The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vols fall at home to Pittsburgh; Gamecocks escape on late FG
Kenny Pickett threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score to lead Pittsburgh to a 41-34 victory over Tennessee on Saturday.
The Panther defense collected five sacks, recovered two fumbles, had an interception and a crucial fourth-quarter goal-line stand to seal their second victory of the season.
The host Volunteers (1-1) lost the game and a starting quarterback. Joe Milton went down with a lower leg injury after being sacked and losing a fumble early in the second quarter.
Hendon Hooker came on to throw for 189 yards, but the mistakes hurt the effort.
Just when Tennessee’s offense was showing signs of life in the fourth quarter, the Panthers (2-0) came up with an answer.
South Carolina 20, (at) East Carolina 17: Parker White kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired as South Carolina rallied from 14 down to beat East Carolina (0-2), earning its first road win under first-year coach Shane Beamer.
Damani Staley had a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown just before halftime to give the Gamecocks a needed spark after trailing 14-0 in a mistake-filled opening half. Former graduate assistant Zeb Noland also had a game-tying touchdown pass to Dakereon Joyner in the back of the end zone late in the third quarter.
In the end, the Gamecocks (2-0) did enough to give themselves a shot, then rode the legs of Juju McDowell — who gained 45 yards on six carries on South Carolina’s final 10-play drive — to set up White’s winner that had the Gamecocks spilling onto the field from the sideline to celebrate.
No. 5 Texas A&M 10, (at) Colorado 7: Backup quarterback Zach Calzada threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Spiller with 2:41 remaining and fifth-ranked Texas A&M escaped with a road win over Colorado.
Spiller’s TD gave the Aggies (2-0) their first lead on a day in which they lost freshman QB Haynes King to a lower right leg injury and eight of their first nine drives were three-and-outs.
The Aggies, whose 10-game winning streak is second-longest in the nation to Alabama, took over with 1:39 left and ran out the clock on the Buffs (1-1),
No. 13 Florida 42, (at) South Florida 20: Florida tuned up for the start of SEC play with a rout of overmatched South Florida that may — or may not — have answered the question of whether starter Emory Jones or backup Anthony Richardson is best suited to run the Gators offense.
The quarterbacks shared playing time for the second straight week, with each having his way in the opening half against a USF defense that allowed touchdowns on five consecutive possessions after producing a three-and-out to start the game.
Jones, a redshirt junior from LaGrange, threw a 35-yard TD pass to Xzavier Henderson and scored on a 33-yard run on the way to a 35-3 halftime lead before a crowd of 66,646 at Raymond James Stadium.
(At) No. 1 Alabama 48, Mercer 14: Bryce Young threw three touchdown passes and Jase McClellan scored three times to help fuel No. 1 Alabama to a rout of FCS Mercer (1-1).
The Crimson Tide (2-0) started sluggishly on offense in what amounted to a warmup game before the SEC opener at No. 13 Florida, but potentially more notably saw star linebacker Will Anderson Jr. leave with an apparent right leg injury.
Anderson, a preseason All-American, headed to the locker room, coming up limping after a cut block to the right leg.
(At) No. 25 Auburn 62, Alabama State 0: Georgia transfer Demetris Robertson scored three touchdowns and Jarquez Hunter rushed for 147 yards as Auburn raced past FCS program Alabama State.
After a fast start in Bryan Harsin’s first game as head coach last week, Auburn (2-0) was held to just one offensive touchdown and fewer than 200 yards in the first half. But the Tigers erupted for 35 points in the third quarter to pull away from the Hornets (1-1) with ease.
Robertson had three catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns and added a 36-yard TD run.