UNDATED (AP) — Georgia has taken a big step toward the Southeastern Conference championship game by defeating Alabama 20-17. The Bulldogs' defense sacked Alabama's quarterback four times and held him to a season-low in passing yards. This victory could boost Georgia to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 rankings. Meanwhile, Oklahoma upset top-ranked Texas 27-24, giving coach Brent Venables a much-needed win. South Carolina also pulled off an upset, defeating Florida 38-19, easing pressure on coach Shane Beamer. In other games, Kentucky edged LSU 35-34, UCLA remained undefeated with a win over Oregon, and Indiana narrowly beat Nebraska to stay unbeaten.
DALLAS (AP) — Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns keep raising questions after another shaky performance. The latest was a 27-24 loss to Red River rival Oklahoma that answered one of them. The Longhorns won't be No. 1. Texas held on to the top spot with a couple of uneven games from the offense in victories over UTSA and Tennessee. They had chances to escape against the Sooners, too. Since they didn't, they move on thinking they're still good enough to compete for the College Football Playoff out of the Southeastern Conference.
DALLAS (AP) — Tate Sandell kicked a 47-yard field goal on the final play and Oklahoma overcame its continued offensive ineptitude with touchdowns on special teams and defense in a 27-24 win over No. 1 Texas in the Red River rivalry game Saturday. The Sooners beat a No. 1 team for the first time since a 38-17 win over Missouri in 2007. They had been 0-4-1 when facing a top-ranked Texas team. Arch Manning threw three touchdowns for the 4-1 Longhorns but both of his interceptions were costly.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Dwight Phillips Jr. ran for 120 yards, Bo Walker added 69 more and Georgia staked its claim to a No. 1 ranking with a 20-17 victory at No. 6 Alabama on Saturday night. Gunnar Stockton accounted for both of Georgia’s touchdowns, one passing and another rushing. The second-ranked Bulldogs finished with 206 yards on the ground — despite playing without leading rusher Nate Frazier — in the latest showdown between the two Southeastern Conference heavyweights. It was Georgia’s third win over Alabama in their last 11 meetings — and first in the regular season since 2007.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky quarterback Kenneth Minchey ran untouched for a 2-point conversion, lifting his team to a 35-34 overtime victory over No. 10 LSU. LSU scored first in overtime in Saturday's game with a 15-yard run by quarterback Sam Leavitt. Kentucky forced overtime with a 33-yard field goal by Adam Zouagui, who had missed two earlier attempts. Minchey threw for 246 yards, with 206 in the second half. C.J. Baxter ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns. LSU's defense, which had been strong so far this season, gave up 401 yards. Leavitt was 25-of-34 passing for 275 yards and two touchdowns, but also had an interception and the fumble.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — George MacIntyre threw for 247 yards and a touchdown in his first career start, DeSean Bishop ran for 138 yards and No. 15 Tennessee rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Arkansas 24-17 on Saturday. With the game tied at 17 with 4:07 left and Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) pinned inside its own 10 after an Arkansas punt, Bishop ran for 59 yards to help set up the go-ahead score. Four plays after that run, Bishop took the ball into the end zone from 8 yards and Tennessee’s defense responded by forcing Arkansas three-and-out as the Razorbacks chose to punt with 1:36 left, trailing by seven points. Arkansas is 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the SEC.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — LaNorris Sellers accounted for five touchdowns, including four passing in his best performance in nearly two years, and South Carolina stunned No. 16 Florida 38-19 to end an eight-game skid in Southeastern Conference play. Sellers completed 23 of 35 passes for 279 yards, finding Nyck Harbor, Mazeo Bennett Jr., Donovan Murph and Lex Cyrus for scores against the league’s worst passing defense. The Gators, who were double-digit favorites at home, lost a second consecutive game in lopsided fashion and surely will fall out of the AP Top 25.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jamal Roberts had 34 carries for a career-best 222 yards and two touchdowns and Cayden Lee caught seven passes for 94 yards and a touchdown to help No. 14 Missouri beat Texas A&M 27-6. The Tigers (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) have won two straight. They also got a pair of 50-plus yard field goals from Blake Craig while Austin Simmons completed 14 of 28 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. Marcel Reed led Texas A&M (3-3, 1-3) by completing 19 of 39 passes for 189 yards, but he was intercepted twice and lost 18 yards on seven carries.
