Auburn is ailing up front
AUBURN, Ala. — Jarrett Stidham passed for 245 yards and two touchdowns as No. 10 Auburn beat Southern Miss 24-13 Saturday night in a game disrupted for nearly three hours by lightning.
Playing behind a shuffled offensive line, Stidham completed 19 of 33 passes — including touchdowns of 46 yards to freshman Seth Williams and 2 yards to Chandler Cox — while enduring four sacks. Darius Slayton led Auburn with five catches for 91 yards.
The Tigers (4-1) built a 14-3 lead in the first half before the game was delayed for two hours, 44 minutes at the 4:27 mark of the second quarter as lightning forced players and fans to take shelter.
Injuries forced Auburn’s offensive line to adjust. Freshman Nick Brahms made his second straight start at center only to be replaced by Kaleb Kim, who started the team’s first three games. Both of Auburn’s starting tackles also were helped to the locker room in the second half. Left tackle Prince Tega Wanogho was replaced by junior Bailey Sharp, and right tackle Jack Driscoll by freshman Calvin Ashley.
Southern Miss (2-2) relied heavily on sophomore quarterback Jack Abraham, who finished 30-of-44 for 215 yards with a touchdown.
› No. 17 Kentucky 24, South Carolina 10
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Benny Snell Jr. rushed for 99 yards on 28 carries and one of three rushing touchdowns by the Wildcats (5-0, 3-0).
South Carolina (2-2, 1-2) trailed 24-3 at halftime, with Jake Bentley’s 58-yard pass to Deebo Samuel in the fourth quarter the Gamecocks’ only touchdown.
› Florida 13,
No. 23 Miss. State 6
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Feleipe Franks threw for 219 yards and Florida’s defense dominated as coach Dan Mullen won in his return to Starkville, guiding Florida to success in his first appearance at Davis Wade Stadium since leaving Mississippi State last November after nine mostly successful seasons.
The Bulldogs (3-2, 0-2) had their chances to win and led 6-3 at halftime, but they were unable to respond late.
Florida wasn’t great offensively, but it didn’t matter. The Gators (4-1, 2-1) broke through in the third quarter when Franks tossed a lateral to Kadarius Toney, who then threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Moral Stephens.
› Texas A&M 24, Arkansas 17
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas A&M freshman Jashaun Corbin had the program’s first 100-yard kickoff return to start a game since 1994, and Trayveon Williams ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns to help first-year Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher earn his first SEC victory.
The Aggies (3-2, 1-1) never trailed.
Arkansas (1-4, 0-2) trailed 17-0 after having minus-3 total yards with no first downs and punting on each of its first four possessions.