SEC ROUNDUP
No. 1 Alabama 52, Auburn 21: Tua Tagovailoa threw five touchdown passes and ran for a score to lead host Alabama to a victory over rival Auburn.
Tagovailoa and the Crimson Tide (12-0, 8-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 1 CFP) took over with an explosive third quarter, when the Heisman Trophy contender threw three long touchdown passes. He’s the first Alabama player to have a hand in six TDs in a game and matched the school record with the five scoring passes.
Now, ‘Bama heads to the SEC championship game against No. 5 Georgia with a guaranteed playoff spot on the line.
Leading Auburn (7-5, 3-5) just 17-14 at halftime, Tagovailoa launched the Tide into another SEC blowout. He was 11-of-12 passing for 208 yards and four touchdowns in the second half, despite only playing one series in the fourth quarter.
Tagovailoa finished 25 of 32 for 324 yards and ran for 26 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown and a 21yard third-down conversion on runs.
The second-half numbers included touchdowns of 46 yards to Jerry Jeudy, 33 to Josh Jacobs, 40 to DeVonta Smith and 22 to Henry Ruggs III – all accurate strikes downfield.
No. 5 Georgia 45, Georgia Tech 21: Jake Fromm threw four touchdown passes, D’Andre Swift ran for 105 yards and host Georgia romped into the Southeastern Conference championship game with a rout of Georgia Tech.
The Bulldogs (11-1, No. 5 CFP) couldn’t afford a slip-up, not with top-ranked Alabama looming next week in Atlanta.
No worries. This game was over by halftime. Georgia went to the locker room with a 38-7 lead – which, in an interesting twist, was the score of last year’s dominating victory over the Yellow Jackets. The Bulldogs held a 343-66 edge in total yards, piling up 18 first downs to only four by Georgia Tech (7-5).
Vanderbilt 38, Tennessee 13: Kyle Shurmur completed his first 15 passes and finished with 367 yards and three touchdowns as Vanderbilt routed visiting in-state rival Tennessee to become bowl eligible for the second time in three seasons.
Vanderbilt (6-6, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) also won its third straight over Tennessee, something the Commodores hadn’t managed since a six-game streak that ended in 1926. Coach Derek Mason now has beaten three different Tennessee coaches in each of the last three seasons, and Vanderbilt has beaten four Vols coaches winning five of the last seven.
Tennessee (5-7, 2-6) sacked Shurmur three times. That didn’t stop Vanderbilt from simply dominating the Vols, outgaining them 467-242 in total offense.