Tennessee scoring surge leads to another victory
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Part of the growth process of a college football program is getting the players to believe.
Tennessee’s last two Southeastern Conference victories have played a significant role in the development of first-year coach Josh Heupel’s team.
The Volunteers’ (4-2, 2-1) 45-20 victory over South Carolina (3-3, 0-3) Saturday was the first time since 2016 that they have scored more than 40 points (including a 62-24 win over Missouri last week) in backto-back SEC games.
Quarterback Hendon Hooker, now 3-1 as a starter at Tennessee, threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another.
Vols’ running back Tiyon Evans rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown before leaving midway through the third quarter with an injury. Tennessee led 35-0 late in the first half before the Gamecocks made a run.
Hooker hit Jalin Hyatt, Javonta Payton and Velus Jones for touchdown passes of three, 39 and 21 yards, respectively.
Florida 42, Vanderbilt 0
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida quarterback Emory Jones has unwaveringly supported backup Anthony Richardson all season. He eagerly coached Richardson from the sideline. He enthusiastically cheered for Richardson after every big play. He openly pulled for Richardson’s return from a strained right hamstring.
Now, though, it’s time for Jones to bask in the spotlight.
Jones had a career-high four touchdowns passes, potentially quieting calls for Richardson to play more, and
No. 20 Florida routed woeful Vanderbilt.
It was a feel-good victory for the Gators on homecoming after a gut-wrenching loss at Kentucky essentially knocked coach Dan Mullen’s team out of contention in the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division.
Florida (4-2, 2-2 SEC) won its eighth straight in the series and its 30th in the last 31 meetings. The Commodores (2-4, 0-2) dropped their 15th consecutive league game.
Jones was the star of this one. He completed 14 of 22 passes for 273 yards, with TD passes to Ja’quavion Fraziars, Trent Whittemore, Dameon Pierce and Jacob Copeland. Pierce also scored twice more on short runs.
Georgia 34, Auburn 10
AUBURN, Ala. — Stetson Bennett and No. 2 Georgia’s defense were more than enough to take care of Auburn yet again.
Bennett passed for 231 yards and two touchdowns and led the Bulldogs past No. 18 Auburn for the second straight year in a victory even if the defense did allow an opponent to reach the end zone for a change.
The nation’s top defense gave up only its second touchdown of the year for the Bulldogs (6-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference), who were still without injured starting quarterback JT Daniels. None of that kept Georgia from another comfortable SEC win and a fifth straight in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
Bennett, who made his first college start in a Top 10 matchup with Auburn (3-2, 1-1) last season, completed 14 of 21 passes and hit Ladd Mcconkey in stride for a 60yard third quarter score. He also had a 30-yard run.