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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, September 30, 2007

Auburn kicker is perfect twice to stun No. 4 Florida

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Auburn kicker Wes Byrum, left, celebrates with teammate Kodi Burns after kicking the game-winning 43-yard field goal to upset fourth-ranked Florida, 20-17, last night in Gainesville, Fla.

CHRIS O'MEARA | Associated Press

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Wes Byrum started celebrating before his kick even cleared the uprights. He knew it was good when it left his foot.

For Auburn, it was actually perfect. For Florida, it was a kick where it hurt most.

Byrum's 43-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Tigers to a 20-17 victory over No. 4 Florida last night and gave them one of the biggest upsets on a day filled with them.

"It doesn't get any better than that," said Byrum.

The loss snapped an 11-game winning streak for the defending national champions, who lost to Auburn last year, and gave the Gators their first home loss under coach Urban Meyer. They had won 18 in a row, 17 straight since Meyer took over in 2005.

It also might have jeopardized Florida's chances of repeating. Then again, with all the other upsets yesterday, the Gators surely won't slip too far out of the picture.

Florida (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) could take a big step back next week at No. 2 LSU. Then again, if the Gators perform like they did yesterday, they could be in for another long day.

Auburn (3-2, 1-1) played sound defense, prevented Tim Tebow & Co. from making many big plays and took advantage of several mistakes to build a 14-0 lead at halftime.

A running-into-the-punter penalty kept Auburn's opening drive alive. It ended with Kodi Burns' 6-yard touchdown run. The Tigers made it a two-touchdown game with Ben Tate's 3-yard run that followed a blocked field goal.

It was 17-3 before Florida evened the game with two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

However, Auburn came up big in the closing minutes. Byrum attempted the winning kick, just as Meyer called timeout. The kick was true, but Byrum had to do it again.

He did, and it was right down the middle.

"I was pretty excited," said Byrum, who missed his only attempt last week against New Mexico State. "I had a rough week last week. I wanted to make sure I came back."

Auburn used the final 4 minutes to set up the kick. Tate ran for 18 yards and Brandon Cox found Rodgeriqus Smith twice for 16 yards.

Byrum did the rest.

"He's got a tremendous leg," Cox said. "I was on the sideline about to throw up. Being a true freshman, after the first time he hit, I was sure he was nervous. To make two of them, that says a lot about him."

No. 1 USC 27, Washington 24: Stafon Johnson ran for 122 yards and a touchdown, and Chauncey Washington added 106 yards and a score as the visiting Trojans (4-0, 2-0 Pac-10) overcame numerous mistakes to turn back the Huskies (2-3, 0-3) at Seattle.

The Trojans committed three turnovers and 16 penalties — their most in more than two seasons — for 161 yards and had a missed field goal and blocked punt. Yet they won for the 60th time in 64 games.

NO. 2 LSU 34, TULANE 9: Jacob Hester scored on two short runs and Charles Scott ran for a pair of fourth-quarter TDs, including a 35-yarder, as the visiting Tigers (5-0) outscored the Green Wave (1-3), 24-0, in the second half at New Orleans.

"Nobody's a six-touchdown favorite," first-year Tulane coach Bob Toledo told his players before the game. "There's no way they're a 40-point favorite."

Kansas State 41, No. 7 Texas 21: Two kick returns for touchdowns and an interception return for another score propelled the visiting Wildcats (3-1, 1-0) over the Longhorns (4-1, 0-1) at Austin, Texas.

Linebacker Ian Campbell scored on a 41-yard interception return in the second quarter, James Johnson took a kickoff 85 yards for a 21-14 lead after Texas had tied the score and Jordy Nelson's 89-yard punt return in the third put the Wildcats up 34-21.

NO. 6 CALIFORNIA 31, NO. 11 OREGON 24: DeSean Jackson had 11 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns, while Justin Forsett ran for 101 yards and another two scores as the visiting Golden Bears (5-0, 2-0 Pac-10) held off the Ducks (4-1, 1-1) for their first win at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., since 1987.

With 22 seconds to go, Oregon's Dennis Dixon hit receiver Cameron Colvin, who fumbled trying to reach the ball into the end zone when he was hit by Marcus Ezeff. The loose ball went through the end zone and was ruled a touchback and possession for Cal.

No. 8 Ohio State 30, Minnesota 7: Chris Wells rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns, and Todd Boeckman threw for 209 yards and two TDs to lead the visiting Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) past the Golden Gophers (1-4, 0-2) at Minneapolis.

NO. 9 WISCONSIN 37, MICHIGAN STATE 34: P.J. Hill ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns and the host Badgers (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) extended the nation's longest winning streak to 14 after turning back the Spartans (4-1, 0-1) at Madison, Wis.

MARYLAND 34, NO. 10 RUTGERS 24: Backup quarterback Chris Turner led three second-half scoring drives, Keon Lattimore rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown, and the visiting Terrapins (3-2) rallied to upset the Scarlet Knights (3-1) at Piscataway, N.J.

No. 12 Boston College 24, Massachusetts 14: Andre Callender ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns and Matt Ryan threw for one TD to lead the host Eagles (5-0) past the Minutemen (4-1) at Boston for their first 5-0 start since 1954.

Georgia Tech 13, No. 13 Clemson 3: The visiting Tigers (4-1, 2-1 ACC) missed four field goals, had a punt blocked to set up the only touchdown and fumbled on a kickoff return, setting up a field goal that helped the Yellow Jackets (3-2, 1-2) score the upset in Atlanta.

No. 14 Kentucky 45, Florida Atlantic 17: Andre Woodson threw for 301 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, but had his NCAA-record streak of consecutive passes without an interception snapped at 325 as the host Wildcats (5-0) routed the Owls (3-2) at Lexington, Ky.

No. 15 Georgia 45, Mississippi 17: Thomas Brown ran for 180 yards — the most for Georgia in six years — and three touchdowns, and the Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1 SEC), leading only 17-10 at halftime, pulled away from the Rebels (1-4, 0-3) in the second half at Athens, Ga.

No. 16 South Carolina 38, Mississippi State 21: Freshman Chris Smelley threw for a career-best 279 yards and two touchdowns to lead the host Gamecocks (4-1, 2-1 SEC) past the Bulldogs (3-2, 1-2) at Columbia, S.C.

No. 17 Virginia Tech 17, North Carolina 10: Tyrod Taylor scored on a 5-yard run and Branden Ore scored on a 1-yard dive for the Hokies (4-1, 1-0 ACC), who managed just 241 yards of offense, but held on to beat the Tar Heels (1-4, 0-2) at Blacksburg, Va.

Illinois 27, No. 21 Penn State 20: Regus Benn returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, caught a pass for another and the Illini (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) defense intercepted three passes to stun the Nittany Lions (3-2, 0-2) at Champaign, Ill.

Florida State 21, No. 22 Alabama 14: Xavier Lee came off the bench to throw a pair of touchdown passes to De'Cody Fagg, and Antone Smith scored on a 5-yard run as the host Seminoles (3-1) upset the Crimson Tide (3-2) at Jacksonville, Fla.

No. 25 Nebraska 35, Iowa State 17: I-back Marlon Lucky passed and ran for touchdowns and Bo Ruud scored on an interception return for the second straight week, leading the host Cornhuskers (4-1, 1-0 Big 12) over the Cyclones (4-1, 1-0 Big 12) at Lincoln, Neb.

No. 23 Arizona State 41, Stanford 3: Rudy Carpenter threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Rudy Burgess late in the second quarter and Omar Bolden returned an interception for a score on the next play from scrimmage to lead the visiting Sun Devils (5-0, 2-0 Pac-10) over the Cardinal (1-3, 0-2) at Stanford, Calif.

No. 24 Cincinnati 52, San Diego State 23: Ben Mauk threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter and the visiting Bearcats (5-0) scored on six of their first seven possessions to rout the Aztecs (1-3) at San Diego, Calif.