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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, September 21, 2008

No. 10 Auburn foiled again as No. 6 LSU rallies, 26-21

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Quarterback Jarrett Lee threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell with 1:03 to play, lifting No. 6 LSU over No. 10 Auburn, 26-21, yesterday in an SEC game.

BUTCH DILL | Associated Press

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AUBURN, Ala. — LSU made the final big play, and as usual that's what settled the annual down-to-the-wire clash with Auburn.

This time the winning connection wasn't Flynn-to-Byrd, but Lee-to-LaFell.

Jarrett Lee and Brandon LaFell hooked up on an 18-yard touchdown pass with 1:03 left to lift No. 6 LSU to yet another dramatic comeback win over No. 10 Auburn, 26-21, yesterday in an SEC West showdown that once again produced a fantastic finish and wild momentum swings.

The last five meetings have been decided by a collective 19 points in a rivalry that has produced more than drama. The winner has gone to the SEC championship game in six of the past eight seasons.

And last year Matt Flynn's last-second TD pass to Demetrius Byrd helped propel LSU to a national title.

"We expected such a battle when we came here," LSU coach Les Miles said. "I thought they showed great poise. To be tested away and be tested by a very, very capable opponent and answering that test is just what this team needed."

The only major difference in this one was the road team came out on top. The last eight games in the series had gone to the home team. LSU (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) also snapped Auburn's streak of six consecutive victories at Jordan-Hare Stadium against Top 10 teams.

Lee took over for an injured Andrew Hatch in the third quarter and produced a series of big plays to make up for a lousy start for LSU. Lee missed his first five throws, with an interception returned by defensive end Gabe McKenzie for a touchdown.

Auburn (3-1, 1-1) moved to LSU's 47 on the final drive, with help from Rahim Alem's roughing the passer penalty. Alem atoned with a sack of Chris Todd to recoup the 15-yard loss.

Todd's desperation fourth-and-25 pass to Rod Smith came up short of the first down.

NO. 3 GEORGIA 27, ARIZONA STATE 10

TEMPE, Ariz. — Knowshon Moreno rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns, A.J. Green caught eight passes for 159 yards and a score, and the Bulldogs (4-0) held the Sun Devils (2-2) to just four yards rushing. Making a rare regular-season trip out of the Southeast, the Bulldogs came to the desert with an attitude. They had opened the season atop The Associated Press Top 25 but twice slipped a spot after victories.

NO. 4 FLORIDA 30, TENNESSEE 6

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tim Tebow threw two touchdown passes, including a 2-yard pass over the top of the line of scrimmage to Aaron Hernandez for a 7-0 lead five minutes into the game, and the Gators (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) never looked back in helping coach Urban Meyer improve to 4-0 against the Vols (1-2, 0-1).

Florida took control on the first play of the game with a 52-yard kickoff return by Brandon James that kick-started the Gators' second consecutive lopsided victory over their SEC East rivals.

NO. 5 MISSOURI 42, BUFFALO 21

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Chase Daniel passed for a career-high 439 yards with two touchdowns, and set a Big 12 record with 20 consecutive completions, helping the Tigers (4-0) overcome a rash of errors to beat the Bulls (2-2).

The Tigers lost three fumbles in Buffalo territory and special teams mistakes led to two of the Bulls' touchdowns, keeping the game close well into the second half. Missouri fell short of 50 points for the first time this season.

NO. 7 TEXAS 52, RICE 10

AUSTIN, Texas — Colt McCoy threw four touchdown passes, breaking the previous school record of 60 set by Major Applewhite from 1998-2001, leading the Longhorns (3-0) over the Owls.

A third-year junior, McCoy, who finished with 329 yards passing, has 62 TD passes. Jordan Shipley caught five passes for 155 yards and touchdowns of 30 and 60 yards.

NO. 9 ALABAMA 49, ARKANSAS 14

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Glen Coffee scored on an 87-yard run, Javier Arenas and Justin Woodall scored on long interception returns and the Crimson Tide (4-0) opened Southeastern Conference play with a rout of the Razorbacks (2-1).

Alabama led 35-7 at halftime, and six of the Crimson Tide's seven touchdowns covered at least 25 yards.

NO. 11 TEXAS TECH 56, MASSACHUSETTS 14

LUBBOCK, Texas — Graham Harrell threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns, Shannon Woods ran for three scores and the Red Raiders (4-0) scored on six of seven possessions in the first half in romping past the Minutemen (2-2).

NO. 12 SOUTH FLORIDA 17, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 9

MIAMI — Matt Grothe completed 14 of 22 passes for 137 yards, but was held without a passing or rushing touchdown for just the second time in his 30-game career, while Mike Ford ran for two short touchdowns as the Bulls (4-0) spoiled the debut of the Golden Panthers' (0-3) new on-campus stadium.

NO. 13 OHIO STATE 28, TROY 10

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Terrelle Pryor, the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Buckeyes (3-1) in 30 years since Art Schlichter in 1978, completed 10 of 16 passes for 139 yards and four touchdowns, and also ran 14 times for 66 yards in a sluggish non-conference victory over the Trojans (2-1).

NO. 14 BYU 44, WYOMING 0

PROVO, Utah — Max Hall completed 16 of 27 for 189 yards and three touchdown passes and the Cougars (4-0, 1-0 Mountain West) forced the Cowboys (2-2, 0-2) into six turnovers, returning two of them for scores to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 14 games with their second straight shutout.

N.C. STATE 30, NO. 15 EAST CAROLINA 24

RALEIGH, N.C. — Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes — including a game-tying 5-yarder to George Bryan with 1:12 left in regulation, and Andre Brown ran 10 yards for a touchdown in overtime as the Wolfpack (2-2) beat the Pirates (3-1) for the second straight season.

NO. 16 PENN STATE 45, TEMPLE 3

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Daryll Clark threw two touchdown passes and ran for an 11-yard score, and Stephfon Green ran for 132 yards and a 69-yard TD as the Nittany Lions built a 31-0 halftime lead to improve to 4-0 in holding the Owls (1-3) to 138 yards and just 10 first downs.

NO. 18 WAKE FOREST 12, NO. 24 FLORIDA STATE 3

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Sam Swank made 4 of 6 field-goal attempts and the Demon Deacons (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) forced seven turnovers in running their winning streak over the Seminoles (2-1, 0-1) to three games.

NO. 19 KANSAS 38, SAM HOUSTON STATE 14

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Todd Reesing threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another score to lead the Jayhawks (3-1) over the Bearkats (1-1) for their 12th straight home win — 17th straight in non-conference.

NO. 20 UTAH 30, AIR FORCE 23

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Darrell Mack scored three second-half touchdowns, including a 9-yard run up the middle with 58 seconds remaining, to help the Utes (4-0, 2-0 Mountain West Conference) turn back the Falcons (3-1, 1-1), whose vaunted ground game was held to just 53 yards.

NO. 23 CLEMSON 54, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 0

CLEMSON, S.C. — James Davis rushed for three touchdowns and the Tigers (3-1) had three interceptions, one that Chris Clemons brought back for a touchdown, in rolling past the Bulldogs (2-2) for their first shutout in two years, while improving to 22-0 against Championship Subdivision opponents.