TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama coach Nick Saban says his kickers won't use tape to spot field goals and extra points.

South Carolina Steve Spurrier pointed out Tuesday that Alabama's Leigh Tiffin used white tape to spot kicks in last week's game. Spurrier reported it to the Southeastern Conference and said yesterday he was told by the conference that what Tiffin did was against the rules.

Saban says he didn't know Tiffin was using the tape and says it isn't worth risking a 5-yard penalty. However, he says Tide coaches have found Tiffin wasn't alone in spotting the ball.

"We certainly don't want our players to do anything that's illegal," Saban said. "It is a 5-yard penalty if you do anything to enhance the spot. We've done some research on it, and over half the teams in the league do something with it.

"They put a piece of grass there or a piece of mud or wherever it is, so the kicker knows where the ball's going to be spotted. We even saw verification where last year South Carolina's kicker did it."

Spurrier said after practice yesterday he was not aware that any of South Carolina's players spotted kicks. "If we did that last year, why didn't they turn us in, if it was illegal?" he said. "Shoot, I'm available to be turned in for anything if it is illegal."

The NCAA rule states that "no material or device shall be used to improve or degrade the playing surface or other conditions and give one player or team an advantage." No penalties can be imposed after the game for an infraction, SEC spokesman Charles Bloom said.

The exception is a kicking tee for kickoffs. Otherwise, it is a live-ball foul and a 5-yard penalty.

SEC

REFEREES SUSPENDED

The Southeastern Conference has suspended officials from last weekend's Arkansas-Florida game after the crew was involved in its second controversial call of the year.

Referee Marc Curles' crew called a personal foul on Arkansas defensive lineman Malcolm Sheppard in the fourth quarter as the Gators were rallying for a 23-20 victory. The league said there was no video evidence to support the call.

The same group of officials called the LSU-Georgia game earlier this month, which included a late unsportsmanlike conduct penalty the league said shouldn't have been called.

"A series of calls that have occurred during the last several weeks have not been to the standard that we expect from our officiating crews," SEC commissioner Mike Slive said yesterday. "I believe our officiating program is the best in the country. However, there are times when these actions must be taken."

CONFERENCE USA

UTEP TOPS TULSA

Donald Buckram ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 29 seconds left, to help UTEP beat Conference USA rival Tulsa, 28-24, last night in El Paso, Texas.

Buckram's two touchdowns were the final scores of the game, one coming with 6:25 left to play and the other a 3-yard run with less than 30 seconds left.

UTEP improved to 3-4 and 2-1. Tulsa fell to 4-3 and 2-1.