Auburn Takes Advantage of a Low Tide in 9-0 Win

Alabama had already lost its coach and more games than anybody expected. No. 18 Auburn happily added to the Crimson Tide’s misery Saturday.

The Tigers rode Damon Duval’s three field goals and a relentless running game to a 9-0 victory on a cold, rainy day at Tuscaloosa, Ala., to secure a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Duval kicked field goals of 22 and 42 yards in the first half, then secured the victory with a 27-yarder with 9:20 left in the fourth.

The victory, coupled with Mississippi State’s loss to Arkansas, gave Auburn (9-2 overall, 6-2 in the SEC) its second division title.

It was only last season that Alabama (3-8, 3-5) secured the West title with a victory at Auburn and went on to beat Florida for the conference title.

But this season, under lame-duck Coach Mike DuBose, was the program’s worst since going 0-10 in 1955.

Arkansas 17, No. 13 Mississippi State 10--Brandon Holmes scored his second touchdown in overtime and the Razorbacks (5-5, 2-5) held Mississippi State on fourth-and-goal at the one to preserve the victory at Starkville, Miss.

J.J. Jones and Quenton Caver penetrated and tackled Dontae Walker of Mississippi State (5-5, 2-5) as he tried to sweep around left end on the final play.

No. 16 Clemson 16, No. 25 South Carolina 14--Aaron Hunt’s third field goal, a 25-yarder with seven seconds left, gave Clemson the victory at at Clemson, S.C.

It was Clemson’s fourth consecutive victory in the series, which dates to 1909.

South Carolina (7-4) will most likely go to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta or the Music City Bowl in Nashville.

Clemson accepted a bid to the Gator Bowl earlier this week. It is awaiting its opponent, which bowl officials say is probably Virginia Tech or Notre Dame.

No. 22 Georgia 32, Mississippi 14--Musa Smith ran for 144 yards, becoming the first Georgia back to break 100 this season, and the Bulldogs rallied from a 14-0 deficit to win at Athens, Ga.

Georgia (7-3, 5-3) ended a two-game losing streak and likely ensured itself a bowl bid no matter what happens in the finale against No. 20 Georgia Tech. Mississippi (6-4, 3-4) has lost two in a row.

Tennessee 59, Kentucky 20--Travis Henry rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns for the Volunteers at Knoxville, Tenn.

Casey Clausen completed 19 of 24 passes for 362 yards and four touchdowns, and Tennessee (7-3, 4-3) beat the Wildcats (2-9, 0-8) for the 16th consecutive time.