Top 25 roundup: LSU stuns Vols
Tigers make most of second chance at victory
LSU made the types of mistakes that lose games and drive fans nuts. Then one critical lapse by Tennessee in the frantic final seconds let the 12th-ranked Tigers off the hook in Baton Rouge, La.
LSU remained unbeaten with a 16-14 victory Saturday after a Volunteers penalty for too many players on the field rescued the Tigers from a botched play as time ran out. Stevan Ridley then bulled his way into the end zone from 1 yard out, and fans who only moments earlier had begun to file out of Tiger Stadium in disgust were suddenly jumping for joy in the aisles.
“It went from a cry, to a frown, to a smile, to a realization of how you really won the game,” linebacker Kelvin Sheppard said.
LSU (5-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) was confused on third-and-goal from the 1 and allowed the clock to run nearly to zero before a mishandled snap seemingly ended the game and sent Tennessee players streaming onto the field in jubilation.
The celebration was halted when officials ruled the Volunteers (2-3, 0-2) had 13 defensive players on the field when the ball was snapped.
Suddenly, LSU players were fetching helmets they’d thrown on the ground in frustration. Handshakes between opponents were cut short. LSU coach Les Miles had already tossed his headset aside, cutting him off from communication with offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, while he sought out an official on the field to see what the flag was for.
“I had to call a play because I had nobody to talk to,” Miles said.
He called the right play in the end, but he said that did not absolve the coaching staff or Tigers players from a mistake-filled performance that came within a whisker of costing them their first loss.
(1) Alabama 31, (7) Florida 6: Mark Ingram scored two touchdowns, C.J. Mosley returned an interception 35 yards for a score and the top-ranked Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0 SEC) overwhelmed the Gators (4-1, 2-1) in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
(2) Ohio State 24, Illinois 13: Terrelle Pryor returned after an injury briefly knocked him from the game, then led the Buckeyes (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) on a clinching touchdown drive in the closing minutes of a victory over the Illini (2-2, 0-1) in Champaign, Ill.
Pryor ran for 104 yards and was 9 of 16 for 76 yards and two touchdowns through the air, but he gave Ohio State fans a scare when he needed help off the field early in the third quarter.
(5) TCU 27, Colorado State 0: Ed Wesley scored twice, TCU’s swarming defense forced two fumbles and the fifth-ranked Horned Frogs (5-0, 1-0 Mountain West) overcame a lethargic start to beat the Rams (1-4, 0-1) in Fort Collins, Colo.
(8) Oklahoma 28, (21) Texas 20: Landry Jones threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns, DeMarco Murray ran for two scores on hurry-up plays and the Sooners (5-0, 1-0 Big 12) survived another fourth-quarter swoon to beat the Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry in Dallas.
The Sooners jumped out to a two-touchdown lead in the first quarter then got bailed out by a muffed punt late for a second straight week. The Longhorns scored 10 straight points and were set to get the ball back in the final 62 seconds when Aaron Williams dropped the punt and James Winchester recovered it for Oklahoma.
(10) Auburn 52, Louisiana-Monroe 3: Cam Newton connected with Emory Blake on a school-record 94-yard touchdown pass on his first throw and the Tigers (5-0) routed the overmatched Warhawks (1-3) in Auburn, Ala.
(24) Michigan State 34, (11) Wisconsin 24: Kirk Cousins lofted a 1-yard touchdown pass to B.J. Cunningham on fourth down with 2:43 remaining, helping the Spartans (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) win their second straight game without coach Mark Dantonio, beating the Badgers (4-1, 0-1) in East Lansing, Mich.
Dantonio was hospitalized again because of a blood clot in his leg.
(16) Miami 30, Clemson 21: Jacory Harris tied a career best with four touchdown passes – three to Leonard Hankerson – and the Hurricanes (3-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) knocked off the Tigers (2-2, 0-1) in Clemson, S.C.
(17) Iowa 24, (22) Penn State 3: Ricky Stanzi threw for 227 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score, and the Hawkeyes (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) overwhelmed the Nittany Lions (3-2, 0-1) in Iowa City, Iowa.
(19) Michigan 42, Indiana 35: Denard Robinson ran 4 yards for a TD with 17 seconds left to give the Wolverines (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) a victory over the Hoosiers (3-1, 0-1) in Bloomington, Ind.
Virginia Tech 41, (23) North Carolina State 30: Tyrod Taylor threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Jarrett Boykin with 1:27 left, and the Hokies (3-2, 2-0 ACC) rallied past the Wolfpack (4-1, 1-1) in Raleigh, N.C.