LUCKY STRIPES: How LSU beat Tennessee, 16- 14 (video)

A two-headed quarterback: Say what you want about Jarrett Lee, and this blog has said plenty, but he can  actually move the ball. A sweet 47-yard bomb in the fourth quarter got LSU near the goal line with a chance to take the lead before the last-second theatrics. Jordan Jefferson's mobility, really his 89-yard juant on the first play from scrimmage, had to make the Vols at least think twice about him every time he snapped the ball. The only thing is, LSU, as well, had to think twice about it everytime he had the ball.

LSU's front four: Drake Nevis and the boys up front absolutely carried the Bayou Bengals Saturday evening. If not for a goal line stand, a turnover on downs and numerous blitzes on third down, Tennessee quarterback Matt Simms carves the secondary up like a turkey. LSU's line held its own going largely without starting defensive end Sam Montgomery who suffered a chop block early in the 1st quarter. Also, starting end Ken Adams was out. So, given that LSU's D-line was at 50%, they did excellent.

Referees: Let's be honest. Jordan Jefferson and a befuddled coaching staff all had to stare in horror as the final seconds clicked off the clock on Saturday. The game was over, and Tennessee players joyously celebrated. But a referee -- one referee-- the one that was supposed to make sure each team had only 11 men on the field, courageously, miraculously said the unsayable "Hold up. This game aint over." As a result, I'd like to buy the man a drink, if somebody could get me his name. Matter fact, I've got him -- and his immediate family -- at Chimes next time he's down that way, if he wants. LSU lucked out. Plain and simple.

LUCKY STRIPES

Spurrier suicidal after Orange Crush

With LSU off, I took in Tenn-S.C., oh what a game. Tennessee did all it could to lose the game, but South Carolina couldn't find its way out of the gift wrap. They lost 27-24 in OT.
"It was a good game for television, I guess, but it wasn't a very good game for us," South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier said. "We had our chances but we weren't good enough to win the game tonight. You have to give Tennessee credit for kicking the field goal in overtime, and we couldn't make one. They tried to fumble it to us a couple of times on their last drive but we couldn't get either one of them. We couldn't cover the kickoff very well to pin them back in there. They outplayed us and they won the game. You have to give them credit."
Daniel Lincoln hit a field goal to force overtime and another to win as Tennessee recovered after blowing a three- touchdown lead to defeat 15th-ranked South Carolina, 27-24, in overtime at Neyland Stadium.
After LaMarcus Coker's 37-yard kick return gave Tennessee the ball near midfield with 1:11 remaining, Erik Ainge completed a pair of passes before the Vols picked up 18 yards on a fluke play. Arian Foster broke to the outside and was stripped cleanly, but offensive lineman Jacques McClendon fell on the ball for a first down at the Gamecocks 26. Three plays later, Ainge nearly gave the game away when he fumbled while being sacked, but Tennessee regained possession and spiked the ball in time to set up a 43-yard field goal attempt from Daniel Lincoln with five seconds remaining.
Lincoln hooked the kick badly, but a false start penalty negated the miss, and the Vols placekicker made good on his second opportunity to send the game to overtime when he hit from five yards deeper on the next snap.
Coker rumbled 12 yards for a first down on Tennessee's possession to open overtime, but the Vols ultimately had to settle for a 27-yard field goal from Lincoln.
"There will be a lot of talk about the two field goals," Lincoln said afterward. "But the kick return by LaMarcus (Coker) was huge."
The Tennessee defense, torched for 24 unanswered points in the second half, then came up with its biggest stand of the game to preserve the win. A busted flanker screen was blown up for a loss of five yards on the first snap, and the Vols defense forced fourth down when South Carolina quarterback Blake Mitchell overthrew Kenny McKinley in the corner of the end zone. Finally, Tennessee escaped when Ryan Succop's 40-yard field goal try went wide right, thanks at least in part to some pressure up the middle.
Ainge finished the game 26-for-44 passing for 216 yards and a touchdown, though the Volunteers offense sputtered in the second half. Foster carried 19 times for 75 yards and a score as Tennessee (5-3, 3-2 SEC) won for the fourth time in its last five games.
"(This was) a wonderful team win by our football team," said Tennessee head coach Phil Fulmer. "It wasn't pretty all the time, but it was a darn fine effort. This team has a really great spirit about it - a great effort team. They're fun to be around. They've been very responsive to us as coaches."

Mitchell came on in relief of starting quarterback Chris Smelley to complete 31-of-45 passes for 290 yards, with one touchdown and one costly interception. Cory Boyd rushed 20 times for 160 yards and a score, while McKinley tied a school-record with 14 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown before leaving during the overtime session with apparent leg cramps.

The Gamecocks (6-3, 3-3) went scoreless in the first half, completing a stretch of eight consecutive quarters in which they had not scored a touchdown, and ultimately lost for the second straight week.


Late in the first, Smelley completed a pass to Freddie Brown at the Tennessee 44, but Tennessee's DeAngelo Willingham jarred the ball loose and Eric Berry recovered and rumbled 52 yards before being driven out of bounds inside the Gamecocks five-yard line. Three plays later, Foster plunged in from a yard out to give the Vols a 7-0 lead with 1:14 remaining in the first.

SUPERMAN IS DEAD: Tebow, Gators lose to Auburn (Somebody say Krytonite?)

Superman is dead.
Super sophomore Florida quarterback Tim Tebow played like the Man of Steel this year, but his cape was ripped from him and stomped on by the Auburn Tigers last night, who beat the Gators 23-20 in the Swamp.
That makes Tommy Tuberville Lex Luther, or somebody from the ancient planet of Superman's birth, Kryton. Either way it's a big W for the Tigers and a huge L for the Gators.
Florida played most of the game with a fat zero on the scoreboard before a second-half flurry tied it at 14 then they scored 3 more(only after Quentin Groves, the Tigers' best linebacker, was knocked out of the game with an injury).

Auburn's quarterback Brandon Cox was the game's biggest beneficiary: He actually played like a major college quarterback for a change. Auburn would need it. After they lost their big lead thanks to a bunch of long heaves by Tebow, Auburn recomposed itself and relentless, violently marched down the football field in field goal range.
Auburn true frosh kicker Wes Byrum had to make two 44-yard field goals in the final seconds, not just one (clever boy Urban Meyer stole a ploy by the Denver Broncos in Week 2 to beat the Oakland Raiders by calling a timeout a half-second before the kick, making the field goal kicker do it again after the timeout).
Meyer would be on the hot seat if Byrum would have missed the first field goal attempt , which wouldn't count due to the timeout, then made the second one. Alas, he made 'em both and sent Gator fans' jaws dropping in despair and instantly sent Tebow looking for a phonebooth, and a pair of glasses. Incidentally, Tuberville was seen after the game putting a green rock-like crystal into his right-front pants pocket before walking to the middle of the field and shaking hands with Meyer. Tubby, you devil, you.
And we thought you were done.

Saints pick Meach: Year of the receiver?

The New Orleans Saints drafted Robert Meachem, a game-breaking receiver from Tennessee, with their selection in the first round of Sunday's draft. Coach Sean Payton said it was an easy decision based on what players were available. "When the draft started in the first round, I don't know that we would have said receiver is the direction we were planning to head," Payton said. "It wasn't something we did because defenses were going to change against us next year. I felt like the selection of Meachem really had to do with us thinking, 'Man, this guy's still here.' And he's a guy that we didn't (just) like. We really liked him at receiver. Aside from JaMarcus Russell going to Oakland, and LaRon Landry going to Washington, LSU defender Chase Pittman was snagged by the Cleveland Browns in the 7th round.