No. 16 Florida man-handles Tennessee, 33-23

(AP)—Chris Rainey had 233 total yards, including an 83-yard touchdown catch, and No. 16 Florida beat rival Tennessee 33-23 Saturday, extending two decades of dominance in the Southeastern Conference series. Rainey finished with 108 yards rushing, 104 yards receiving and blocked a punt that led to a field goal. His touchdown pretty much sealed it, allowing the Gators (3-0, 1-0) to push their winning streak in the series to seven games. Florida has won 16 of 22 since the Eastern Division teams started playing annually in 1990. The Volunteers (2-1, 0-1) had hoped to end the streak with quarterback Tyler Bray, but it ended with another Florida celebration in the Swamp. Florida’s defense was nearly as good, although the unit dropped five would-be interceptions and was flagged for six pass interference penalties. After the fifth one, Bray hooked up with tight end Mychak Rivera for an 18-yard score that cut Florida’s lead to 33-23 with 4:46 remaining. It could have been closer, but the Volunteers (2-1, 0-1) failed on a two-point conversion in the third quarter. Bray’s final pass was intercepted, ending Tennessee’s slim shot at a comeback. Bray completed 26 of 48 passes for 288 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also was sacked three times and hit way more often. He played much of the game without his top target, though. Justin Hunter, who entered the game leading the league in receiving and ranking 10th nationally, injured his left knee on the Volunteers’ opening drive. Hunter landed awkwardly while making a 12-yard reception on Tennessee’s first passing play and did not return. It was a huge setback for the Volunteers, who had hoped to attack Florida’s inexperienced secondary. The Gators took advantage of his absence, holding the Volunteers to 279 yards and using a variety of blitzes to pressure Bray. John Brantley had fewer issues for Florida. Brantley completed 14 of 23 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns, both coming on short dumps. Brantley found Trey Burton wide open in the end zone for a 1-yard score to cap Florida’s opening possession, then tossed a pass to Rainey over the middle in the third. Rainey turned up field and found no one around him.

He made it look easy from there, making a couple of open-field moves and outrunning everyone to the end zone. It was Florida’s longest pass play since Danny Wuerffel and Jacquez Green hooked up for an 85-yard score in 1996.

Georgia rolls past Coastal Carolina, 59-0

Georgia (1-2) regrouped after losses to Boise State and South Carolina which raised the pressure on coach Mark Richt. The Bulldogs led 35-0 at halftime. Murray, who played only one series in the second half, completed 18 of 26 passes for 188 yards with no interceptions. Backup Hutson Mason added a touchdown pass. Freshman Isaiah Crowell had 16 carries for 86 yards and a touchdown in his first start. Tavarres King had six catches for 65 yards, including two for touchdowns. Malcolm Mitchell had six catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. Coastal Carolina (2-1) managed only seven first downs and 107 yards. Backup tailback Carlton Thomas had 15 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown. Georgia had a chance to score more than 60 points for the first time since a 62-17 win over Kentucky in 2004. Richt called a running play instead of attempting a field goal on a fourth-down play late in the game.

Georgia added more urgency to its no-huddle attack. Instead of looking back at the sideline for plays, Murray often worked in an up-tempo mode, quickly bringing the offense back to the line and calling the plays before the Chanticleers’ defense could send in substitutions. The other notable change for Georgia was four new defensive starters. Shawn Williams moved from safety to start at inside linebacker, following injuries to starters Alec Ogletree and Christian Robinson the last two weeks. Sanders Cummings moved from cornerback to take Williams’ spot at safety, and Branden Smith moved up to start at cornerback. Also, John Jenkins moved from nose tackle, where he had been playing behind Kwame Geathers, to start at defensive end as DeAngelo Tyson was held out. Tyson was on the sideline but not in uniform. A Georgia spokesman said Richt would address Tyson’s status following the game.

Georgia’s only turnover came when safety Bacarri Rambo intercepted a pass from Aramis Hillary in the second quarter but fumbled at the end of his 38-yard return. Murray played only one series in the second half, setting up Blair Walsh’s career-long 56-yard field goal. Coastal Carolina lost two fumbles on kickoffs to set up third-quarter touchdowns. Mason had a 33-yard touchdown pass to Orson Charles and Thomas had a 17-yard scoring run. Mason also had a 1-yard touchdown run. Third-string quarterback Parker Welch took over in the fourth quarter.

Coastal Carolina starting quarterback Aramis Hillary was 10-of-15 passing for 27 yards with an interception. Jeremy Height had five carries for 19 yards and three catches for 13 yards.

No. 21 Auburn’s 17-game win streak ends at Clemson

No. 21 Auburn’s luck ended Saturday along with its 17-game winning streak as Clemson piled up 624 yards in beating the defending national champions 38-24. “It’s been a long time since we lost,” Auburn safety Demetruce McNeal said. “I guess it’s a new feeling for us all.”

And a new one for Clemson, which hadn’t opened 3-0 since 2007.

Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd led the way, completing 30 of 42 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns in his third start. While Clemson’s offense was rolling up yardage, its defense was shutting down an Auburn attack that had a knack for staging late-game rallies. That’s what happened a year ago when Auburn overcame a 17-0 deficit to beat Clemson 27-24 in overtime.

This time, it was Boyd picking apart Auburn’s defense, something Fairley, the Detroit Lions’ first-round pick, rarely let happen last season.

Auburn (2-1) took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter before Boyd began hitting his targets over the final three periods. Clemson converted 10 straight third-down attempts during one stretch, sapping Auburn’s energy said defensive back Ryan White.

“We got to get off the field on third down,” White said. “That killed our spirit. You go on the road, that takes a lot of energy and you could see they rallied. They got the crowd into it and they couldn’t be stopped.”

Auburn may have a dynamic offense, but its was last in Southeastern Conference defense coming in and it showed at Death Valley. Clemson scored on five of six possessions at one point and its 624 yards was the most it ever totaled against an SEC opponent.

Trailing 38-24 in the fourth quarter, Auburn moved to Clemson’s 8-yard line. But Barrett Trotter was intercepted by Coty Sensabaugh to end the threat.

“We’re angry that we lost that game,” Trotter said. “That goes without saying.”

Michael Dyer led Auburn with 151 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Clemson players jumped around in celebration when the clock struck zero and fans swarmed the field. Coach Dabo Swinney told his players they had greatness in them but had to decide to show it.

“I couldn’t think of a better place to end the streak than Death Valley, South Carolina, baby,” he said.

40-Year Super Bowl Ring Mystery Solved

A phone call from 4,957 miles away solved a four decade-old football riddle.

John Schmitt, starting center in the New York Jets' dramatic win over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III in 1969, was given a championship ring for his part in arguably the must important upset in NFL history.

A few years later, while on vacation in Hawaii, Schmitt took his first surfing lesson off Waikiki Beach. After being in the water for more than five hours, his prized ring fell off about a quarter-mile off shore in the Pacific Ocean.

After getting back to shore and noticing the ring was missing from his finger, Schmitt immediately jumped back into the water.

"I got a snorkel and some flippers and I went out and I dove until I was blue," Schmitt tells Hawaii News Now. "I'm not kidding you. It must have been three hours I was out there looking. I couldn't find it anywhere. I was just exhausted. I virtually could not swim or flip my legs anymore and I just went in brokenhearted."

Schmitt assumed the treasure was lost at sea. The 6-4, 250-pound pride of Hofstra played center for the Jets from 1964 to 1973 before ending his career with Dan Devine's Green Bay Packers in 1974.

Turns out John Ernstberg, a Waikiki lifeguard, found a ring in the water years ago and, without even looking closely at it, put it away in a small box.

After Ernstberg's death in 1991 and his wife's passing in 1995, their belongings went to John Ernstberg's great niece Cindy Saffery and her husband. After some time, they decided to have the ring checked out by a professional jeweler to find out if it was real.

Mind-boggingly, it turned out to be a real Super Bowl ring -- the one John Schmitt had lost over 40 years ago in the South Pacific.

Brenda Reichel, the jeweler who examined the ring, determined it could be worth as much as $10,000.

Instead of selling the jewel, Saffery and Reichel contacted the Jets front office with the exciting news. They were able to get in touch with Schmitt, who lives on Long Island.

"It's a legacy," Samuel Saffery explained. "This is not something that you just can buy off the street. This is something that you earn, so for Mr. Schmitt he earned this ring so by right it'll make me feel good to put it personally back into his hand."

You can imagine Schmitt's reaction to the call.

"I couldn't believe it," Schmitt told Hawaii News Now. "I mean I honestly couldn't believe it. I mean 40 years, that that ring was found is a bloody miracle. It really is a miracle, you know."

Schmitt is so excited to get his ring back, he's offered to fly the couple from Hawaii to New York to thank them in person

by: Ben Maller

Kentucky running back to miss 2-3 weeks

Raymond Sanders has been the second-leading rusher for Kentucky with 97 yards on 21 carries. For the next two, maybe three, weeks, though, the Wildcats will have to go without Sanders, as the sophomore aggravated a knee injury last Saturday and underwent arthroscopic surgery today to repair ligament damage, a university release states today. “Raymond had surgery this morning and should be back in two to three weeks,” coach Joker Phillips said. “It is a slight cartilage (injury). The surgery went well this morning. He went in at 6 a.m. and was down by 7:30 a.m. He will miss this game and should only be out two to three weeks.”

Sanders had surgery to his left knee over the summer.

The Wildcats host Louisville this weekend, which could be the last win UK sees for a while; Florida, LSU and South Carolina await in the following weeks.

by Ben Kercheval

Lee leads No. 3 LSU over No. 25 Mississippi State

Jarrett Lee completed 21 of 27 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown and No. 3 LSU defeated No. 25 Mississippi State 19-6 on Thursday night. Lee was the unexpected star, firing conservative, but nearly perfect passes all over the field. His 19-yard touchdown pass to Rueben Randle with 11:56 left in the fourth quarter gave LSU a 16-6 lead. His only mistake was an interception minutes later, but as it had all game, LSU’s defense stuffed Mississippi State with little trouble. LSU (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) had 14 tackles for a loss and held the Bulldogs (1-2, 0-2) to 193 total yards and two field goals. Despite Mississippi State’s cowbells providing an ever-present backdrop, LSU won its 12th straight game in the series dating to 1999. Lee’s success is quickly making LSU fans forget about expected starter Jordan Jefferson, who has been suspended all season after being arrested for his alleged role in a bar fight in August. Lee wasn’t spectacular, but he didn’t have to be, calmly managing the game and hitting open receivers downfield. LSU’s Spencer Ware rushed for 107 yards on 22 carries. LSU was its own worst enemy much of the game before its late-game breakout. In a particularly brutal stretch in the third quarter, the Tigers committed five penalties in less than nine minutes, losing 67 yards in the process. Lee’s interception gave Mississippi State newfound life after falling behind 16-6. But LSU’s defense was good enough to make up for all those transgressions, constantly putting pressure on Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf and disrupting the Bulldogs’ vaunted running game, which had gained at least 300 yards rushing in each of the season’s first two games. MSU’s Vick Ballard managed just 38 yards on 10 carries, while Relf rushed for 10 yards on 16 carries. The loss continues Mississippi State’s frustration against SEC Western Division rivals. The Bulldogs are 2-10 against the West, with both of those wins coming against rival Ole Miss. It’s been a tough six days for Mississippi State, which lost to Auburn 41-34 on Saturday. As expected, the game was bruising from the outset. Relf was thrown to the turf on a sack by LSU’s Kendrick Adams on the second play of the game, and the tone never changed for either team. Though both teams are known for their run-first approach, the quarterbacks had a surprising amount of success, especially in the first half. Lee completed 13 of 15 passes for 128 yards in the first half and Relf countered with 9 of 11 completions for 78 yards. But that success bogged down once either offense entered the red zone, with both teams having to settle for field goals that did little to alter momentum. LSU scored first after a 16-play, 77-yard drive ended in Drew Alleman’s 21-yard field goal. Mississippi State answered with their own bruising 14-play, 57-yard drive, capped by Derek DePasquale’s 26-yard field goal. LSU took a 6-3 lead into halftime after Alleman drilled a 42-yard field goal with 1:18 left in the second quarter. The field goal parade continued in the second half, with DePasquale’s 42-yarder tying the game at 6 in the third quarter. Alleman answered with a 41-yard field goal to give the Tigers a 9-6 lead with 1:46 remaining. Finally, LSU was able to break through with Lee’s touchdown throw to Randle, which quieted the cowbells. By the time the Tigers finished off the game, the small contingent of LSU fans in the corner of the stadium was chanting “This is our State,” a not-so-subtle jab at Mississippi State’s marketing campaign that is constantly shown on Davis Wade Stadium’s massive jumbotron.
By DAVID BRANDT

Kentucky RB will miss 2-3 weeks

Joker Phillips says running back Raymond Sanders will miss two to three weeks after aggravating a knee injury in practice. Sanders underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a slight cartilage tear in his right knee on Thursday morning.

Phillips says Kentucky has lost other players and the game won’t stop for the Wildcats because of Sanders’ injury. Through two games, Sanders had rushed for 97 yards on 21 attempts. Freshman Josh Clemons will start in Sanders’ place. He has played well so far with 25 carries for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Sanders had a similar surgery on his left knee over the summer. Phillips says it won’t take Sanders as long to recover from this surgery because the injury didn’t involve any kind of bone bruise.

Kentucky hosts Louisville on Saturday.

Florida’s Floyd returns in time for Vols

“Getting Sharrif Floyd, that does a lot for our team,” teammate Lerentee McCray said. “Just motivation, just bringing our brother along. … It gives us a real big boost going into an SEC game.”

A much-needed boost, too.

The 16th-ranked Gators (2-0) failed to record a sack in last week’s game against UAB, and Muschamp has repeatedly said he wants more pressure from his defensive ends.

Floyd’s return should help. He played in every game last year and emerged from fall practice as one of the team’s most versatile and disruptive defenders.

“He’s a great athlete, real strong guy, real powerful,” Gators center Jonotthan Harrison said. “Sharrif is an amazing pass rusher. He’s real good, real versatile, everything on the line. He’s still pretty quick for a big guy.”

The Volunteers (2-0) have noticed. Coach Derek Dooley said the Gators “probably have the most talented defensive line in the country” with Floyd, McCray, Dominique Easley, Jaye Howard, Omar Hunter and Ronald Powell.

“We’re going to have to block for these guys,” Dooley said. “It doesn’t matter how open you are, if you can’t deliver the ball to them it doesn’t matter. That’s going to be our biggest challenge. This is as athletic and big as a defensive front as you’ll see in college football. They’re good. They just roll right through the offensive line.”

Tennessee rolled its first two opponents, scoring at least 40 points in both games as sophomore Tyler Bray completed 79 percent of his passes for 698 yards and seven touchdowns. Last week, Bray became the second player in school history to threw for 400 yards in a game.

After putting up gaudy numbers against Montana and Cincinnati, Bray now leads the conference in passing yards, total offense and pass efficiency.

“He has certainly played two very good football games,” Dooley said. “He has put a big investment in trying to be good. You see it on the practice field, you see it in the time he’s putting in outside of practice. When you are putting a lot of investment and you are committing yourself to being good and you are playing good, then you have the ability to affect others in a positive way.”

The Gators believe the key to beating Tennessee is stopping running back Tauren Poole and getting steady pressure on Bray. And it starts with the defensive front.

MSU Bulldogs up for the task...No.3 LSU...someone say...Upset

No. 25 Mississippi State could take a huge step toward becoming a serious SEC contender with a win against the Tigers. LSU has won 11 games in a row against Mississippi State dating back to 1999.

But the Bulldogs have possibly their best team in years, with a spread offense led by quarterback Chris Relf and running backs Vick Ballard and LaDarius Perkins. The trio was largely responsible for MSU gaining 333 rushing yards in last week’s 41-34 road loss to Auburn, and the ground-based plan will be the same against LSU.

Mississippi State also will have the advantage of a sold out Davis Wade Stadium, filled with fans and their trademark cowbells that will create a deafening atmosphere. The Bulldogs have been nationally ranked for nine straight weeks dating back to last season, the program’s longest streak since 1999. LSU tight end DeAngelo Peterson said the Tigers are well aware that Mississippi State will be desperate to stay in the Western division race.

“I think they’ll come out there 100 percent because they know they can’t lose another SEC game,” Peterson said. “That’ll put them out of it. So we know they’re going to come in and give us their all, so we’ve got to come give them our all.”

It’s a quick turnaround for the Bulldogs, who play just five days after losing to Auburn. Mullen called the loss “devastating” in the aftermath but was also encouraged by the MSU fanbase’s response, hate mail.

“The last time we lost a game on a goal-line stand, I got a lot of praise in emails from people all really excited,” Mullen said. “I’ve gotten a lot of hate emails in the last couple of days. I guess that’s a very positive culture change. Our people expect us to win games now. Before, they were just impressed maybe we competed. Now, they expect us to win, and I think that’s good.”

Vols receivers look to counteract speed of Florida secondary

Shortly after he broke down some film of Florida's secondary earlier this week, Tyler Bray took a glance at the Gators' depth chart. What the Tennessee quarterback saw on film didn't match what he saw on paper. "They're listed at 206 (pounds) or something like that," Bray said. "We know how that one goes. I was listed at 210 last year." Bray, of course, wasn't 210 pounds last year, and only one Gators defensive back, safety Matt Elam, officially weighs in at 206 pounds. The rest hover between 180 and 190 pounds and all but two players who will likely see the field Saturday (TV: WVLT, 3:30 p.m.) are shorter than six feet tall.

Bray's point was clear: The Gators' secondary is as small, if not smaller, as advertised.

With Bray divvying the majority of his pass attempts between the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Da'Rick Rogers and the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Justin Hunter, size is clearly on the Vols' side. "Height advantage always helps no matter what sport it is," Bray said.

"Sometimes athletic ability overcomes size," wide receivers coach Charlie Baggett said. "We have stressed to our guys that no matter what size they are we have to win. And winning from a receiver standpoint means getting open."

Few teams in college football have been as successful stopping the pass as Florida through the first two games of the season. The Gators are 12th nationally in pass defense, as they've allowed 124 yards per game and have yet to surrender a touchdown.

Gators need a team effort to slow down Vols' QB Bray

After Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray threw for over 400 yards last week against Cincinnati, all eyes are on Florida's young secondary heading into this weekend's Southeastern Conference opener in The Swamp.

Sophomores Justin Hunter, 6-foot-4, and Da'Rick Rogers, 6-foot-3, UT's top two receivers, each caught 10 passes against the Bearcats and have combined for over 500 receiving yards in the first two games of the season.

UF cornerback Marcus Roberson, 6-foot, and Cody Riggs, 5-foot-9, will be charged with matching up with the two big wideouts, but whether the Gators are able to slow down the Vols' passing attack doesn't completely fall on their shoulders.

Florida defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said it will be important to combine an effective pass rush that forces Bray to reset his feet before making a throw with deceiving coverages.

"When we have a really good rush, let's make sure our disguise is really good too," Quinn said. "Where it's not only mentally hard on the quarterback, but he's feeling the pressure in his face too."

Safety Josh Evans said it will be a team effort to contain UT's passing game, and the secondary plans to do their part by being physical with Hunter and Rogers.

"That's when you go to attack them early in the game and let them know that we're confident that our DBs can play them man-to-man," Evans said.

Quinn said each cornerback has a different style of dealing bigger receivers and there's no uniform plan of whether to jam them or play off them at the line of scrimmage.

For all his lack of size, Riggs has earned a reputation as being the most physical cornerback on the team. And senior wide receiver Deonte Thompson compared Roberson to former UF cornerback Janoris Jenkins.

"He's good at the line of scrimmage," Thompson said. "He's a good jammer just like Janoris was."
by Kyle Maistri

Vandy's HC Franklin urges fans to jump on board

Before ending his media session following Vanderbilt's thrilling 24-21 win over UConn last Saturday, Head Coach James Franklin delivered a message to fans still unsure about supporting the Commodores this season. Franklin encouraged fans to jump on board now and get behind the team because the players deserve it.

"One last thing I'd like to say," Franklin said. "I keep saying this but I think our program has shown enough signs that we're worth jumping on the bandwagon and supporting. Between the things we've done on the field, the things we've done in this community, finding a way to win a tough game tonight, as well as the things we're doing in recruiting; these kids deserve it.

"And our fans that we have here, I love them; they are unbelievably loyal. But we need those other people that are on the fence to jump on board and support us because these kids deserve it. Thank you."

SEC Football Online's pick on No. 3 LSU at No. 25 Mississippi State

The week-prior activity involving both teams is significantly unequal. While the Bulldogs were slugging it out in a 41-34 loss at Auburn, the Bayou Bengals were coasting to a 49-3 victory at home over Northwestern State.

Since many of its starters didn’t play in the second half against the Demons, LSU will be much more rested than Mississippi State, which also may be without a pair of starting offensive linemen who picked up injuries at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Since the Tigers were able to handle Oregon’s spread offense, they’ll be able to keep tabs on Mississippi State’s version of the spread.

Now on offense, LSU’s rugged ground attack, featuring Michael Ford and Spencer Ware, should do very well and at will against the Bulldogs’ accommodating run defense.

SEC Football Online Pick: LSU 31-21

Wilson, Johnson uncertain for Arkansas against Troy

Although he was held out for the second half of Arkansas’ 52-3 blasting of New Mexico this weekend due to concussion-like symptoms, it’s still unclear whether Razorbacks quarterback Tyler Wilson actually has a concussion. Still, Arkansas is taking all the necessary head-injury precautions with Wilson, who expects to play this weekend against Troy.

“You get your bell rung sometimes in football,” Wilson told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “Precautionary-wise, we took that approach and sat out the second half. “I feel fine.”

Whether he actually will, though, will be up to the trainers.

Additionally, coach Bobby Petrino said often-injured running back Dennis Johnson might be available to play this weekend against the Trojans. Johnson suffered a hamstring injury during preseason camp that held him out of the first two games of the season. Johnson also missed almost all of last season as well with injuries.

Potential Heisman Trophy candidate Marcus Lattimore continues to shoulder the Gamecocks

Potential Heisman Trophy candidate Marcus Lattimore continues to shoulder the load for South Carolina.

Navy, meanwhile, has assembled the most potent rushing attack in the country thanks to a team effort.

The 10th-ranked Gamecocks and the Midshipmen will surely look to establish the run early and often as both try to stay undefeated Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium.

After running for 112 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-37 win over East Carolina on Sept. 3, Lattimore rushed for 176 last Saturday and put South Carolina (2-0) up for good with a late TD in a 45-42 victory at Georgia.

“It’s a great back and we had to keep going to him,” coach Steve Spurrier said. “He gives us hope to make any kind of run.”

Since the start of last season, no one in the SEC has compiled more rushing yards than Lattimore’s 1,485. His 21 rushing TDs in that span rank second in the league behind Mississippi State’s Vick Ballard (23).

Lattimore even has five of the team’s 21 receptions this year.

“We know as a whole we haven’t played our best game,” he said. “Like I said, it starts in practice, keeping the intensity up.”

While Lattimore has - for the most part - single-handedly carried the Gamecocks’ ground game, Navy (2-0) has used its famed triple-option to record an NCAA-leading 801 rushing yards.

Quarterback Kriss Proctor, who has attempted just 14 passes this season, leads the team with 199 rushing yards and three TDs. He is one of six Midshipmen to run for at least 70 yards.

“They run the triple option with fullback, quarterback and pitch guys so we’ll have our hands full slowing down these guys,” Spurrier said. “Their coach has done an unbelievable job. … They just play very well and don’t beat themselves. They know how to run the ball.”

Charges against Gator's Finley reduced

According to the Gainesville Sun, Florida linebacker Dee Finley is no longer facing a felony charge following his arrest Monday. On Tuesday, the State Attorney's Office reduced the charge against Finley from resisting arrest with violence to resisting without violence, a misdemeanor.

“The State Attorney reviewed the case and decided to treat it as a misdemeanor,” said Gainesville attorney Huntley Johnson, who represents Finley. “I did not see resisting with violence in the description in the police report.”

Finley, a sophomore, was arrested Monday for driving with a suspended license and resisting a University Police Department officer.

Finley appeared before a judge Tuesday morning and was released on his own recognizance.

State Attorney Bill Cervone said his staff notified court officials at first appearance that they would be reducing the resisting arrest charge from resisting with violence — a felony — to resisting without violence — a misdemeanor.

Georgia LB out at least ‘a couple of weeks’

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports today that fellow linebacker Christian Robinson will miss at least a couple of games with a foot injury sustained in Saturday's loss to South Carolina, UGA coach Mark Richt said Sunday. The injury, coming one week after Alec Ogletree suffered a broken foot in the season opener, leaves Georgia (0-2, 0-1 SEC) without both of its starting inside linebackers.

Compounding the problem, inside linebacker was probably the thinnest position area on Georgia's defense and the one in which the team was least equipped to withstand injuries.

"We've definitely got a challenge at the linebacker position right now," Richt said.

Ogletree, who underwent surgery last week, is expected to be sidelined up to six weeks. Richt did not have medical details on Robinson's injury -- he suggested it might involve a hairline fracture -- but said it was not as severe as Ogletree's.

The first names Richt mentioned as candidates to fill in for Robinson in the next two games -- Saturday at home against Coastal Carolina and Sept. 24 at Ole Miss -- are from the same trio that competed last week for Ogletree's spot: junior Michael Gilliard, freshman Amarlo Herrera and senior walk-on Jeremy Sulek. Herrera started against South Carolina, but all three played.

Richt suggested that freshman Ramik Wilson or perhaps Chase Vasser might shift from outside linebacker to get some work at the depleted inside position.

Arkansas' Wilson Injured On Touchdown Run

When a BCS conference school plays a nonconference cupcake, one of the top goals is to avoid injuries.

In that regard, Arkansas didn't have a good night in a 52-3 win against New Mexico.

Three of the Razorbacks' five captains - Tyler Wilson, Jake Bequette and Jarius Wright - left the game early with injuries.

Wilson, the Hogs' starting quarterback, was held out of the second half as a precaution after showing signs of a concussion during the halftime.

"At halftime, we noticed when we were going through the script of how we were going to start out, that he didn't have the exact focus that we'd like," Petrino said.

"So we notified the trainer and he had symptoms of a concussion. I don't know if he had a concussion or not, but he did have symptoms and you know how we go about that nowadays, so he was held out the second half."

The final play of the Greenwood native's night was a 7-yard touchdown run with 17 seconds left in the first half that gave Arkansas a 31-3 lead. He was sandwiched by two Lobos at the goal line, but didn't appear affected immediately following the play. However, Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said the affects were obvious in the locker room.

"I was going through some things with him and I can read kids," McGee said. "I just said, ‘You doing all right?' and he didn't seem to be doing all right."

Wilson finally emerged from the locker room with 5:51 left in the third quarter and watched the rest of the game from the sideline.