SEC Week 4 Wrap Up: Alabama, Florida, Auburn All Prevail
Saturday was yet another exciting day in the SEC, which included two pivotal match-ups between top 20 foes that were filled with drama, twists, and turns.
Alabama's come-from-behind win over Arkansas and Auburn's victory over South Carolina were definitely the day's highlights. But other important contests took place as well.
Let's take a look at all the action.
Alabama 24, Arkansas 20
1 of 7
Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett was spectacular throughout the first three quarters of the SEC West showdown with No. 1 Alabama, leading the Razorbacks to a 20-14 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. But it was his two late interceptions that ended up dooming his team.
Mallett completed 25 of his 38 attempts for over 350 yards, but he was out-shined by defending Heisman winner Mark Ingram.
Ingram rushed for more than 150 yards on 24 carries and scored Alabama’s go-ahead touchdown with a little over three minutes remaining in the game.
It was the largest recorded attendance in the history of Razorback stadium, but the Arkansas faithful ultimately left dissatisfied with the outcome, as Alabama cemented themselves as the nation's top team heading into next weekend's big showdown with the Florida Gators.
Auburn 35, South Carolina 27
2 of 7
Auburn quarterback Cam Newton hasn’t gotten a lot of Heisman push so far this season, but if the 6'6", 250-pound junior keeps performing like he did last night, that will soon change.
Newton helped rally the Tigers after trailing 20-14 at halftime by using both his legs and his arm. The Auburn quarterback ran for a score in the third quarter and added two through the air in the fourth to help the Tigers clinch the victory.
Newton finished with over 300 yards of total offense (158 passing, 176 rushing) on the night and showed that as long as he’s leading this Auburn offense, they can contend for an SEC Championship.
Florida 48, Kentucky 14
3 of 7
Florida hushed the naysayers and quieted the doubters with a convincing thumping of the Kentucky Wildcats at the Swamp last night.
Freshman Trey Burton was the star of the show, scoring all six of the Gators offensive touchdowns (five rushing, one receiving) to help head coach Urban Meyer reach the 100-win milestone.
It was the 24th consecutive time the Gators have topped Kentucky and they will now shift their focus to next weekend’s anticipated SEC championship rematch with Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
LSU 20, West Virginia 14
4 of 7
LSU’s offense struggled once again as quarterback Jordan Jefferson completed just 10 of his 22 attempts, but in the end it was the Tigers defense and special teams that turned out to be their keys to victory.
Superstar cornerback Patrick Peterson came up with the play of the night, returning a West Virginia punt 60 yards for a second quarter touchdown.
After the score, Peterson struck a Heisman pose reminiscent of Michigan’s Desmond Howard which earned him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and an earful from head coach Les Miles.
The win keeps LSU undefeated for now, but if their offensive woes continue, they won’t stay that way for very long.
Mississippi State 24, Georgia 12
5 of 7
Head Coach Mark Richt’s September just got a whole lot worse after his Georgia team fell flat against Mississippi State in Starkville last night.
The loss drops Georgia to 1-3 on the season, their worst start in Richt's tenure.
It was a mistake-filled night for Georgia in the battle of the Bulldogs, as they actually ended up out-gaining Mississippi State offensively but failed to come up big when it mattered most.
Georgia gets wide receiver A.J. Green back next week but the poor start to the season has many questioning Richt’s future with the team.
Ole Miss 55, Fresno State 38
6 of 7
Junior running back Brandon Bolden carried Ole Miss to victory last night, rushing for 228 yards on 19 carries and scoring two touchdowns as his team steamrolled through the Fresno State defense.
Mississippi’s offense finished with 425 yards on the ground and 578 yards of total offense.
The win helps the Rebels get to 2-2 on the season after a shaky start to the year.
Tennessee 32, UAB 29
7 of 7
Tennessee needed two overtimes to finish off the UAB Blazers squad, but it was a 25-yard hookup between quarterback Matt Simms and receiver Denarius Moore that ultimately did the trick.
UAB used quarterbacks Bryan Ellis and David Isabelle to effectively gain yards in the air and on the ground, but in the end, it just wasn’t enough.
The win is a big one for first-year head coach Derek Dooley and his Volunteers now move to 2-2 on the season as they prepare to host LSU next weekend.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
