Vols Wear Uneasy Sec Crown, Leaving Questions Unanswered

Top 25 football

Tennessee won the Southeastern Conference championship, but the Volunteers may have lost a chance at the national title.

Peyton Manning made sure No. 3 Tennessee didn’t lose the game Saturday night, throwing for 373 yards and four touchdowns to give the Vols a 30-29 victory over Auburn at Atlanta.

Tennessee (11-1) overcame a sloppy performance - six turnovers and at least a half-dozen dropped passes - for its first SEC title since 1990. In the precarious world of college football polls, though, the Vols may have lost by barely beating Auburn (9-3).

The closeness of the win could cost the Vols when the final regular-season polls are compiled today. Tennessee, favored by a touchdown, needs to maintain its lead over No. 4 Florida State (10-1) in the rankings in order to secure an invitation to the Orange Bowl against No. 2 Nebraska, the closest thing to a national title game for the bowl alliance with No. 1 Michigan set to play in the Rose.

The Vols weren’t worried about voting matters Saturday. An SEC championship was enough on this night.

“I can’t describe it. It’s unbelievable,” said Manning, who passed up the NFL to return to the Vols for his senior season. “I love Tennessee. SEC champs. Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

Manning, making a final bid for the Heisman Trophy, threw his fourth touchdown pass with 11:14 remaining, a 73-yard pass to Marcus Nash that gave Tennessee the victory.

Manning’s Heisman chances have tumbled in the closing weeks of the season, but he may have helped himself with those who waited until the last minute to vote.

The Vols lost four fumbles, including one that was returned for a touchdown. Manning threw two interceptions, the second returned 77 yards to set up another Auburn TD. Auburn also blocked an extra point and returned it to the other end zone for a 2-point conversion.

By virtue of its SEC championship, Tennessee is guaranteed an alliance bowl berth and will wind up in either the Orange or Sugar. Auburn is expected to play in either the Outback or Peach.

(2) Nebraska 54, (14) Texas A&M 15

Still stinging from a 37-27 ambush by Texas last year, the Cornhuskers struck early and often behind Scott Frost, Ahman Green and kicker Kris Brown to overwhelm the Aggies at San Antonio, and keep their national title hopes alive.

Texas A&M, the Big 12 South champion, found itself in the wrong place at the wrong time against the determined North champion Cornhuskers and will probably take its 9-3 record to the Cotton Bowl.

Nebraska scored on its first seven possessions and cruised to a 37-3 halftime lead before a sellout crowd of 64,824 in the Alamodome, rolling up 353 yards and holding Texas A&M to only two first downs.

(20) Colorado St. 41, New Mexico 13

Kevin McDougal ran for scores of 42, 44 and 66 yards in the second half and the Rams (10-2) took advantage of three consecutive fourth-quarter turnovers to defeat the Lobos (9-3) and win the Western Athletic Conference title at Las Vegas.

McDougal ran for 255 yards on 20 carries.

Colorado State, which came into the game with the nation’s best turnover ratio, used an interception and two fumble recoveries on consecutive series in the fourth quarter for 17 of those points.

It was the eighth straight win for Colorado State, which earned a berth in the Holiday Bowl. New Mexico will go to the Insight.com Bowl.

Navy 39, Army 7

At East Rutherford, N.J., Chris McCoy ended five years of frustration for the Midshipmen (7-4) and capped a recordsetting career by rushing for 205 yards and three touchdowns and adding a TD pass against the Cadets (4-7).

Tim Cannada also rushed for 133 yards and a 3-yard touchdown in the most lopsided contest in the series since 1973, when Navy won 51-0. In 98 games between the teams, only four times were there larger margins of victory.