OXFORD, Miss. – Mark Ingram rushed for 172 yards and the game’s only touchdown on a 36-yard fourth-and-1 run with 55 seconds left in the first half and No. 3 Alabama forced five turnovers, including four interceptions of quarterback Jevan Snead, in a 22-3 victory over the No. 20 Rebels Saturday on Hollingsworth Field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Leigh Tiffin kicked five short field goals from 25, 21, 22, 21 and 31 yards for Alabama, 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the SEC West Division.
Snead, one of the preseason Heisman Trophy candidates, completed just 11 of 34 passes for 140 yards and his four interceptions tied a career high. Two of the interceptions came after Alabama defenders ripped the ball from Ole Miss receivers.
The Crimson Tide’s special teams also came up with a blocked punt and a fumble recovery on an Ole Miss punt return. The Rebels (3-2, 1-2 SEC West) got their only points on a 25-yard field goal by Joshua Shene.
The Crimson Tide held the Rebels to 19 yards and one first down in the first half on the way to a 16-0 lead and allowed them past the 50 just four times overall.
No. 25 South Carolina 28, Kentucky 26: One thing hasn’t changed for Steve Spurrier, Florida’s Ol’ Ball Coach and South Carolina’s current one – his mastery of Kentucky.
Spurrier, who was 12-0 against the Wildcats at Florida, saw his No. 25 Gamecocks run their record to 5-0 against Kentucky but South Carolina had to stop a potential game-tying two-point conversion Saturday afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C.
Stephen Garcia threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as the Gamecocks (5-1, 2-1 SEC East) won their 10th straight over Kentucky (2-3, 0-3 SEC East).
Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline left the game with a sprained left knee early in the third quarter after leading Kentucky to a 17-14 halftime lead.
Garcia had touchdown passes of 10, 28 and 22 yards to freshman Alshon Jeffery and he scored what proved to be the winning touchdown on a 1-yard leap over the pile with 8:22 remaining in regulation for a 28-20 lead.
Slippery Randall Cobb scored on a 2-yard run with 4:34 left and Kentucky had a chance to tie the game. But backup quarterback Will Fidler’s pass was knocked down by defensive end Cliff Matthews.
South Carolina’s Kenny Miles finished with 100 yards on 17 rushes. Jeffery had 138 yards on seven receptions as Garcia completed 16 of 23 passes for 233 yards. Kentucky, which rushed for 205 yards, got 89-yard efforts from Derrick Locke and Cobb.
Tennessee 45, Georgia 19: On Shields-Watkins Field at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Jonathan Crompton passed for a career-high 310 yards and threw four touchdowns to give coach Lane Kiffin his first SEC victory and prevent the Volunteers (3-3, 1-2 SEC East) from starting 0-3 in the league for the second straight season.
By halftime, Crompton, who completed 20 of 27 passes, had already thrown for 205 yards and three touchdowns. He was a perfect 4-for-4 for 67 yards on a drive late in the first half, finding Marsalis Teague on a 5-yard touchdown pass for a 21-10 lead with 2:40 left. He also connected with Gerald Jones on a 51-yard score, the Vols’ longest pass of the season.
Georgia’s offense couldn’t find the end zone, but the Bulldogs (3-3, 2-2 SEC East) found other ways to put up points. Brandon Boykin scored on his second 100-yard kickoff return of the season, and Bacarri Rambo returned a Crompton interception 28 yards for a touchdown that pulled Georgia with 5 points, 24-19, midway through the third quarter.
But Tennessee came right back with a 39-yard touchdown run by Montario Hardesty (20 carries, 93 yards), the Crompton-to-Jones touchdown pass and a 1-yard touchdown run by Bryce Brown.
Tennessee outgained Georgia 468-241 and forced three turnovers, twice intercepting quarterback Joe Cox (19-34-2, 146 yards) and not allowing an offensive touchdown. Blair Walsh kicked a 52-yard field goal and Georgia’s Zach Renner blocked a punt by Chad Cunningham that sailed through the end zone for a safety for the other five points by the Bulldogs.
Arkansas 44, No. 17 Auburn 23: At Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark., Michael Smith rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown, and Arkansas held off a late Auburn rally to hand the No. 17 Tigers their first loss of the season.
Arkansas jumped out to a 34-3 lead in the third quarter before Auburn (5-1, 2-1 SEC West) responded with a three-touchdown flurry toward the end of that quarter – touchdown runs of 1 and 60 by Ben Tate (22 carries, 184 yards) and 3 yards by Onterio McCalebb.
Dennis Johnson helped the Razorbacks (3-2, 1-2 SEC West) regain momentum with a 70-yard kickoff return, and Arkansas shut out the Tigers in the fourth to earn its first SEC win of the season.
Ryan Mallett threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns (on 24-of-37 passing) and ran for another. Arkansas’ Michael Smith rushed 18 times for 145 yards and one touchdown, while Broderick Green had a pair of rushing touchdowns.
The Razorbacks outgained Auburn 495-375 with the help of 38:27 of possession time and three fumble recoveries.
Houston 31, Mississippi State 24: In Davis Wade Stadium/Scott Field at Starkville, Miss., Case Keenum threw four touchdown passes, two to James Cleveland and two to Tyron Carrier as Houston rallied from its loss to UTEP last Saturday night.
Houston (4-1) and Keenum (39-52-2, 434 yards, 4 touchdowns) got off to a slow start. Mississippi State’s Charles Mitchell returned an interception 71 yards for a touchdown before Keenum answered with a 5-yard TD pass to James Cleveland that closed out the first-quarter scoring at 7-7.
Anthony Dixon, who rushed 21 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns, put the Bulldogs (2-4) up 14-7 with a 50-yard scoring run, and following Keenum’s 16-yard TD pass to Carrier tied the game, Mississippi State took a 17-14 halftime lead thanks to Derek DePasquale’s 34-yard field goal.
Ben Bill’s 23-yard field goal in the third quarter for Houston left the game at 17-17 heading into the final quarter during which Keenum threw a 3-yard TD pass to Cleveland and an 18-yard TD to Carrier within 2:09 of each other in the fourth quarter for a 31-17 lead. Dixon closed out the scoring with a 1-yard scoring run with 1:22 left.
The two teams combined for over 1,000 yards in offense – Houston had 553 and Mississippi State 490, including 330 on the ground. The Cougars twice intercepted MSU quarterback Tyson Lee (15-23-2, 160 yards).
Army (3-3) 16, Vanderbilt (2-4) 13, OT: At Michie Stadium in West Point, N.Y., Alex Carlton kicked a 42-yard field goal in overtime to help the Black Knights match their victory total from each of the last three seasons.
The field goal, which hit the left upright, was Carlton’s third of the game. He also kicked a 51-yarder in the second quarter, Army’s longest field goal since 1994.
Vanderbilt (2-4) forced the game into overtime when Ryan Fowler hit a 41-yard field goal with less than 52 seconds remaining for a 13-13 tie. Quarterback Larry Smith went 4-for-7 for 79 yards on that drive. He finished 11-for-24 with 144 yards and two interceptions.
The Commodores’ opening possession of overtime fell short when Andrew Rodriguez forced Warren Norman to fumble at the 1-yard line, with the ball falling into the end zone for a touchback.
Quarterback Trent Steelman led Army (3-3) with 97 yards rushing on 25 carries. Vanderbilt outgained Army 304-269, but the Black Knights ran for 222 yards and controlled the clock for 36 minutes.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
EASTERN DIVISION
SEC PF PA Div. All PF PA
Florida 3-0 77 23 2-0 5-0 195 32
South Carolina 2-1 81 77 1-1 5-1 164 110
Georgia 2-2 125 117 1-1 3-3 155 184
Tennessee 1-2 80 68 1-1 3-3 192 117
Kentucky 0-3 53 107 0-2 2-3 126 134
Vanderbilt 0-3 19 61 0-0 2-4 113 94
WESTERN DIVISION
SEC PF PA Div. All PF PA
Alabama 3-0 95 30 2-0 6-0 222 75
Louisiana State 3-1 76 61 1-0 5-1 138 87
Auburn 2-1 98 90 1-1 5-1 230 163
Arkansas 1-2 92 110 1-1 3-2 187 139
Mississippi 1-2 36 45 0-1 3-2 133 65
Mississippi State 1-2 65 82 0-2 2-4 165 162
SCHEDULE
Saturday, Oct. 10
No. 1 Florida 13, No. 4 Louisiana State 3
Army 16, Vanderbilt 13, OT
Arkansas 44, No. 17 Auburn 23
Tennessee 45, Georgia 19
Houston 31, Mississippi State 24
No. 25 South Carolina 28, Kentucky 26
No. 3 Alabama 22, No. 20 Mississippi 3
Saturday, Oct. 17
Arkansas at Florida, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) or 7:45 p.m. (ESPN)
Georgia at Vanderbilt, 12:21 p.m. (SEC Network)
Mississippi State at Middle Tennessee State, 12:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
South Carolina at Alabama, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) or 7:45 p.m. (ESPN)
UAB at Mississippi, 7 p.m. (FSN)
Kentucky at Auburn, 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
HOW THE ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25 TEAMS FARED THIS WEEK
1. Florida (5-0) beat No. 4 Louisiana State, 13-3. Next: Saturday vs. Arkansas, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) or 7:45 p.m. (ESPN).
2. Texas (5-0) beat Colorado, 38-14. Next: Saturday vs. No. 19 Oklahoma at Arlington, Texas, 12 p.m. (ABC).
3. Alabama (5-0) beat No. 20 Mississippi, 22-3. Next: Saturday vs. No. 25 South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) or 7:45 p.m. (ESPN).
4. Louisiana State (5-1) lost to No. 1 Florida, 13-3. Next: Saturday, Oct. 24 vs. No. 17 Auburn, 8 p.m.
5. Virginia Tech (5-1) beat Boston College, 48-14. Next: Saturday at No. 22 Georgia Tech, 6 p.m. (ESPN2).
6. Boise State (5-0) was idle. Next: Wednesday at Tulsa, 8 p.m. (ESPN).
7. Southern California (4-1) was idle. Next: Saturday at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. (NBC).
8. Cincinnati (5-0) was idle. Next: Thursday at No. 23 South Florida, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN).
9. Ohio State (5-1) beat Wisconsin, 31-13. Next: Saturday at Purdue, 12 p.m. (Big Ten Network).
10. Texas Christian (5-0) beat Air Force, 20-17. Next: Saturday vs. Colorado State, 4 p.m.
11. Miami (Fla.) (4-1) beat Florida A&M, 48-16. Next: Saturday at UCF, 7:30 p.m.
12. Iowa (6-0) beat Michigan, 30-28. Next: Saturday at Wisconsin, 12 p.m.
13. Oregon (5-1) beat UCLA, 24-10. Next: Saturday, Oct. 24 at Washington, TBA.
14. Penn State (5-1) beat Eastern Illinois, 52-3. Next: Saturday vs. Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. (ABC).
15. Oklahoma State (4-1) beat Texas A&M, 36-31. Next: Saturday vs. No. 24 Missouri, 9:15 p.m. (ESPN2).
16. Kansas (5-0) beat Iowa State, 41-36. Next: Saturday at Colorado, 7 p.m.
17. Auburn (5-1) lost at Arkansas, 44-23. Next: Saturday vs. Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU).
18. Brigham Young (5-1) beat UNLV, 59-21. Next: Saturday at San Diego State, 6 p.m.
19. Oklahoma (3-2) beat Baylor, 33-7. Next: Saturday vs. No. 2 Texas at Arlington, Texas, 12 p.m. (ABC).
20. Mississippi (3-2) lost to No. 3 Alabama, 22-3. Next: Saturday vs. UAB, 2 p.m.
21. Nebraska (4-1) beat No. 24 Missouri, 27-12, Thursday. Next: Saturday vs. Texas Tech, 3:30 p.m. (ABC).
22. Georgia Tech (5-1) beat Florida State, 49-44. Next: Saturday vs. No. 5 Virginia Tech, 6 p.m. (ESPN2).
23. South Florida (5-0) was idle. Next: Thursday vs. No. 8 Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN).
24. Missouri (4-1) lost to No. 21 Nebraska, 27-12. Next: Saturday at No. 15 Oklahoma State, 9:15 p.m. (ESPN2).
25. South Carolina (5-1) beat Kentucky, 28-26. Next: Saturday at No. 3 Alabama, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) or 7:45 p.m. (ESPN).
RESULTS OF GAMES OCT. 6-10
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
Saturday, Oct. 10
No. 1 Florida 13, No. 4 Louisiana State 3
No. 3 Alabama 22, No. 20 Mississippi 3
Arkansas 44, No. 17 Auburn 23
No. 25 South Carolina 28, Kentucky 26
Tennessee 45, Georgia 19
Army 16, Vanderbilt 13, OT
Houston 31, Mississippi State 24
ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
Saturday, Oct. 10
No. 5 Virginia Tech 48, Boston College 14
North Carolina 41, Georgia Southern 12
Virginia 47, Indiana 7
Duke 49, North Carolina State 28
Wake Forest 42, Maryland 32
No. 11 Miami (Fla.) 48, Florida A&M 16
No. 22 Georgia Tech 49, Florida State 44
BIG 12 CONFERENCE
Thursday, Oct. 8
No. 21 Nebraska 27, No. 24 Missouri 12
Saturday, Oct. 10
No. 15 Oklahoma State 36, Texas A&M 31
No. 16 Kansas 41, Iowa State 36
No. 19 Oklahoma 33, Baylor 7
Texas Tech 66, Kansas State 14
No. 2 Texas 38, Colorado 14
BIG EAST CONFERENCE
Saturday, Oct. 10
West Virginia 34, Syracuse 13
Rutgers 42, Texas Southern 0
Pittsburgh 24, Connecticut 21
Louisville 25, Southern Mississippi 23
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Saturday, Oct. 10
Northwestern 16, Miami (Ohio) 6
Minnesota 35, Purdue 20
No. 14 Penn State 52, Eastern Illinois 3
Michigan State 24, Illinois 14
No. 9 Ohio State 31, Wisconsin 13
Virginia 47, Indiana 7
No. 12 Iowa 30, Michigan 28
CONFERENCE USA
Saturday, Oct. 10
Houston 31, Mississippi State 24
Navy 63, Rice 14
Marshall 31, Tulane 10
Louisville 25, Southern Mississippi 23
Memphis 35, UTEP 20
Southern Methodist 28, East Carolina 21
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Saturday, Oct. 10
Northwestern 16, Miami (Ohio) 6
Central Michigan 46, Eastern Michigan 8
Temple 24, Ball State 19
Buffalo 40, Gardner-Webb 3
Bowling Green 36, Kent State 35
Ohio 19, Akron 7
Western Michigan 58, Toledo 26
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE
Saturday, Oct. 10
Wyoming 37, New Mexico 13
Utah 24, Colorado State 17
No. 10 Texas Christian 20, Air Force 17
No. 18 Brigham Young 59, UNLV 21
PACIFIC-10 CONFERENCE
Saturday, Oct. 10
No. 13 Oregon 24, UCLA 10
Arizona State 27, Washington State 14
Oregon State 38, Stanford 28
Washington 36, Arizona 33
SUN BELT CONFERENCE
Tuesday, Oct. 6
Troy 31, Middle Tennessee State 7
Saturday, Oct. 10
Florida International 37, Western Kentucky 20
Louisiana-Lafayette 38, North Texas 34
WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Friday, Oct. 9
Nevada 37, Louisiana Tech 14
Saturday, Oct. 10
Idaho 29, San Jose State 25
New Mexico State 20, Utah State 17
Fresno State 42, Hawaii 17
INDEPENDENTS
Saturday, Oct. 10
Army 16, Vanderbilt 13, OT
Navy 63, Rice 14
MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Saturday, Oct. 10
Morgan State 7, North Carolina A&T 6
South Carolina State 37, Norfolk State 10
Hampton 37, Howard 0
No. 11 Miami (Fla.) 48, Florida A&M 16
Bethune-Cookman 9, Delaware State 7
PIONEER LEAGUE
Saturday, Oct. 10
Dayton 35, Campbell 17
Davidson 16, Morehead State 10
Marist 31, Jacksonville 27
Drake 19, Missouri Science & Technology 0
San Diego 48, Valparaiso 7
FLORIDA COLLEGES
Saturday, Oct. 10
Webber International 45, Edward Waters College 24
IVY LEAGUE
Thursday, Oct. 8
Colgate 21, Princeton 14, 2OT
Saturday, Oct. 10
Yale 38, Dartmouth 7
Harvard 28, Cornell 10
Brown 34, Holy Cross 31
Pennsylvania 21, Bucknell 3
Lafayette 24, Columbia 21
BIG SOUTH
Saturday, Oct. 10
Buffalo 40, Gardner-Webb 3
North Dakota 31, Stony Brook 24
Coastal Carolina 20, Virginia Military Institute 6
Old Dominion 34, Presbyterian 16
BIG SKY
Saturday, Oct. 10
Montana 35, Cal Poly 23
Northern Arizona 23, Montana State 10
Weber State 31, Eastern Washington 13
Portland State 23, Northern Colorado 18
Sacramento State 38, Idaho State 17
COLONIAL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Saturday, Oct. 10
Maine 16, Hofstra 13
Towson 36, Rhode Island 28
William & Mary 34, Northeastern 14
Richmond 21, James Madison 17
New Hampshire 28, Villanova 24
Delaware 43, Massachusetts 27
GREAT WEST
Saturday, Oct. 10
Montana 35, Cal Poly 23
UC Davis 24, South Dakota 23, OT
North Dakota 31, Stony Brook 24
I-AA INDEPENDENTS
Saturday, Oct. 10
Appalachian State 55, North Carolina Central 21
Old Dominion 34, Presbyterian 16
MISSOURI VALLEY
Saturday, Oct. 10
South Dakota State 24, Missouri State 17
Southern Illinois 43, Illinois State 23
Northern Iowa 42, North Dakota State 27
Youngstown State 31, Western Illinois 21
NORTHEAST
Saturday, Oct. 10
Wagner 27, Monmouth 24
Albany 55, Duquesne 10
Sacred Heart 29, St. Francis (Pa.) 7
Central Connecticut State 42, Robert Morris 21
Fordham 35, Bryant 7
OHIO VALLEY
Saturday, Oct. 10
Jacksonville State 41, Murray State 7
Tennessee Tech 35, Tennessee-Martin 28
Austin Peay 24, Southeast Missouri State 14
No. 14 Penn State 52, Eastern Illinois 3
Tennessee State 20, Eastern Kentucky 17
PATRIOT LEAGUE
Thursday, Oct. 8
Colgate 21, Princeton 14, 2OT
Saturday, Oct. 10
Pennsylvania 21, Bucknell 3
Brown 34, Holy Cross 31
Lehigh 27, Georgetown 0
Lafayette 24, Columbia 21
Fordham 35, Bryant 7
SOUTHERN
Saturday, Oct. 10
Chattanooga 14, Samford 7
Appalachian State 55, North Carolina Central 21
Elon 43, The Citadel 7
North Carolina 42, Georgia Southern 12
SOUTHLAND
Saturday, Oct. 10
Sam Houston State 44, Nicholls State 21
Southeastern Louisiana 51, Texas State 50, OT
Stephen F. Austin 16, McNeese State 13
Central Arkansas 34, Northwestern State 0
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC
Saturday, Oct. 10
Grambling State 41, Alabama A&M 20
Rutgers 42, Texas Southern 0
Prairie View A&M 24, Alabama State 10
Alcorn State 32, Mississippi Valley State 10
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 20, Jackson State 13