AUBURN, Ala. - Carnell Williams ran for 185 yards and resurgent Auburn made a late defensive stand to beat Tennessee 28-21 on Saturday night.
Jason Campbell had two touchdown passes for Auburn, which has won five of its past seven against Top 10 teams. The Tigers finally showcased their heralded tailbacks with their third straight lopsided victory after an 0-2 start that dropped them out of the rankings.
The Volunteers abandoned their star tailbacks from the outset, trying to ride Casey Clausen's passing to victory. The result was an anemic running game that netted 4 yards on 16 carries, 184 yards below their season average.
Clausen almost pulled it off, throwing two fourth-quarter touchdowns before a late interception. Cedric Houston and Jabari Davis, two of the league's top 10 rushers, combined for 14 yards on nine carries for Tennessee.
The Tigers amassed 264 rushing yards, the most allowed by the Vols since Kansas State gained 297 in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 2001.
Clausen completed 30-of-47, a career high for attempts, and matched his highest completion number.
GEORGIA 37, ALABAMA 23: The host Bulldogs scored 37 in the first two quarters - the most Alabama has given up in a half in the modern era. Georgia bounced back from a 17-10 loss at LSU two weeks ago by dominating the first 30 minutes. The Bulldogs led 30-3 before Alabama made a first down.
"We were able to wreak some havoc out there," said safety Thomas Davis, who scored off a blocked punt, recovered a fumble to set up another score and had two sacks.
Georgia built a 37-10 lead at halftime, which were more points than the Bulldogs had scored on the Tide in any of the previous 62 games between the schools. Alabama officials said it was the most points given up by the Tide in a half since at least 1933, the first season of the SEC.
Alabama made the score respectable in the second half, mainly through Georgia's mistakes.
But Alabama was not equipped for a comeback. The Tide finished with third-string quarterback Brandon Avalos, a redshirt freshman playing his first college game. He came in when starter Brodie Croyle and backup Spencer Pennington went down with shoulder injuries.
MISSISSIPPI ST. 30, VANDY 21: Jerious Norwood ran for 113 yards and his first career touchdown and Justin Jenkins had 118 yards receiving to help the host Bulldogs snap a nine-game conference losing streak. Mississippi State had won six of its past 27 games. Vanderbilt has lost 20 straight conference games and 24 of its past 26 against I-A opponents. Trailing 27-14 with 9:07 left, Vandy's Jay Cutler threw a 24-yard TD to Erik Davis. Cutler completed 22-of-35 for 295 yards and two TDs, but he was intercepted once and had a fumble late in the game.
