at halftime, and we put ourselves in a place to win the game."
The Razorbacks had one of their most balanced offensive days, racking up 148 yards rushing and 227 yards passing.
Down four, Mallett was presented with his opportunity to create his own Razorback legend. Starting at his own 25-yard line, Mallett directed a 12-play drive that culminated with Joe Adams' 14-yard touchdown reception with 1:18 left in the game.
Adams figured twice in the drive, first by taking a crushing helmet-to-helmet blow at the goal line, with the resulting personal foul putting Arkansas at the LSU 14 yard line. Alex Tejada's point after put Arkansas ahead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.
Jefferson responded for LSU, moving the Tigers 41 yards in just 64 sections to set up the tying field goal with eight seconds left for Jasper.
In the overtime, both teams stalled on the 19 yard line. Arkansas played defense first, putting the game on Jasper's toe. He hit the 36-yarder for his fourth of the game. Arkansas reached the same 19, but Tejada's kick went wide right.
The second half was a back and forth offensive battle.
DD Jones tips the pass and Franklin hauls it in on the Tiger 45, returning it to the LSU 28. Ronnie Wingo, Jr., took over with three carries to close the short-field drive, his last being a 13-yard ramble up the middle, breaking left off tacklers, for the touchdown. Tejada's PAT made it 17-13 with 12:24 left in the third.
Jefferson drove LSU 67 yards on nine plays, capping it with a 15-yard pass to Deangelo Peterson, to return the spread to 11, 24-13.
The Razorbacks matched with a 77-yard, seven-play drive of their own, with Mallett's 19-yard pass to Jarius Wright pushing Arkansas upfield. Broderick Green went into the end zone untouched for the final nine yards.
Jefferson move LSU to midfield, but a combination of penalties and Razorback defense stalled the Tigers. Arkansas took the next posession 62 yards for a third Tejada field goal, this one 40 yards, to cut the Tiger margin to one, 24-23.
Jefferson pushed the Tigers 55 yards up the field, converting two clutch third down plays, to set up a 47-yard field goal for Jasper with 4:05 left, 27-23, to set the stage for the final two drives.
The Razorbacks opened the game with a quick drive into LSU territory, but a pass that floated high for Mallett near the LSU five yard line stopped the Razorbacks as Chad Jones made the pick for LSU.
LSU was unable to get on track offensively, and Arkansas marched back up field to set up a career-tying 47-yard field goal for Alex Tejada.
The Tigers came back with 17 unanswered points, starting with a 16-yard touchdown strike to Brandon LaFell from Jordan Jefferson.
The drive was fueled by a pair of Trindon Holliday carries of 19 and 12 yards.
LSU extended its lead to 10-3 with a 47-yard field goal by Josh Jasper.
Arkansas struggled in the air most of the first half as Mallett hit only seven of his 20 attempts. Still, the 91 yards in the air for Arkansas allowed the Razorbacks to have a statistical advantage at halftime.
Special teams proved the difference early, as the Tigers got an 87-yard punt return from Trindon Holliday for their second score.
LSU pinned Arkansas deep at its own five, and looked like it would pick up great field position until a fumbled reception on the punt gave the ball back to Arkansas.
The Razorbacks were unable to take advantage of that special teams miscue, but shortly thereafter used good field position from a shanked LSU punt to drive for a second score.
Scrambling most of the night early, Mallett evaded the Tiger rush to find Adams for a key gain into LSU territory. Picking up another LSU rush with a play check, Mallett handed to Johnson for 10, and a 15-yard personal foul for a facemask set the Razorbacks up with less than a minute left deep in Tiger territory. Mallet sailed a pair of pases high before Tejada came on for his second field goal, a 35-yarder, to end the half.
Holliday had three punt returns for 109 yards to go with his 57 yards rushing while Arkansas did not have a single punt return.

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Georgia Runs Over No. 7 Georgia Tech, 30-24

Georgia took a page out of Georgia Tech’s playbook, rushing for 339 yards to upset the seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets 30-24 Saturday night and put a real damper on the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
Washaun Ealey rushed for 183 yards, while Caleb King rambled for 166 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs (7-5) reclaimed state bragging rights in a disappointing year and handed the Yellow Jackets (10-2) a huge setback in what has been their best season in nearly two decades.
Georgia Tech’s loss completed a dismal day for the two teams that will meet next week in Tampa, Fla., for the ACC title. Earlier, Clemson was blown out by South Carolina 34-17.
Just as they did a year earlier, the Yellow Jackets put themselves in a deep hole in the first half, falling behind 17-3 to a Georgia team that opened huge holes for its running back tandem. Ealey, a freshman, had already set a new career high early in the second quarter.
Unlike 2008, when Georgia Tech rallied from 16 points down for a 45-42 victory that snapped a seven-year losing streak to the Bulldogs, the Jackets couldn’t come all the way back. The nation’s second-best rushing team was 205 yards on the ground.
After Blair Walsh missed a potentially clinching field goal from 55 yards out, only his second miss of the season, Georgia Tech converted a fourth down at the Georgia 46 with plenty of time to run it the rest of the way.
But coach Paul Johnson abandoned the triple option, taking three straight deep shots through the air—all incomplete—to leave the Yellow Jackets facing fourth-and-10. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who returned to the game on a gimpy ankle after being injured in the first half, found Demaryius Thomas wide open along the sideline for what would have been enough for the first down.
But Georgia Tech’s top receiver let the ball slip through his hands with no one around.
Game over.

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Vols hold off Wildcats in OT, 30-24

Montario Hardesty broke loose for a 20-yard touchdown in overtime Saturday night to rescue Tennessee in the regular-season finale.
A 30-24 victory over Kentucky before a capacity Commonwealth Stadium came hard but it kept the nation’s longest rivalry winning streak in place at 25 years.
Tennessee awaits a bowl bid at 7-5, 4-4 SEC.
Kentucky finishes 7-5, 3-5 SEC, and will play in a fourth consecutive bowl for the first time in program history.
Tennessee was in position to run out the clock on a 24-21 victory in regulation -- until tight end Luke Stocker fumbled after a reception with 2:21 to play at the Vols’ 37.
Kentucky got two nice runs from Randall Cobb and then tied the score with a 23-yard Lones Seiber field goal with 33 seconds on the clock.
That brought about overtime. Only this time it didn’t require four extra periods to settle it like the 2007 game here did.
Tennessee went on defense first, held Kentucky – thanks in part to Eric Berry slashing in to throw Derrick Locke for a 6-yard loss.
Then Seiber missed a 48-yard field-goal try.
The Vols went on offense and had to overcome a first-down holding penalty.
A 14-yard Jonathan Crompton pass to Gerald Jones reached the 20. On third-and-5, Hardesty burst free for his third touchdown of the game and it was over.
Kentucky led through most of the first three quarters.
Sam Maxwell’s 56-yard interception return gave the Wildcats an early lead.
Hardesty scored on runs of 9 and 13 yards, but Cobb scored on a 17-yard reverse and Locke punched in a 1-yard score to make it 21-14 at the half.
Tennessee dominated the third quarter.
The Vols got even at 21-21 on a 16-yard Crompton pass to Stocker.
Then Cobb lost a fumble and UT drove close enough for a 30-yard Devin Mathis field goal to gain its first lead of the game at 24-21.

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Jasper Field Goals Lift Tigers to OT Win

Josh Jasper matched a single-game record with four field goals including a 37-yarder in overtime, as Arkansas missed its 36-yard attempt in the extra period and LSU came away with a thrilling 33-30 victory on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
LSU improved to 9-3 overall and 5-3 in SEC play. The Tigers await a postseason bowl berth, most likely the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Fla., or the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2 in Dallas.
SEC bowl announcements will not be made until after the SEC Championship game and Bowl Championship Series selections on Sunday, Dec. 6.
On LSU's overtime possession, Brandon LaFell missed a low throw by Jordan Jefferson on third-and-4 and LSU had to attempt a 36-yard field goal. Jasper's kick was true and LSU led 33-30.
Arkansas (7-5, 3-5 SEC) also settled for a field goal in overtime when London Crawford was corralled four yards short of a first down by LSU cornerback Chris Hawkins who made a one-on-one tackle. Alex Tejada's attempt went just outside of the right post, sending Tiger Stadium into a frenzy.
Jasper, who converted twice from 47 yards earlier in the game, forced the extra period with a 41-yard field goal with four seconds to play.
LSU looked to be in trouble late in the game when Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett guided his team to a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Joe Adams on fourth-and-9.
After Arkansas went ahead 30-27 with 1:18 to play, LSU sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson led his team into field goal range with an eight-play, 41-yard drive that took the clock down to four seconds. Jasper kicked the tying field goal on second down from the Arkansas 23.
Jefferson finished 17-of-25 passing for 179 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. He added 11 runs for 33 yards including two sacks for minus-12 yards. He tossed touchdown passes of 16 and 15 yards, the latter to tight end Deangelo Peterson that gave LSU an 11-point lead, 24-13, midway through the third quarter.
LSU's Trindon Holliday had a career-best 212 all-purpose yards including an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown that put the Tigers ahead 17-3 in the second quarter.
Holliday ran nine times for 57 yards, while Stevan Ridley rushed 14 times for 48 yards.
LaFell had a team-high 70 yards on four catches. He caught LSU's first touchdown pass in the first quarter.
LSU tight end Richard Dickson had six catches for 40 yards, and Ridley added 30 yards on four grabs out of the backfield.
LSU was outgained 375-326. The Tigers committed nine penalties for 80 yards.
Mallett led Arkansas to a furious comeback, as the Hogs scored on five-straight drives in the second half. He finished 17-of-39 passing for 227 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked three times -- all in the first half -- for minus-24 yards. Wide receiver Greg Childs caught five passes for 124 yards before being injured late in regulation.
Arkansas running back Dennis Johnson rushed nine times for 78 yards, while Ronnie Wingo Jr. added 48 yards on nine carries. Wingo and running back Broderick Green each scored rushing touchdowns.

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Gators defeat FSU 37-10

A Ben Hill Griffin stadium-record 90,907 fans were present as the No. 1 Gators bid farewell to 22 seniors with a 37-10 defeat over Sunshine State rival Florida State Saturday at Florida Field. Already the winningest class in SEC history, the 2009 seniors helped UF extended the Gator win streak over FSU to six games, adding its 20th all-time victory in Gainesville over the Seminoles.

The 12th win of the season against FSU marked UF’s NCAA-leading 22nd straight victory and also marked the first time in UF history the Gators have posted a 12-0 regular season record. The last time UF went 12-0 was the 1995 season, when the undefeated record included the SEC Championship Game.
For the 12th time in his career at Florida, senior quarterback Tim Tebow (Jacksonville , Fla.) threw for at least two touchdown passes and rushed for at least two more. Tebow additionally moved into sole possession of the SEC and UF records in total offense, with 11,389 career yards. Tebow finished the day 17-of-21 for 221 yards passing and two touchdowns, and rushed 15 times for 90 yards and two scores in his final game in The Swamp.
Junior tight end Aaron Hernandez (Bristol, Conn.) led the Florida receiving corps with five catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns, a career-high that Hernandez last achieved against FSU in 2008. Sophomore athlete Jeff Demps (Winter Garden, Fla.) had a 106-yard rushing day, with seven carries to lead all Gator rushers.
With just over five minutes in the fourth quarter, redshirt sophomore quarterback John Brantley (Ocala, Fla.) took over for Tebow and finished the evening 2-of-2 for 13 yards through the air.
Florida held Florida State scoreless through the first half of play, tacking on three touchdowns and a field goal by sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis (St. Augustine, Fla.). Florida’s defensive efforts forced the ‘Noles to punt four times in the first half, while Thorpe Award finalist, junior cornerback Joe Haden (Ft. Washington, Md.), came up with his fourth pick of the season to halt FSU’s final drive of the half. Haden now leads the Florida defense this season in interceptions and has eight career interceptions donning the Orange and Blue.
The Gators struck for the first time in the game on an 18-yard shovel pass from Tebow to Hernandez following a six-play, 48-yard drive. The score gave Hernandez his third touchdown of the season and put the Gators up, 7-0, with 6:48 remaining in the first quarter of play.
A key sack on the Seminoles’ next drive by junior defensive end Carlos Dunlap (North Charleston, S.C.) forced FSU’s second punt of the half, putting the ball back in the Gators’ possession. The 69-yard UF drive belonged to sophomore running back Chris Rainey (Lakeland, Fla.), who accounted for 55 of the 69 yards on the ground, with advances of 45 yards, six yards and four yards. Sturgis hit the uprights on a 37-yard field-goal attempt to extend the Florida lead, 10-0, to start the second quarter.
An FSU punt with 11:43 to go in the second quarter set up UF’s longest drive of the season, by time, as the Gators marched 80 yards down field for an 18-yard Tebow touchdown rush that ate 7:44 off the clock. The score was Tebow’s 55th career rushing touchdown and gave the Gators a 17-0 advantage, following the extra point.
The UF defense held strong on FSU’s ensuing drive, forcing three-and-out, putting possession of the ball back in the Gators’ hands with 2:19 left in the half. Hernandez rallied for 49 yards receiving on the 51-yard scoring drive, including a 37-yard touchdown pass from Tebow that gave Hernandez his second score of the game. Hernandez’s score tied a career high, with two touchdown scores in a game, last achieved against FSU in 2008, as Florida took a 24-0 lead.
A Haden interception halted Florida State’s final drive of the half, and UF’s 6-of-8 in third-down conversions took the Gators into the locker room at the half with a 24-point advantage.
The Seminoles received the ball to kick off the second half of play, but the UF defense held strong, forcing yet another FSU punt. Florida was quick to capitalize, striking on a four-play scoring drive with a 39-yard lob from Tebow to senior wide receiver Riley Cooper (Clearwater, Fla.). While Sturgis’ extra point was blocked, Cooper’s team-leading eighth touchdown catch was the 17th of his career as the Orange and Blue took a 30-0 lead.
After a wide-left 44-yard Florida State missed field goal attempt, the Seminoles put their first points on the board with three seconds remaining in the third quarter, capitalizing on a Tebow fumble at the FSU 30-yard line, with a 20-yard field-goal success by freshman kicker Dustin Hopkins that narrowed the margin, 30-3. The Seminoles were forced to a field-goal after the Gator defense held FSU to fourth-and-goal at the UF two-yard line.
A season-long and career-tying 62-yard advance by Demps set up Florida’s next touchdown drive, allowing Tebow to score his 56th rushing touchdown on a one-yard quarterback keeper that extended the UF lead, 37-3.
The Seminoles responded with their only touchdown of the night when FSU freshman quarterback E.J. Manuel connected with sophomore wide receiver Jarmon Fortson on a nine-yard pass that narrowed the Gators’ lead, 37-10.
After a UF fumble on the Gators’ ensuing possession, Florida State took the ball the length of the field on its last possession, but redshirt freshman cornerback Adrian Bushell (DeSoto, Texas) solidified the UF victory, picking off a Manuel pass in the end zone to end the game.

Florida will take on No. 2 Alabama in the 2009 SEC Championship game, its second consecutive appearance in the showdown, Dec. 5, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. Kick off is set for a 4 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on CBS.

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Bulldogs upset No. 20 Ole Miss 41-27

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Little-used backup quarterback Chris Relf accounted for three second-half touchdowns, as the Bulldogs upset No. 20 Ole Miss 41-27 in the Egg Bowl on Saturday.

Ole Miss (8-4, 4-4 SEC) couldn't stop the one-two combination of Relf and Anthony Dixon, who finished with 133 yards and a touchdown. Dixon has 1,390 yards in 11 games, breaking James Johnson's school record by seven yards.

The defense also came up with several big plays, including a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown by Corey Broomfield that sealed the victory.

Charles Mitchell added two interceptions for the Bulldogs (5-7, 3-5), who won't go to a bowl this season but got the pleasure of possibly knocking the Rebels (8-4, 4-4) out of second place in the SEC's Western Division and a plum bowl assignment if LSU beats Arkansas later Saturday.

It was the sixth straight win for the home team in the series and the 10th in the last 11 games. The Bulldogs carried the golden egg-shaped trophy given to the winner to the end zone and celebrated with fans after the win, which came a year after an embarrassing 45-0 loss.They danced as a group to the song "Who Let the Dogs Out,'' and generally celebrated as if they had won a bowl game. The Bulldogs had nothing to gain from the win except bragging rights, while the Rebels had plenty to lose. Yet a week after upsetting then-No. 8 LSU, setting itself up for the Capital One Bowl, Ole Miss was listless and Mississippi State was inspired.

Relf had been Tyson Lee's backup and shared playing time all season, but was often given the short hook after mistakes. This time he played most of the second half and dominated Ole Miss with 131 yards rushing, averaging 10 per carry on his first 10 and 8.7 yards overall.

The run specialist also stung the Rebels with touchdown passes of 2 and 34 yards, rallying the Bulldogs from a 13-10 halftime deficit.

The second scoring pass - a 34-yard lob to Chad Bumphis, who broke three tackles on the play - came on fourth and 9. Relf also mined the edge of the Ole Miss defensive front on the option for several big runs, clinching the game with a 10-yard power rush with 10:56 left.

The Bulldogs gave up 385 yards, but were stingy inside the 20. The Rebels' most success came on long pass plays for touchdowns - 20 yards to Shay Hodge, 48 yards to Markeith Summers and 52 to Dexter McCluster.

The Bulldogs held McCluster under 100 rushing yards to snap a four-game streak against SEC opponents, but he still managed 145 all-purpose yards. Jevan Snead finished with 275 yards passing and three TDs, but his three interceptions were costly.

With 96 yards receiving and a touchdown, Hodge set the single-season school record for receiving yards and became the first Rebel to surpass 1,000 yards (1,023).

IN-GAME UPDATES

MSU 41, Ole Miss 27, 4Q, 4:53: After surrendering a pick-six, Snead comes back with a screen pass to McCluster,who races 52 yards for the score. However, Ole Miss is unable to convert the onsides kick and is down two scores with less than five minutes left.

MSU 34, Ole Miss 20, 4Q, 10:56: Relf continues his strong second half, breaking free for a 10-yard TD run. It is his third TD accounted for in the half. The 34 points is the most allowed by the Rebel defense this year.

MSU 27, Ole Miss 20, 4Q, 14:53: Facing its biggest fourth-quarter deficit since the Alabama game, Ole Miss responds immediately on the first play of the quarter with Snead flinging a 48-yard TD pass over the top of the defense toMarkeith Summers. Of Summers four TD receptions this year, three have been 45 yards or longer. Snead also connected with Hodge for 25 yards on the drive, leaving Hodge just five yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark.

MSU 27, Ole Miss 13, 3Q, 0:38: After a Snead interception, State strengthens their lead after Relf fires a 34-yard scoring pass to Chad Bumpis, who caught the ball at the 10-yard line and fended off defenders en route to the end zone.

MSU 20, Ole Miss 13, 3Q, 4:07: After holding the Rebels, the Bulldogs drive for a TD with Chris Relf tossing a two-yard TD to a wide open Marcus Green behind the defense off play-action.

Ole Miss 13, MSU 13, 3Q, 11:38: State ties the game with the opening drive of the second half, using a Depasquale 48-yard FG.

Ole Miss 13, MSU 10, 2Q, 1:01: The Rebels answer quickly with a 20-yard TD strike from Jevan Snead to Shay Hodge, who was drapped by a defender in the endzone. With the reception, Hodge sets the Ole Miss single-season record for receiving yards and needs just 30 more yards to become the Rebels' first 1,000-yard receiver. He also needs two more TD catches to tie the Ole Miss career mark.

MSU 10, Ole Miss 6, 2Q, 3:22: Anthony Dixon's 2-yard TD dive to the pieline was reviewed by officials in the box, but the play was upheld to put State on top for the first time today. Dixon also collected a key 13-yard reception from Tyson Lee as part of the nine-play, 81-yard drive.

Ole Miss 6, MSU 3, 2Q, 11:08: After exchanging turnovers (McCluster fumble lost, then Trahan interception), Rebels get another FG from Shene, a 28-yarder to end a seven-play, 28-yard drive over 2:38. Pat Patterson hauled in a 17-yard pass to highlight the drive.

Ole Miss 3, MSU 3, 2Q, 14:57: MSU also gets a FG out of their opening drive, a 28-yarder by Derek Depasquale. By the way, the opening quarter lasted a brief 24 minutes.

Ole Miss 3, MSU 0, 1Q, 7:54: Joshua Shene connects on a 26-yard FG to cap a 13-play, 60-yard drive. Among the key plays on the drive, on a faked punt, Billy Tapp tossed 20-yard first-down completion to Reggie Hicks on a 4th-and-2 at the MSU 36-yard line. It marked the first reception of Hicks' career.

NOTES: Patrick Trahan recorded his first career interception in the second quarter and returned it 28 yards in the second quarter ... Dexter McCluster lost just his second fumble of the year in the second quarter ... Captains for the Rebels are Kendrick Lewis, Dexter McCluster, John Jerry and Marcus Tillman.

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Gamecock Victory over Clemson 34-17

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Stephen Garcia threw three touchdown passes and South Carolina's defense slowed down Clemson star C.J. Spiller in a 34-17 victory over the 15th-ranked Tigers on Saturday.

Spiller opened the game with an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, an NCAA record- setting seventh of his career. But the Gamecocks (7-5) bottled up Spiller and Clemson's high-scoring offense after that to end the Tigers' six-game win streak--and their dominance in the rivalry.

Clemson (8-4) had won two straight, six out of seven and 10 of 12 against the Gamecocks, who had only one victory over the Tigers in the last 10 games at Williams-Brice Stadium.

That changed against a South Carolina defense ranked third in the Southeastern Conference and fresh from a week off.

Clemson had just 260 yards of offense, well off the more than 415 it averaged the past six games. Spiller finished with 18 yards rushing and 19 receiving.
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UF's Charlie Strong Nominated For Broyles Award

University of Florida Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong was named as one of the nominees for The 2009 Broyles Award announced on Thursday. The final five finalists will be announced on Monday, Nov. 30, and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the Broyles Award Luncheon presented by the Little Rock Rotary Club.
Throughout his tenure, Strong has made a lasting impression as one of the top assistants in the nation. He has molded the Gator defense into one of the nation’s best since he started his tenure on the UF staff in 2003. In December of 2004, Strong served as interim head coach for the Gators among his Defensive Coordinator duties.
Strong has 26 years of collegiate coaching experience, two years as an intern on the professional level and was UF’s choice to serve as interim head coach for the 2004 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

“It would be a challenge to find someone more respected and well-liked in the college football world than Charlie Strong,” head coach Urban Meyer said. “He’s passionate and hard working, but he takes the job of molding men very seriously. Charlie is the type of man who can walk into any situation and be well-liked, well-received and represent the University of Florida to the highest degree.”
Strong has consistently produced one of the most dominating defenses in the SEC, and in the country, in recent years. The nationally-renowned Gator defense has steadily improved under Strong and several Strong-coached players will go on to become some of the best players in UF and NCAA history. While multiple Gators are projected to join the NFL Draft ranks, Strong’s recruiting has solidified a solid line of talent that will allow the Gators to maintain their dominating reputation. Under Strong’s watch in 2009, the UF defense has once again become a national buzz, and two players, linebacker Brandon Spikes (Shelby, N.C.) and cornerback Joe Haden (Ft. Washington, Md.), have emerged as elite among their positions, and are finalists for multiple national awards this season.
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SEC Football Online Sportbook...Georgia vs Georgia Tech

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Kick-off: 8:00 pm EST
NCAAF Odds: Georgia Tech -8
Analysis: The Georgia Bulldogs haven’t been as good in 2009 as they usually are. Although the Bulldogs do have a 6 and 5 record, their 6 victories could have easily been losses. Against the spread, the Bulldogs are 3 and 8. As 10 point favorites against the Kentucky Wildcats, Georgia was absolutely drilled 34 to 27 in their last game.
That’s right; the Bulldogs gave up 34 points to the Kentucky Wildcats. Now, they have to travel to Georgia Tech to take on one of the top teams in college football. The Yellow Jackets average 36 points a game and have scored 30 points or more in 8 of their 11 games in 2009. The Bulldogs give up, on average, 26 points per game.
See what I’m getting at here? The Bulldogs really shouldn’t have any shot at winning this game. Georgia Tech will allow Georgia to put up 21 to 28 points, but on the flip side, don’t be surprised if the Yellow Jackets score around 40 to 50 points in this game.
That means that this game sets up as a nice two team parlay. The total is 59 ½. Georgia Tech and Georgia should squash that, but Tech should also cover the spread.
Pick: Parlay Georgia Tech -8 and over 59 ½

SEC Football Online Sportbook...Florida vs Florida State

Florida State Seminoles vs. Florida Gators
Kick-off: 3:30 pm EST
NCAAF Odds: Florida -24
Analysis: The Florida State Seminoles haven’t had a very good 2009. With a victory over the Florida Gators, however, they no doubt would get a bowl bid. They still might because with 6 wins they are bowl eligible.
The problem, of course, is that the Seminoles aren’t going to beat the Gators. Could they keep it close, though? Maybe. The Seminoles lost to the Gators by 30 points in last year’s Florida vs. Florida State game but that Gators’ team is better than this one. This Gators’ team has been susceptible to blowing games against the spread.
In fact, Florida is only 5 and 5 ATS. They’ve lost against the spread to Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and South Carolina. Florida has gone 4 and 5 ATS in their last 9 games.
The Seminoles don’t usually beat spreads, but 24 points is a lot for what some might consider a rivalry game. The Seminoles haven’t been that great against the spread but they have been pretty good straight-up going 4 and 1 in their last 5 games.
Another thing to consider is the fact that the Gators have something else to play for down the road, the SEC and BCS Championships and probably aren’t going to be that fired up to beat up on old Bobby Bowden and the poor Florida State Seminoles. After getting a 17 point lead, Urban Meyer might call off the dogs and let Tim Tebow just stay out of trouble. That’s what I would do with Alabama and possibly TCU or Texas looming in the BCS title game.
All of it adds up to a Seminole victory against the spread.
Pick: Florida State

Alabama Finishes the Season Undeafeated

AUBURN, Ala. - The No. 2 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide beat Auburn, 26-21, on the Plains Saturday, marching down the field to score a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to secure its second consecutive undefeated regular season. Offensively, the two teams were closely matched, with Alabama gaining 292 total yards of offense while the Tigers accumulated 332. Senior running back Roy Upchurch scored the go-ahead touchdown on a four-yard pass from junior quarterback Greg McElroy with a minute and 24 seconds left in the game.

Sophomore receiver Julio Jones had nine catches for 83 yards on the day, including four catches for 33 yards on the Tide's last scoring drive. Senior Leigh Tiffin kicked a pair of third quarter field goals to not only set the career and single -season field goal s made record but to also pull the Tide within one point of the Tigers, 21-20, going into the fourth quarter. Freshman Trent Richardson scored on a two-yard run in the second quarter to get Alabama on the board while junior Colin Peek caught a 33-yard pass from McElroy to send the game into the half tied 14-14. Alabama returns to action next Saturday at 4 p.m. ET in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game in Atlanta, Ga. against No. 1 ranked Florida. The game will be televised by CBS.

( by www.rolltide.com)

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Green doubtful, Samuel out for Ga. Tech game

Georgia receiver A.J. Green is unlikely to play in Saturday's game against No. 7 Georgia Tech because of a separated shoulder and running back Richard Samuel is definitely out after sustaining a concussion in practice.

Green injured his left shoulder in a Nov. 14 win over Auburn and missed last week's loss to Kentucky. The Bulldogs (6-5) were hoping he might return for the Yellow Jackets, but coach Mark Richt said Wednesday that "the chances aren't very good at all."
Samuel was injured in Tuesday's practice when he collided with reserve defensive back Christian Norton. Both sustained concussions and won't be able to play in the regular-season finale. Also likely to be out: backup safety Baccari Rambo, still recovering from a concussion after a brutal hit that helped preserve the win over Auburn. By AP
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Ole Miss's McCluster Named Conerly Finalist

Ole Miss senior running back/wide receiver Dexter McCluster is one of ten finalists for the Cellular South Conerly Trophy it was announced on Tuesday. Given out annually by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, the Cellular South Conerly Trophy honors the top collegiate player in the state each year.
McCluster, a Largo, Fla. native, leads the Rebels with 903 rushing yards this year, and needs 97 yards to become just the fourth Rebel all-time to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. McCluster set the Ole Miss single-game rushing record earlier this season with a 282-yard, four-touchdown outburst against Tennessee.
The senior captain is averaging 184.8 rushing yards and 238.3 all-purpose yards with seven TDs responsible for (four rushing, one receiving, one passing) over the last four SEC games and has topped 120 rushing yards in each outing. He is also No. 2 on the Ole Miss career all-purpose yardage list with 3,715, behind only Deuce McAllister’s 4,889 (1997-2000).
Against Arkansas, McCluster became the first Rebel in the modern era (records dating back to 1965) to top the 100-yard mark in both rushing and receiving. He posted team highs of 123 rushing yards and a career-high 137 receiving yards off a career high-tying seven grabs and finished with 260 all-purpose yards, which had been the most by a Rebel since McCluster's own career-best 268-yard performance in his Ole Miss debut against Memphis in 2006.
Named after former Ole Miss great Charlie Conerly, the Cellular South Conerly Trophy has been given every season since 1996. Former Rebel winners include Stewart Patridge (1997), Deuce McAllister (1999), Eli Manning (2001, 03) and Patrick Willis (2006). By www.olemisssports.com

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