Michel helps Georgia rout Florida
NO. 3 GEORGIA 42, FLORIDA 7
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Sony Michel put No. 3 Georgia up big early and put Florida away late, scoring on two long runs in a 42-7 drubbing Saturday that might have been the final game for Gators Coach Jim McElwain.
Michel finished with 137 yards rushing on just six carries and helped the Bulldogs remain unbeaten and in control in the SEC’s Eastern Division.
Nick Chubb also scored for the Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 SEC), who ended a three-game losing streak in “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” and started 8-0 for the first time since 2002.
Lift a glass to Georgia. Pour one out for McElwain?
Florida (3-4, 3-3) started the day by responding to a tweet from a sports lawyer who said Florida and McElwain’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, have engaged in buyout negotiations and are “miles apart.”
Athletic Director Scott Stricklin released a statement several hours before the game saying the buyout report was inaccurate.
“No one representing the University of Florida or our athletic department has had any conversations with Coach McElwain or his representatives regarding a buyout of his contract,” Stricklin said.
SOUTH CAROLINA 34, VANDERBILT 27
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jake Bentley ran for two touchdowns and threw for another to lead South Carolina to a victory over Vanderbilt that assured the SEC’s East Division race would go on at least one more week.
Bentley was 19-of-29 for 174 yards and ran 6 times for 47 yards, including his first scores rushing in his college career for the Gamecocks (6-2, 4-2).
Vanderbilt (3-5, 0-5) had two players ejected for targeting and 10 penalties for 100 yards. The final one might have been the most costly. A holding penalty by tight end Sam Dobbs stalled a potential game-tying drive and Kyle Shurmur overthrew Caleb Scott on fourth-and-2 with just over a minute to go.
Shurmur threw for a season-best 333 yards and four touchdowns. A.J. Turner ran 15 times for 121 yards and was the first Gamecock 100-yard rusher this season.
MISSOURI 52, CONNECTICUT 12
STORRS, Conn. — Drew Lock threw for 377 yards and five touchdowns and Missouri routed Connecticut, winning back-to-back games for the first time since the start of the 2015 season.
Lock, who played just under 3 quarters, picked apart the nation’s worst pass defense, finishing with a career-high 31 completions on 37 attempts.
The Tigers (3-5) gave up a safety after an errant snap on the opening drive, then scored on their next five possessions to lead 31-5 at halftime.
Lock completed 14 of 15 passes in the first quarter, 3 of them for touchdowns, including 2 to freshman tight end Albert Okwuegbunam.
He also hit J’Mon Moore for two scores and hooked up with Johnathon Johnson for a 72-yard catch and run in the third quarter.
Bryant Shirreffs completed 19 of 39 passes for 202 yards for Connecticut (3-5), but was sacked 5 times.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 35, TEXAS A&M 14
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Mississippi State hasn’t played a close game this season and that trend continued as the Bulldogs whipped Texas A&M to win their third consecutive game.
Mississippi State (6-2, 3-2 SEC) burst to a 14-0 halftime lead thanks to a run-stuffing and pass-swatting defense. Nick Fitzgerald got MSU on the board late in the first quarter with a 2-yard touchdown keeper to cap a 16play, 86-yard drive.
After halftime MSU picked up where it left off, as Fitzgerald connected with Farrod Green on a 41-yard passing play, and then Fitzgerald hooked up with wide-open Jordan Thomas on a 10-yard touchdown pass to lift the Bulldogs to a 21-0 lead with 11:47 left in the third quarter.
A&M (5-3, 3-2) finally scored in the third quarter on a direct snap to running
back capping Keith Kellen a drive Ford Mond’s for highlighted a 1-yard 33-yard touchdown, by scramble. quarterback The Bulldogs answered quickly with an interception of Mond’s pass and, three plays later, Nick Gibson bulled his way into the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown run to again push the MSU lead to a comfortable three touchdowns.
KENTUCKY 29, TENNESSEE 26
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Stephen Johnson ran for an 11-yard touchdown with 33 seconds remaining and hit Benny Snell with the two-point conversion pass, Snell rushed for 3 touchdowns and Kentucky rallied past Tennessee for its first victory over the Volunteers since 2011.
The Wildcats (6-2, 3-2 SEC) overcame four lost fumbles and a sluggish second half before responding with a final TD drive behind Snell, who rushed for 180 yards on 27 carries. The sophomore’s short run for a first down at the Tennessee 11 set up Johnson’s keeper two plays later, as the quarterback rolled right before being hit and somersaulted into the end zone for a 27-26 lead.
Johnson then took a double-reverse handoff and found Snell near the goal line for the needed cushion as Kentucky dealt Tennessee (3-5, 0-5) its fourth consecutive loss. The Wildcats’ victory was just their second in 33 series meetings.
Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano completed a 48-yard Hail Mary pass to Jeff George that fell 3 yards short of the end zone as time expired.