Rebels find way to hold off Auburn

Jaxson Dart is warming up to the idea of being a running quarterback.

Dart ran for 115 yards, one of three Mississippi 100-yard rushers, and the ninth-ranked Rebels rolled up 448 on the ground in a 48-34 victory over Auburn Saturday.

It was the first time since 1976 the Rebels had three 100-yard rushers in a game.

“You don’t get that every week,” Dart said. “I think the best thing was just about every play you could feel Auburn wearing down more and more.”

Ole Miss (3-0 Southeastern Conference) is 7-0 for just the second time since 1962 and first time since 2014.

The Rebels raced to a 21-0 lead and never trailed, although Auburn (3-4, 1-3) pulled as close as 28-24 in the third quarter.

Quinshon Judkins had 139 yards on 25 carries and scored on a 41-yard run with 6:26 remaining to build the final margin.

“The defense wasn’t up to our standards. But we had to stop them from running and it was good to see us finish,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said.

Dart, the Southern California transfer, finished 9 of 19 for 130 yards with three touchdown passes and ran for 115 on 14 carries. It was his second 100-yard rushing game of the season. He had only 43 yards rushing in six games last season at USC.

Zach Evans had 136 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown.

Tank Bigsby led Auburn with 179 yards on 20 carries with touchdown runs of 2 and 50 yards. The Tigers had 301 yards rushing, but three turnovers.

Robby Ashford scored on runs of 2 and 11 yards and finished 8 of 17 passing for 140 yards.

“These guys are fighting and obviously they want to find a way to win,” Auburn coach Bryan Harsin said. “We all want to find a way to win.

“Hard to do that every single week. Turnovers are still a factor.”

Brown leads Illini past Gophers: Chase Brown rushed for 180 yards on a careerhigh 41 carries and caught a 40-yard touchdown pass, Minnesota was limited to its fewest yards in five years, and No. 24 Illinois won its fifth straight game with a 26-14 victory Saturday.

The Illini (6-1, 3-1) became bowl eligible for the first time since 2019 and will end the day tied for first in the Big Ten West.

Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 127 yards, his nation-leading 14th straight 100-yard game and the bulk of the Gophers’ 180 total yards.

It was the fewest yards against Illinois by a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since at least 2000.

Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan, held to just 21 yards on 4-for-12 passing, left early in the fourth quarter after taking a hit to the head.

Athan Kaliakmanis entered for the Gophers (4-2, 1-2) and was intercepted twice.

Texas rallies to beat Iowa State: Quinn Ewers threw for three touchdowns, linebacker Jaylan Ford produced two turnovers, and No. 22 Texas rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Iowa State 24-21 on Saturday.

Ewers’ third touchdown, a 3-yard pass to Xavier Worthy, put Texas up for good with 4:43 remaining.

Ford ended Iowa State’s chance to re-take the lead, recovering a fumble by Cyclones quarterback Hunter Dekkers deep in Texas territory with 2:28 to play. Moments earlier, it looked like Iowa State might move back in front, but spectacular receiver Xavier Hutchinson dropped a pass at the Longhorns 9-yard line.

Bijan Robinson rushed for 135 yards, his fifth straight game exceeding 100 for Texas (5-2, 3-1 Big 12).

Syracuse remains perfect: Garrett Shrader hit Oronde Gadsden II with a pair of touchdown passes, Sean Tucker scored on a 25-yard run late, and No. 18 Syracuse beat No. 15 North Carolina State 24-9 on Saturday to remain unbeaten and become eligible for the postseason.

Syracuse (6-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) started a season with six wins for just the third time since 1935, taking advantage of the absence of the Wolfpack’s injured star quarterback, Devin Leary. Hurt last week in a win over Florida State, Leary was declared out for the rest of the season before the game. The preseason conference player of the year suffered a torn pectoral muscle and will undergo surgery next week in Florida. He’s expected to make a full recovery.

Georgia rolls: Stetson Bennett threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns — his first scoring passes in nearly a month — and Georgia stamped its return to No. 1 with a 55-0 rout of Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Georgia (7-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) led 28-0 at halftime and blew out the Commodores after three straight weeks of rather lackluster performances.

Bennett was nearly perfect in the first half, completing 18 of 20 for 211 yards. Darnell Washington came up big with four catches for 78 yards, including a one-handed dazzler.