Southeast Roundup : Tennessee Gets Its Offense Going and Beats Kentucky

Tennessee’s defense played like a team headed for the Sugar Bowl, but it took the offense a half to sweeten up.

Senior quarterback Daryl Dickey passed for three touchdowns and ran for another Saturday as the 16th-ranked Volunteers put their offense together in the second half to beat Kentucky, 42-0, and continue their trek to the Southeastern Conference championship and a spot in the Sugar Bowl.

“Our defense played as well as any team could have, anytime, anywhere,” Tennessee Coach Johnny Majors said. “We just knew we had to be sharper and faster offensively in the second half.”

The victory at Lexington, Ky., raised Tennessee to 7-1-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference. The Volunteers need to defeat Vanderbilt next weekend to clinch their first SEC championship since 1969. Kentucky ended the season at 5-6 and 1-5.

“It was a big win for us,” said Tim McGee, who caught touchdowns passes of 37 and 12 yards from Dickey and broke school records for receptions, reception yardage and touchdown catches.

McGee has 116 receptions, 1,963 reception yards and 14 catches for touchdowns.

“We just executed better in the second half,” said Dickey, who completed 11 of 17 passes for 182 yards. “We didn’t change anything, we just knew we had something we had to get done.”

Mississippi 45, Mississippi St. 27--At Jackson, Miss., freshman quarterback Mark Young threw for two touchdowns and Nathan Wonsley ran for two more as Mississippi dominated the 82nd renewal of this Southeastern Conference rivalry.

Hemming in Mississippi State’s elusive quarterback Don Smith with a strong rush, Mississippi pushed its record to 4-6-1 overall and 2-4 in the SEC. Mississippi State finished 5-6 overall and last in the conference at 0-6.

Young hit J.R. Ambrose on a 38-yard touchdown play and threw 13 yards to Jamie Holder for another touchdown.

Wonsley scored on runs of three and six yards, and Eugene Goodloe, whose 55-yard punt return set up the Rebels’ second touchdown, ran four yards for another touchdown.