Gamecocks' Chris Culliver to miss Arkansas game

Junior free safety Chris Culliver will miss Saturday's game at the University of Arkansas, University of South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday.
Although the listed reason for Culliver's absence is a recurring shoulder injury, Spurrier suggested things may be deeper as he described the junior's apparent lack of effort on several attempted tackles in the Tennessee game as “glaring.”
“Chris Culliver's shoulder has bothered him a bit and some other things have happened that he's taking this week off,” Spurrier said. “Hopefully, he'll be back next week ready to contribute to our success. Chris is out this game.”
Culliver is third on the team in tackles with 49. He has broken up seven passes and has one fumble recovery.
Spurrier said he is sending a message to the rest of the team.
“We had a little talk with our team that if you have an injury and you can't perform, you need to tell the coaches,” Spurrier said. “If that was the biggest problem, and we think it was, it was certainly embarrassing for all of us."
“Hopefully, that will not happen again.”

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Meyer's complaint provides test case to new SEC policy

SEC spokesman Charles Bloom said today Commissioner Mike Slive is aware of Florida coach Urban Meyer's criticism of officiating and no disciplinary measure has been taken yet. A new SEC policy established last week calls for a fine or suspension for public criticism of officials, replacing the previous policy of a reprimand.
"The commissioner is out of town on other business," Bloom said. "He is aware of the comments made by Coach Meyer. There will be nothing coming out today. There may be something in the next few days."
On the SEC teleconference today, Meyer said the crew calling last week's Florida-Georgia game should have flagged Georgia linebacker Nick Williams for knocking down Gators quarterback Tim Tebow well after he got rid of the football.
"That should have been a penalty, in my opinion," Meyer said. "Obviously, it should have been. You've got to protect quarterbacks. That's the whole purpose. It's right in front of the referee. I'm not sure how they're going to handle that, but ... that was one of the plays we did send in." Meyer made his comments after being asked about it by a reporter and prefaced his statement by saying he has "great respect" for SEC officials and the way the conference handles complaints. Last week, the 12 SEC schools gave Slive authority to hand out fines or suspensions at his discretion to coaches who complain. That came after three SEC coaches received reprimands over a two-week period.
Slive said last Friday that he would determine punishments on a case-by-case basis. The SEC Rocks!

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No. 3 Alabama Hosts No. 9 LSU

The No. 3 University of Alabama football team finishes a three-game Southeastern Conference homestand with a visit from the ninth-ranked LSU Tigers, on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game is scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m. on CBS.
Alabama was ranked fifth in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ preseason polls. It was the highest preseason ranking for the Tide since the 2000 season when they opened at No. 3. Since that time, the Crimson Tide has moved up to No. 2 in both the AP and the coaches’ poll this week. The Tide moved to No. 4 after the opening weekend with an Oklahoma loss and then to No. 3 in week three when Southern California fell. The Tide jumped Texas in the AP poll in week six and then overtook Florida for the top spot in week seven before slipping back to No. 2 in week eight and No. 3 in week nine during a bye week. UA garnered eight first-place votes in the AP poll and five in the coaches’ poll this week.
Alabama leads the all-time series with LSU 44-23-5 in a series that dates back to the 1895 season. The 2009 game will be the 73rd meeting between these two long-time Southern football rivals. The Tigers won the inaugural meeting in Baton Rouge, 12-6, on Nov. 18, 1895. The two teams did not meet again until the 1902 season, with LSU prevailing once again. Alabama’s first series win came on Nov. 9, 1903, in Baton Rouge as the Crimson Tide scored a 10-0 victory. From 1919-45, Alabama posted a 12-game unbeaten streak (9-0-3) against LSU. The series was resumed during the 1944 season with the Tigers gaining a slight advantage over the next nine meetings, posting a 5-3-1 record from 1946-58. Alabama went 16-2 (.889) against LSU from 1964-81, including a series-long 11-game winning streak from 1971-81. LSU also ended UA’s school record 31-game (30-0-1) unbeaten streak with a 17-13 win at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 1993. The Tigers snapped a 15-game winless streak to the Crimson Tide in Tiger Stadium with a 30-28 win in Baton Rouge on Nov. 4, 2000. LSU has won eight of the last 13 meetings, dating back to 1997. Alabama snapped a five-game series skid with last year’s 27-21 overtime win in Baton Rouge. The Tide has not beaten LSU in Tuscaloosa since a 23-17 win in 1999. Four Alabama cities have played host to this rivalry, including Tuscaloosa, Mobile, Montgomery and Birmingham. The Tide owns a 19-14-2 record in the state of Alabama. The SEC Rocks!

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Kiffin says 6 starting positions up for grabs against Memphis

Competition isn’t just reserved for spring practice and preseason camp. Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin sees it as a season-long affair.
The first-year UT coach opened his weekly press conference on Tuesday by announcing that six positions were up for grabs for Saturday’s game against Memphis (TV: ESPNU, 7 p.m.).
“We’ve opened up a couple of starting spots for some competition to make sure guys understand we need to continue to improve and get ready for a tough game,” Kiffin said. “There will be a lot of competition this week for guys to earn playing time and to make sure that guys are practicing extremely hard and physical.”
One position, nickel cornerback, is up for competition because Marsalous Johnson had to undergo surgery on his thumb this week after being hurt last Saturday against South Carolina. Kiffin said the senior will be out indefinetely.
Brent Vinson seems to be the early favorite to win the job.
“It’s time to give him a shot,” Kiffin said of the embattled junior. “He played well on special teams this week.”
Vinson hasn’t played extensively at cornerback since Kiffin said he was targeted against Ohio on Sept. 26.
Kiffin said playing time at left guard, fullback, backup defensive tackle and third-down left defensive end would be earned, not reserved.
Seniors Cory Sullins and Vladimir Richard have split snaps throughout the season. Richard’s playing time has been limited by a sore Achilles tendon and, more recently, a sore knee.
“We’re going to let both guys play in the game,” Kiffin said. “We’re going to give them equal reps in practice this week. I didn’t think either of them played very well in the (South Carolina) game.”
The battle at middle linebacker will likely come down to Herman Lathers and Nigel Mitchell-Thornton as the Vols try to replace the second middle linebacker to go down with a torn knee ligament this season. Coaches said Savion Frazier replaced Nick Reviez admirably but both are done for the season.

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Ole Miss' Scott Drawing Praise For Sportsmanship, Awareness

Two days after suffering a neck injury against Ole Miss, Auburn safety Zac Etheridge was released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, and that news is especially meaningful for Rebel running back Rodney Scott.
Etheridge was hurt Saturday when he collided headfirst with teammate Antonio Coleman early in the game while they were trying to tackle Scott.
When the collision occurred, Scott made the split-second decision to stay still underneath the unconscious player rather than force his way off the ground, which is generally a player's inclination. Scott did not move for almost 10 minutes while the medical personnel attended to the injured Tiger defensive back.
Auburn coach Gene Chizik hailed Scott after the game for his actions that he said may have saved Etheridge from more serious injury.
"It was one of the most amazing things I've seen," Chizik said. "I have to give that young man a lot of credit. I don't know how he knew, but he knew he couldn't move. He sat as still as the night, lying right underneath him. It was one of the most phenomenal things I've witnessed in doing this."
Scott said he first tried to move with Etheridge on top of him, but it quickly became apparent the player was seriously injured and unresponsive.
"There are a bunch of feelings going through my mind," Scott told reporters on Monday. "I was thinking about it all day. If I had moved, he could have been paralyzed. There is just a lot of stuff going through my mind."
Rebels' coach Houston Nutt said he was taken by surprise by Scott's level of maturity in the situation.
"What I couldn't believe was that Rodney, as a freshmen, had the presence of mind to not shove the guy a little bit so he could get up and get back in the huddle," Nutt said. "We are always coaching to get off the ground and get back in the huddle. It was really a miracle that he didn't push the guy out of the way like we normally do. I was just really proud of the way he handled that." The SEC Rocks!

Vanderbilt's Larry Smith done for season

It was a long shot Larry Smith could come back this season.
MRI results revealed that Vanderbilt's sophomore quarterback suffered a torn left hamstring Saturday. He will miss the final three games.
"I don't expect to see Larry back this year playing for us," Coach Bobby Johnson said at his Monday news conference. "The best prognosis I've heard is four to six weeks. We've had guys who tweaked hamstrings that have not come back in four weeks, so this is pretty significant."
Smith injured his hamstring at the end of a career-long 35-yard run against Georgia Tech.
"I think he was trying to slow down, to tell you the truth," Johnson said. "The guy was running him out of bounds. He was trying to come to a stop, and his leg just looked like it buckled a little bit. That was it."
Smith completed 46.7 percent of his passes for 1,126 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions in his nine starts this season.
Senior quarterback Mackenzi Adams will make his 10th career start for the Commodores (2-7, 0-5 SEC) at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at No. 1 Florida (8-0, 6-0). Vanderbilt is 2-7 in Adams' previous starts.

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Gamecocks faced Tough Times vs Vols

Putting yourself in a 21-0 hole against an SEC team when you’re on the road would be a significant challenge for nearly any team in the country. Despite three quick turnovers, the Gamecocks battled to stay in the game.
“We hung in there and kept our heads high. We moved the ball,” said quarterback Stephen Garcia. “It’s tough to beat a team when you spot them those points. It was the same thing in Alabama.”
“It’s easier not to get deflated when you’re doing it to yourself. It’s not like they were ramming it down our throats and we couldn’t stop them,” said wide receiver Moe Brown. “It’s just tough to beat a team when you have turnovers like that. That’s just Football 101.”
Although the stat sheet shows the Gamecocks were 1-1 in the red zone Saturday night, costly mistakes and penalties kept South Carolina from turning promising drives into touchdowns.
“We have to get better in the red zone and score touchdowns instead of kicking field goals,” said Garcia. “We can’t trade touchdowns for field goals against these teams.”
“We’ve just got to execute when we’re down there, that’s money time,” said Brown.
Garcia and Brown both agreed that the Gamecocks need to practice harder to get back in the win column against Arkansas.
“We’re going to step up the tempo in practice and start getting on guys,” said Garcia. “We’ve just got to pick it up.”
“Coach has talked practicing fast and we’re going to make that a point of emphasis come Monday,” Brown said. “We need to make sure everyone’s going to every ball.”
For the second straight week, Garcia threw for 300 yards. The Gamecocks spread the ball around as four different receivers each had four or more catches and at least 40 yards.
South Carolina finished with more total yards of offense than the Volunteers. However, the Gamecocks struggled to run the ball and had 65 yards of rushing offense to Tennessee’s 199.
Take away the short fields created by the turnovers and the South Carolina defense held their own against the Volunteer offense. Tennessee was just 3 of 14 on third downs and finished with fewer first downs than South Carolina. The SEC Rocks!

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Vols' Frazier has torn ACL, out for season

Tennessee linebacker Savion Frazier is out for the season after being diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Monday, according to a source close to the situation.
There was some optimism following practice on Sunday that Frazier’s injury wasn’t as serious as it appeared when he went down against South Carolina on Saturday. That, however, is not the case.
Frazier was filling in for Nick Reveiz, who also suffered a torn ACL in the Ohio game.

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Richt: Cox remains starting QB

Georgia will have Joe Cox at quarterback Saturday in Sanford Stadium.
Coach Mark Richt said Monday that Cox will remain the Bulldogs' starting quarterback because he "gives us the best chance to win" the four games remaining on this season's schedule.
Cox will need to win at least one of those games, Saturday's against Tennessee Tech, without the Bulldogs' top playmaker. Wide receiver A.J. Green will miss the game, Richt said, because of a "pulmonary contusion", bruised lung, suffered on a jarring hit last week against Florida.
Speculation had swirled about Cox's status since he threw three interceptions in Georgia's 41-17 loss to the Gators. Richt had declined to say Saturday night and again Sunday whether the fifth-year senior would remain the starting quarterback.
But on Monday afternoon, Richt released a statement reaffirming Cox as the starter.
"It was unanimous among our staff that Joe gives us the best chance to win, and that's where our focus needs to be," Richt said. "There's still a lot of football left this season. We tell our players to finish the drill, and we are committed to doing that this week and each week the remainder of the season.
"We have faith in Joe that he gives us the best opportunity to do that. At the same time, we do plan on Logan Gray getting some playing time this weekend at quarterback."
Gray, a redshirt sophomore, is Cox's little-used backup. Gray threw the last of Georgia's four interceptions against Florida.


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UGA loses A.J. Green to lung injury

Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green will not play Saturday against Tennessee Tech after sustaining an injury in the Florida game, coach Mark Richt said this afternoon.
Richt said in a statement that Green suffered a "pulmonary contusion", bruised lung.
Green, the SEC's leading receiver, was injured on what turned out to be quarterback Joe Cox's third interception against Florida. Trying to make a leaping catch, Green took a hard hit to the midsection from Florida safety Major Wright.
Green was attended to by trainers on the ground for a couple of minutes before walking off the field on his own. Georgia players were off Monday from football-related activities, per their weekly schedule, but Green attended team meetings on Sunday.
It is not known whether he might miss additional playing time beyond the Tennessee Tech game.
In other injury fallout from the Florida game, Richt said defensive end Justin Houston is doubtful to play this week because of a hyperextended elbow. Offensive lineman Clint Boling probably will play despite a knee contusion, Richt said.

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Florida’s Spikes suspended for gouging eyes

Top-ranked Florida will be without star linebacker Brandon Spikes for the first half of Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt.
Coach Urban Meyer suspended Spikes on Monday, two days after the defensive captain apparently attempted to gouge the eyes of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey in a 41-17 victory.
“I don’t condone that,” Meyer said. “I understand what goes on on the football (field), but there’s no place for that. We’re going to suspend Brandon for the first half of the Vanderbilt game. I spoke with him. That’s not who he is. That’s not who we are. He got caught up in emotion.”
Spikes issued a statement apologizing for what he did.


“I accept responsibility for my actions and I accept the consequences of my actions,” he said. “I would like to apologize to my team and the coaching staff and Washaun Ealey. Football is a very physical and emotional game, but there is no excuse for my actions.”

Meyer’s wife mentioned Spikes’ actions to him Sunday night, then defensive coordinator Charlie Strong did the same Monday morning. Meyer’s said his first reaction was to move on. Then he saw a replay of the incident, which shows Spikes shoving his glove-covered right hand into Ealey’s facemask and moving it back and forth.
Meyer then spoke to Spikes and determined he was retaliating after getting his helmet ripped off and eye poked earlier in the game. Meyer also talked to Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive, but Florida officials said it was Meyer’s decision to suspend Spikes.
The SEC issued a statement saying it reviewed and accepted the discipline handed down by Florida.
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Injury knocks Auburn's Zac Etheridge out for rest of the season

Auburn defensive back Zac Etheridge is out for the remainder of the season, the result of a neck injury in Saturday's win over Ole Miss.Coach Gene Chizik said, "We're very hopeful for a full recovery'' though his season is finished. Etheridge is at a hospital in Birmingham.Etheridge was injured when he collided, helmet to shoulder pad, it appears, with teammate Antonio Coleman while making a tackle. Etheridge's Facebook page shows him in a neck brace in the hospital. Mike Slade filled in for Etheridge for the remainder of the game.Chizik said his options in the secondary are "rather slim, but we'll get creative.''"We've got to work though some things in the next couple of weeks,'' he said.Chizik said he'll miss Etheridge's leadership."He's loved by everyone on the football team,'' Chizik said. Chizik said it's doubtful that Mike McNeil, who has missed the entire year because of a broken leg, will be asked to fill in over the next few games.Chizik praised Ole Miss running back Rodney Scott, who was trapped under Etheridge, for not moving during a lengthy delay while the medical staff prepared to wheel Etheridge off the field."It was one of the most amazing things I've seen,'' Chizik said. "I don't know how he knew, but he knew not to move."

Gamecocks treat the Vols to a bag full of turnovers as USC falls flat in Knoxville

As he picked himself up off the Neyland Stadium turf Saturday, South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia had a white beanbag at his feet, a mocking reminder of the Gamecocks' third fumble of the first half.
By the time the rain stopped and the turnovers slowed, USC was in a self-made hole that was too big to crawl out of. Tennessee scored 21 points off the three early fumbles and rolled to a 31-13 victory against the 21st-ranked Gamecocks on a wet and dreary night in Knoxville.
USC (6-3, 3-3 SEC) dropped to 1-14 all-time at Tennessee and still has never beaten the Vols (4-4, 2-3) in consecutive seasons. The Gamecocks' loss, combined with Florida's win against Georgia, clinched the SEC East for the Gators two weeks before their Nov. 14 game at USC.
The Gamecocks entered the game with nine turnovers in eight games, but they had three in the first 16 minutes Saturday. USC coughed up the ball twice in its first five offensive plays and trailed by two touchdowns after four minutes.
It was reminiscent of USC's 20-6 loss at No. 2 Alabama, where Garcia threw an interception on his first pass attempt that was returned 77 yards for a touchdown.
"It's tough beating teams on the road, especially teams in the SEC (and) good teams like we're playing now, when you spot 'em points," Garcia said.
Besides Garcia, the other fumbles were by freshman tight end Justice Cunningham, on his second career reception, and tailback Kenny Miles. It was the first fumble in 90 career touches for Miles, whose first-half fumble last week against Vanderbilt was overturned by instant replay.
All three fumbles came in USC territory, giving the Vols short fields. Tennessee's three scoring drives after the fumbles covered 43, 27 and 29 yards. Well, the SEC Rocks!

Cox on the outs at UGA?

After it was over, Georgia quarterback Joe Cox took the blame. After throwing three costly interceptions, there was little doubt he deserved to shoulder a fair portion of the burden. But in the wake of a demoralizing 41-17 loss to Florida, head coach Mark Richt isn’t ready to make any decisions about the future of Georgia’s quarterback position.
“It’s not good to make decisions within minutes after an emotional ballgame,” Richt said. “It’s always good to settle your spirit, settle your mind and look at the entire picture before you make any kind of decision. But we’ll do that.”
That doesn’t exactly mean Cox’s job is safe. The fifth-year senior completed just 11-of-20 passes for 165 yards, and one of his picks set up a crucial Florida touchdown to start the second half.
The numbers were bad overall for Cox, but they were dreadful in the second half. Cox had completed six of his first eight throws but finished 5-of-12 down the stretch before being lifted for backup Logan Gray in the fourth quarter.
Still, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo was quick to dish out blame to more than just his starting quarterback, but didn’t rule out a potential change at the position.
“We’ve got to address the problem of what we’re doing offensively,” Bobo said. “That’s not just Joe Cox, that’s everybody, coaches included, and see what our next step is and what’s the best move. You can’t turn the ball over like we’re doing. There’s no possible way of winning football games with our turnover margin like it is, and when you do it against a great football team, the result is usually something like tonight.”
The turnover margin now stands at 21 giveaways and six takeaways for the season, with Cox responsible for 13 of those turnovers, 12 via interceptions. He has completed at least one pass to the other team in all eight games so far this season. Ouch!

Dixon's huge day helps Miss. St. inch closer to bowl goal

Presented with Kentucky's porous rushing defense stats early last week, Anthony Dixon smiled and gave a confident-yet-diplomatic answer: He said he could "make it happen" on any defense.
Did he ever.
The Mississippi State tailback rushed for 252 yards Saturday, setting a school single-game record for rushing yards and leading State to a 31-24 victory over UK in front of an announced 67,953 on a chilly Halloween homecoming night at Commonwealth Stadium.
"I guess it's just another one of those goals I made, a dream come true," Dixon said. "I was just out there grinding for my team tonight. I'm really trying to get to that bowl game. That's the No. 1 thing that's on that list of goals this year. We inched a little closer to that, and for that, I'm happy."
State had to hold back a would-be tying drive in the final two minutes. UK drove to the MSU 16 before the Bulldogs flushed Kentucky's Morgan Newton from the pocket and linebackers Jamar Chaney and Jamie Jones dropped him for a 2-yard loss.
Dixon also passed the 1,000-yard mark for his season. Considering that he entered the game with 749 yards, that's quite an accomplishment. In last week's loss to Florida, Dixon was held to 53 yards on 15 carries - snapping a streak of five consecutive 100-yard games.
Against UK, which entered with the Southeastern Conference's worst rushing defense, statistically, he passed the 200-yard mark for the first time. And for the second time this month, he passed the Atlanta Falcons' Jerious Norwood for an important milestone.
Before Saturday, Norwood's 247 yards against Houston in 2005 was the MSU record.
"Unbelievable game," MSU coach Dan Mullen said. "We needed every single one of those 252 yards."
Mississippi State (4-5, 2-3 SEC) kept alive its hopes of becoming bowl-eligible. The win gave the Bulldogs wiggle room of sorts - they now have to win two of their next three games, not run the table. State has an off weekend before hosting No. 2 Alabama on Nov. 14. The SEC Rocks!
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Urban might have 'a serious talk' with Spikes

Linebacker Brandon Spikes got his helmet ripped off twice by Georgia offensive players early in the game, and it seems Spikes took his retaliation out on Georgia running back Washaun Ealey with a possible eye gouge. Spikes definitely reached into Ealey's helmet and grabbed.
"He's a very emotioanl palyer," Coach Urban Meyer said. "If that's the case, I will have a very serious talk with him."
A message was left with SEC spokesman Charles Bloom to see if the play will be reviewed by the league.
INJURIES: Meyer said Sunday he didn't know the extent of RB Chris Rainey's shoulder injury. Rainey left the field with his shoulder wrapped up. RB Mike Gillislee has what Meyer believes to be a hamstring cramp/strain. Gillislee had an explosive run late in the fourth quarter and played well on special teams.
The Gators returned numerous key players to the lineup, including DTs Jaye Howard (knee), DT Lawrence Marsh (ankle), Spikes (groin) and DE Justin Trattou (bicep). Imagine how good this front seven can be if everyone stays healthy.
In offensive line news, Maurice Hurt got the nod at left guard instead of James Wilson. Freshman Xavier Nixon played sparingly at LT.
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No. 9 LSU Coasts by Wave, Ready for Tide

Ninth-ranked LSU amassed a season-best 455 yards of offense including 267 on the ground, as the Tigers won their 18th-straight over in-state rival Tulane on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium, 45-0.
LSU (7-1) scored four rushing touchdowns for the first time since its Chick-fil-A Bowl blowout win over Georgia Tech last December, while running back Charles Scott broke out with 112 yards and touchdown runs of 4 and 8 yards.
The Tigers' win setup a 2:30 p.m. CST clash with the No. 2-ranked and undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday in Tuscaloosa. The game will be televised nationally by CBS.
Tulane (2-6) was shutout for the first time in 85 games. The last time the Green Wave were held scoreless was Sept. 28, 2002, against Texas in the Louisiana Superdome, 49-0.
The Tigers defense continued to smother its opponents. LSU allowed only 216 yards of total offense, including 26 yards rushing on 20 attempts. When the Green Wave entered LSU territory, cornerback Patrick Peterson intercepted a pass at the LSU 5-yard line and placekicker Ross Thevenot missed a 43-yard field goal.
While the Tigers worked on their rushing game, starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson threw for 163 yards, completing 11-of-17 passes with two touchdowns and an interception. Touchdown passes of 19 and 13 yards went to wide receiver Brandon LaFell, who moved into second place on the school's career receiving touchdowns list with 22.
LaFell caught four passes for 85 yards, while Terrance Toliver added 59 yards on four catches.
Backup Jarrett Lee led the Tigers on a 98-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter, completing 2-of-3 passes for 25 yards. Running back Stevan Ridley rolled up 73 yards in the final quarter and scored from 10 yards with 1:12 to play in the game.
LSU freshman all-purpose back Russell Shepard scored for the second-straight game, putting the Tigers on the board with a 19-yard run with 8:05 left in the first quarter. Shepard ran five times for 48 yards and caught a pass for no gain.
Ryan Griffin, the starter and first of three Tulane quarterbacks, completed 21-of-29 passes for 163 yards. His longest completion went for 21 yards. Wide receiver Jeremy Williams had eight catches for 78 yards, and wide receiver Casey Robottom added seven catches for 63 yards.
Tulane leading rusher Andre Anderson attempted 11 rushes for 27 net yards.
LSU scored its first touchdown on a short field when Daniel Graff blocked Thevenot's punt at the Tulane 28-yard line and Stefoin Francois recovered at the 23. Two plays later, Shepard weaved for a 19-yard score.
A 50-yard punt return by LSU's Trindon Holliday gave the Tigers positive field position again at the Tulane 30, but Jefferson was intercepted by Adam Kwentua at the 16.
After a Tulane punt, Scott moved the Tigers to the Tulane 39 with runs of 9 and 15 yards. On third-and-10, Jefferson found LaFell wide open in the end zone for a 14-0 lead with 2:32 left in the opening quarter.
The teams traded punted before Tulane advanced to the LSU 14-yard line on consecutive receptions by fullback Antoine Duplessis of 21 and 6 yards. Three plays resulted in 12 yards lost, and Thevenot pulled his 43-yard field goal attempt to the left.
The Tigers took over at their 26 and used Scott five times to get to the Tulane 18. After a 14-yard pass to freshman wide receiver Rueben Randle to the 4, Scott barreled into the endzone for a 21-0 lead.
Late in the third quarter, the Tigers increased the lead to 28-0 on another short-field touchdown following another 50-yard punt return by Holliday to the Tulane 20.
Scott ran three-straight times, the last an 8-yard touchdown run.
In the fourth quarter, Jefferson and the Tigers continued to concentrate on the running game, as Scott, Jefferson and Williams combined for 44 yards to setup a 13-yard touchdown pass to LaFell. LaFell caught the ball at the Tulane 1, then reached the ball over the goalline before stepping out of bounds.
LSU led 35-0 with 9:55 to play.
With Lee at quarterback, Ridley powered and cut through the Tulane defense eight times for 73 yards, completing the effort with a 10-yard touchdown run with 1:12 left. The SEC Rocks!

Plenty of treats on offense, defense; Vols, 31, SC 13

Tennessee did one thing well Saturday night, but it was enough.
When South Carolina turnovers offered up scoring opportunities, the Vols pounced hard.
Turning three first-half Gamecock fumbles into short touchdown drives, the Vols made it stand up for a 31-13 victory at Neyland Stadium.
A Halloween night crowd that was announced at 96,263 began to thin out after the Vols went into the halftime break with a 21-3 lead.
To get in the Halloween mood for an ESPN audience, Tennessee wore black jerseys for the first time since 1921.
It might have been that long since two fullbacks caught touchdown passes in the same game.
Both Austin Johnson and Kenneth Cooper were on the receiving end of scoring passes from Jonathan Crompton as UT roared to a 21-0 lead that was fueled by South Carolina generosity.
Montario Hardesty had touchdown runs in each half.
South Carolina's only touchdown was a Stephen Garcia pass to Moe Brown late in the third quarter, snapping a streak of 10 quarters in which UT had not allowed an offensive touchdown.
South Carolina ( 5-4, 3-3 SEC) missed out on a chance to beat the Vols (4-4, 2-3) in consecutive seasons for the first time.
The verdict also clinched the SEC Eastern Division title for Florida.
Tennessee added a fourth take-away in the fourth quarter when Greg King intercepted a South Carolina pass.
King, a true freshman, was playing because starting linebackers LaMarcus Thompson and Savion Frazier left with injuries as the third quarter ended.
The story of the first half was South Carolina fumbles - and Tennessee's ability to cash in on them.
The first came three plays after the kickoff, when UT safety Janzen Jackson hit tight end Justice Cunningham after a 14-yard completion.
Cunningham lost the ball and Jackson recovered at the Gamecocks' 43.
Two plays later, Crompton spotted fullback Johnson running free over the middle and hit him for the 38-yard score.
South Carolina's next possession was even shorter.
On the second snap, Rico McCoy stripped the football from Kenny Miles and Wes Brown fell on it.
The UT offense returned to the field at the 27 and Crompton handed off four times to Hardesty.
On his fourth try, Hardesty spun out of a tackle and turned a short gain into a 14-yard touchdown.
Only four minutes into the game, Tennessee led 14-0.
The third fumble came on the second play of the second quarter. It was McCoy again, putting the hit on quarterback Garcia.
Dennis Rogan made the recovery at the Gamecocks' 22.
The Vols needed six plays this time but the result was the same.
On fourth-and-goal at the 2, Crompton looked to his right and found Cooper, who fought his way across the goal line.
South Carolina trailed 21-0 and still hadn't crossed midfield.
That landmark came with 10 minutes left in the half, with no consequence.
The Gamecocks finally got on the scoreboard via Spencer Lanning's career-long 47-yard field goal as the half ended.
That was small consolation for an illegal-block penalty that wiped off a 75-yard punt return for an apparent touchdown by Stephon Gilmore.
The guilty party was freshman D.J. Swearinger, once a UT commitment who switched to the Gamecocks after Phillip Fulmer was fired.
Other than the short field resulting from the Gamecock fumbles, Tennessee's offense was unable to manufacture any scoring on its own.
The Vols did drive from their own 12 to the South Carolina 16 late in the first quarter, but came up empty.
Crompton was sacked trying to pass on third-and-1, after which the Gamecocks borrowed a page from Alabama and blocked Chad Cunningham's 40-yard field-goal attempt.
Lanning hit a 32-yarder in the third quarter, but UT answered with a quick drive that Hardesty capped with a 7-yard touchdown.
Tennessee's lead was 28-6 with 3:25 left in the third quarter, but it didn't stay that way long.
A lightning-quick Gamecock drive found the end zone on Garcia's 31-yard TD pass to Brown to make it 28-13.
King's fourth-quarter interception set up a short drive to get in range for a 39-yard Cunningham field goal. The SEC Rocks!
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