SEC Football Results: November 21, 2009

Alabama Beats Chattanooga, 45-0

Senior cornerback/returner Javier Arenas scored his seventh career punt return touchdown to break the Southeastern Conference record.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The No. 2 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide scored five touchdowns on five straight possessions in the first half in a 45-0 shutout of Chattanooga at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Senior Day. Sophomore Mark Ingram ran for 102 yards and two scores on 11 carries before the break, and senior cornerback/returner Javier Arenas scored his seventh career punt return touchdown to break the Southeastern Conference record. Arenas also intercepted a pass on the afternoon.

Senior kicker Leigh Tiffin tied the Alabama record for career field goals and single-season field goals with a 41-yarder in the third quarter, giving him 78 for his career and 25 this season. Before the game, the 27 members of the senior class were honored on the field. Alabama goes on the road next week to face rival Auburn on Friday, Nov. 27. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Central time, and the game will air on CBS.

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No. 1 Florida Tops FIU, 62-3, Saturday

The top-ranked Gators improved to a school-record 11-0 Saturday afternoon with a 62-3 victory over in-state opponent FIU (3-8) at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. A crowd of 90,473 came out to witness the Orange and Blue extend its nation-leading win streak to 21 games in the first meeting between the two Florida schools.

For the fifth time in his storied career as a Gator, senior quarterback Tim Tebow (Jacksonville , Fla.) rushed for over 100 yards, tallying a total of 102 yards on seven carries and a touchdown in the first quarter, and connected on 17-of-25 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns.

After taking over for Tebow early in the third quarter, redshirt sophomore quarterback John Brantley (Ocala, Fla.) found three different receivers to complete the second half of play, finishing the day 9-of-13 for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

Redshirt sophomore Chris Rainey (Lakeland, Fla.) proved to be a dual threat for the Gators with a career-tying three receptions for a career-high 61 yards through the air and one touchdown, while running four times for 30 yards and a score. Redshirt sophomore Deonte Thompson (Belle Glade, Fla.) led the UF receiving corps with five catches for 66 yards.

The Gators held the Golden Panthers scoreless through nearly the first two quarters of play Saturday afternoon, putting up 35 points in the first half alone, while holding FIU to just three, a field-goal success with 29 seconds remaining in the half by kicker Dustin Rivest. The Gators scored on seven of eight drives in the first half to take a 35-3 lead in to the locker room at halftime.

Florida got off to its fastest start of the season with a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Brandon Spikes (Shelby, N.C.) at the 13:10 minute mark of the first quarter, the sixth interception of his career, his fourth for a touchdown, that gave UF the early 7-0 lead. With the touchdown, Spikes became the only player in the country to have four pick-sixes in the last two years.

After forcing a three-and-out situation for FIU, the Gators gained possession again by way of a Golden Panther punt on their own 16-yardline. UF drove 84 yards down field on five plays as Tebow ran in a career-long 55-yard touchdown run to extend the UF lead, 14-0, at the 9:18 minute mark. Tebow’s touchdown run elevated him into sole possession of the SEC record for all-time touchdowns (54).

Following FIU’s second three-and-out of the first quarter, a missed 53-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis (St. Augustine, Fla.) gave the ball back to the Golden Panther’s on the FIU 36-yard line. Florida’s strong defensive talent didn’t falter, as FIU was forced to punt yet again.

The Gators’ next two scores belonged to Rainey, the first a Tebow shovel pass that Rainey took 27 yards to the house to give the Orange and Blue a 21-0 lead, and the second an option pitch from Tebow that allowed Rainey to find the end zone on a 22-yard scamper. Rainey’s first score marked his inaugural touchdown catch as a Gator, while his second rushing score marked his seventh of the season and gave UF a 28-0 lead.

With 9:41 left in the half, FIU found an offensive rhythm, starting on its own 50-yard line after a 47-yard kickoff return from Wayne Times. The Panthers drove to the UF 16-yard line and set up for a 33-yard Rivest field-goal, but the wide-right attempt put possession of the ball in UF’s hands.

One more score, a three-yard touchdown scamper for sophomore Jeff Demps (Winter Garden, Fla.), capped the 35-point first-half UF scoring rush following Sturgis’ extra point. The Panthers capitalized on their last scoring opportunity of the half with a Rivest 37-yard field goal with 29 seconds that put the first, and what would turn out to be the only, three points on the board for Florida International.

On the opening drive of the second half, the UF scoring domination continued as Tebow hooked up with senior wide receiver Riley Cooper (Clearwater, Fla.) on a 18-yard touchdown pass, Cooper’s seventh of the season, to give the Gators a 42-3 advantage.

With 13:38 left in the third quarter, Brantley took over for Tebow at quarterback, found a quick rhythm and immediately led the Gators 73 yard down the field for two scores. Brantley first connected with redshirt freshman wide receiver Omarius Hines (Corsicana, Texas) on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 4:06 to go in the third quarter as the Gators ate up 3:42 on the clock and took a 48-3 lead. For Hines, the score marked his first as a Gator.

Another strong defensive stand for the Orange and Blue gave Brantley and the Gators the go-ahead on a career-long 16-yard touchdown pass to redshirt junior Justin Williams (Folkston, Ga.), his second receiving score of the season, which lengthened the margin, 56-3, with 11:10 to go in the game.

Brantley went on to hit his third receiver of the second half when he found redshirt freshman Frankie Hammond, Jr. (Hollywood, Fla.) on a career-long 31-yard deep pass to the end zone for the receiver’s first career score in a Florida uniform. With Hammond’s catch following a 12-play 83-yard drive, UF took a dominating 62-3 lead after the point-after attempt by redshirt senior Jonathan Phillips (Wellington, Fla.) was unsuccessful with 2:28 left in the game.

Redshirt junior quarterback Andrew Blaylock (Durham, N.C.) finished out the rest of the fourth quarter for the Orange and Blue as UF collected the 62-3 victory to remain undefeated in 2009.

Florida will play its last regular season game Nov. 28 when Sunshine State rival Florida State visits The Swamp for a 3:30 p.m. CBS match-up.

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Arkansas Defeats Miss State, 42-21

LITTLE ROCK – Ryan Mallett guided the Arkansas Razorbacks to another offensive explosion, racking up five touchdown passes in a 42-21 beating of Mississippi State in the final home game of the season.

The victory at War Memorial Stadium moved Arkansas to 7-4 overall and 3-4 in Southeastern Conference Western Division play.  The loss ended Miss State’s bowl chances by dropping the Bulldogs to 4-7 on the season, 2-5 in the SEC West.

The sophomore became the first Razorback in the 100-plus year history of football to throw for over 3,000 yards in a single season.

Another day of records for Mallett, who after only 11 games at Arkansas now owns or has a part of 12 different Razorback records.

Against MSU, Mallett tied his own school record with five touchdown passes.  Twice he went for 50-yard plus passes to freshman Cobi Hamilton who led the Razorbacks with 131 yards receiving.

He closed with 18 of 34 for 313 yards and his five touchdowns.

With the regular season finale at Baton Rouge against LSU and a bowl game invitation left, Mallett could extend his early career domination of the Razorback passing records.

Giving up 21 unanswered points to Arkansas in the first half, Miss State changed quarterbacks and styles to begin the second half.  The change turned what looked to be a runaway into an interesting and competitive third quarter.

Employing what looked like a close formation wishbone of the glory days of War Memorial Stadium, Chris Relf directed an 11-play, 94-yard drive exclusively on the ground.  Anthony Dixon broke over 100 yards for the game with the 4-yard touchdown run to cut Arkansas’ lead to seven, 21-14, with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter.

Mallett wasted no time breaking Miss State’s momentum and a pair of Stoerner’s records on the first possession of the second half.  Mallett found Cobi Hamilton cutting under the State coverage. Four downfield receiver blocks and four evaded or broken tackles by Hamilton later, Mallett had his 30th career touchdown responsible and 27th career touchdown pass on the 64-yard effort.

Dixon matched Mallett on the next play, taking the handoff from Relf, bounding off two Razorbacks before breaking into the open for the 70-yard touchdown to return the margin to seven, 28-21.

For the day, Dixon finished with 24 carries for 176 yards, but after his touchdown run was neutralized by Arkansas’ defensive adjustments.

Arkasnsas put the score back to two TDs with a six-play, 50-yard drive, moved along by a pair of D.J. Williams first down receptions.  Mallett evaded two Bulldog rushers, and throwing off his back foot on the run to Greg Childs for the back of the end zone made it 35-21.  It was Mallett’s fifth TD pass, tying his own Arkansas record.

Arkansas defense dug in against the Bulldogs, changing their approach to shut down State with two three-and-outs and no more scoring after the Dixon breakaway.

Following State's last ditch drive ending on downs, Arkansas marched up field for its only rushing touchdown of the game, a two-yarder from Broderick Green and the final margin of 42-21.

After the opening kickoff, it didn’t look like the smooth offensive game it became for the Razorbacks. Arkansas’ offense started rough with a pass batted down by Miss State on first down, then an interception by Corey Broomfield to give the Bulldogs the ball on their own 48 yard line.

Chad Bumphis picks the deep snap up off the ground as MSU went into a Wildcat formation.  The miscue didn’t limit the freshman "H" backs’ run as he hit the right corner and turned up field through a large hole Rudell Crim saved the touchdown by pushing him out of bounds 49 yards later. Arnil Stallworth took it the last yard for the score and a 7-0 lead.

Arkansas came right back with a four-play TD drive of its own, set up by a 31-yard kickoff return by Johnson.  Mallett got his passing back on stride with a 21 yard first-down pass to Jarius Wright to put Arkansas into MSU territory.  Mallett first tried to go to the endzone first for Crawford, broken up by Marcus Washington, then found a wide open Joe Adams at the five yard line.  The Little Rock sophomore broke two tackles for the 39-yard touchdown.

The teams traded punts for the next four possessions before the first of a pair of record-tying touchdown passes by Mallett.

Mallett stepped back and lofted the ball deep, a good 45 yards in the air to the State 10 yard line where Hamilton took it over the shoulder in full stride.  The 59-yard the strike tied Mallett with Stoerner for most touchdowns responsible for in a single season with his 29th.  The four-play, 68-yard drive gave Arkansas its first lead of the game, 14-7.

Arkansas kept the scoring streak going on its next possession.  State went three-and-out to punt to the Razorback 21 yard line.  Using 11 plays to move up field on the longest drive – distance or time – of the half for either team, Mallett capped it off by hitting a wide open Wright for a five-yard score.  This touchdown tied Mallett with Stoerner for most touchdown passes in a season.

On the day, Arkansas racked up 396 total yards with 22 first downs and considerable balance.  Johnson closed with 11 carries for 40 yards while Green had nine carries for 25 yards and a touchdown.  They led a rushing game that produced 83 total yards.

State finished with a considerable amount of yards, 376 off 68 plays, but very little points.

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Ole Miss Holds Off LSU 25-23 To Win Magnola Bowl Again

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - Dexter McCluster ran for 148 yards and passed for a touchdown, and Ole Miss survived a last-ditch drive by 10th-ranked LSU for a 25-23 victory Saturday.

After recovering an onside kick, LSU's Jordan Jefferson heaved a pass to Terrance Tolliver that he caught at the Ole Miss 6 with one second left. The Tigers had no timeouts and didn't send the field goal unit onto the field, and the clock expired as they tried to spike the ball.

The win likely gives Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3) second place in the SEC West with a game left to play, and an edge over LSU (8-3, 4-3) when bowl invitations are handed out.

McCluster took a handoff, ran right, then pulled up and hit wide-open Shay Hodge with a 27-yard touchdown pass for the first completion of his career midway through the fourth quarter.

Jefferson rallied the Tigers with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Rueben Randle with 1:17 left, but Cassius Vaughn broke up a 2-point conversion pass to preserve the Rebels' lead.

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Tennessee Takes Down Vanderbilt, 31-16

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- Jonathan Crompton threw for two touchdowns as Tennessee beat in-state rival Vanderbilt 31-16 on Saturday night.

The Volunteers (6-5, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) became bowl eligible with the victory. The Commodores (2-10, 0-8) finished without a conference win for the first time since 2002.

Vanderbilt had a chance to tie the game before halftime but stalled on fourth-and-2 at the Tennessee 38 with 51 seconds left. Instead, Tennessee drove for a quick touchdown to go up 24-10.

Vandy's Steven Stone was called for a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty, and Crompton was perfect on four pass attempts.

His 16-yard TD pass to Luke Stocker capped the 30-second drive.

Crompton finished 20-for-34 for 221 yards with an interception.

Montario Hardesty ran for a career-high 171 yards and a touchdown.

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Kentucky Rallies to Defeat Georgia 34-27

ATHENS, Ga. --- The Georgia football team lost its final home game of the 2009 season, falling to SEC rival Kentucky 34-27.

The Bulldog defense limited Kentucky to 63 total yards on 25 plays in the first half. The Wildcats got 48 of those yards on their first four plays for a 6-0 advantage.

Georgia led 20-6 after the first half, but Kentucky recovered Branden Smith's fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half.

The Wildcats (7-4, 3-4 SEC) outscored the Bulldogs by 21 points in the second half, taking advantage of a couple Georgia penalties and turnovers.

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