QB Pickett leads Pittsburgh past Milton-less Tennessee
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Kenny Pickett threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score to lead Pittsburgh to a 41-34 victory over Tennessee 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 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.
Alabama 48, Mercer 14
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Bryce Young threw three touchdown passes and Jase McClellan scored three times in Alabama’s rout of FCS Mercer.
The Crimson Tide (2-0) started sluggishly on offense in what amounted to a warmup game before the Southeastern Conference opener at No. 13 Florida, but potentially more notably had star linebacker Will Anderson Jr. leave with an apparent right leg injury.
Young completed 19 of 27 passes for 227 yards after coming out slow in just his second game as ‘Bama’s starter. Freshman JoJo Earle had seven catches for 85 yards and also had a 29-yard punt return.
Georgia 56, UAB 7
ATHENS, Ga. — Stetson Bennett tied a school record with five touchdown passes filling in for injured starter JT Daniels, leading the Bulldogs in the rout.
Bennett completed his first six passes — four of them going all the way to the end zone for the Bulldogs (2-0), who didn’t show any signs of a letdown despite the absence of their No. 1 quarterback.
Jermaine Burton slipped behind the secondary to haul in a 73-yard TD from Bennett on Georgia’s second offensive play. By the opening minute of the second quarter, Bennett tacked on scoring passes of 12 yards to Kenny McIntosh, 89 yards to Brock Bowers and 61 yards to Arian Smith.
Bennett went 9 of 11 for 279 yards and became the sixth Georgia quarterback to pass for five touchdowns in a game.
UAB was held to 174 yards overall. Tyler Johnston III completed just 6 of 14 for 39 yards with three interceptions. The Blazers (1-1) avoided a shutout when Keondre Swoopes picked off a pass from Beck and returned it 61 yards for a score.
Florida 42, S. Florida 20
TAMPA, Fla. — Florida tuned up for Southeastern Conference play with a rout of the overmatched Bulls. The win did little to answer 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 for Florida (2-0).
Jones 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.
Richardson completed his first two attempts to Jacob Copeland on scoring plays of 75 and 41 yards before halftime. He finished 3 of 3 for 152 yards,
Auburn 62, Alabama St. 0
AUBURN, Ala. — Demetris Robertson scored three touchdowns and Jarquez Hunter rushed for 147 yards as the Tigers raced past their overmatched FCS foe.
Auburn (2-0) was held to just one offensive touchdown and fewer than 200 yards in the first half before erupting for 35 points in the third quarter against the Hornets (1-1).
Robertson had three catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns and added a 36-yard touchdown run on a sweep in the third. Hunter, a freshman, broke the Auburn record for longest run with a 94-yard touchdown later in the quarter.
The Tigers also blocked a punt and returned a blocked field goal for a TD.