Southeast Roundup : Georgia Gets Backup Help in Upset of Auburn

Backup quarterback Wayne Johnson got a surprise start Saturday night and led Georgia to a 20-16 upset over No. 8 Auburn.

Starting quarterback James Jackson missed the Southeastern Conference game at Auburn, Ala., because of the death of his grandmother, and Johnson, who has played in only three games and thrown only four times, responded with a big-play performance.

“I’m very proud of Wayne Johnson, who came in and was unbothered by the situation,” Georgia Coach Vince Dooley said.

“First of all, he’s a marvelous athlete and is always plugging away. And, secondly, he did not get rattled in starting against one of the top teams in the country.”

Johnson passed eight yards to tight end Troy Sadowski in the second quarter and ran six yards in the third quarter for both of Georgia’s touchdowns. Steve Crumley added field goals of 31 and 36 yards for the Bulldogs, 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the SEC.

Auburn scored on a 4-yard run by Reggie Ware and a 13-yard pass from Jeff Burger to Lawyer Tillman. Linebacker Steve Boswell stopped Auburn’s final drive with an interception at the Georgia 33.

“They just lined up and whipped us,” said Auburn Coach Pat Dye, who saw his team fall to 8-2 and 3-2. “This is a mighty disappointing loss, and I will lose a lot of sleep from it.”

LSU 47, Mississippi St. 0--At Jackson, Miss., Tom Hodson passed for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns as the 12th-ranked Tigers clinched at least a share of the SEC championship, their first since 1970.

Only Alabama, which lost to LSU a week ago, can tie the Tigers for the title. To do it, the Tide must beat Auburn on Nov. 29.

LSU is 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the SEC. Mississippi State is 6-4 and 2-3.

Hodson completed 19 of 26 passes against LSU’s recent nemesis. Mississippi State had cost LSU a share of the SEC title two years ago when it beat the Tigers for the fifth year in a row. LSU snapped that streak last year but still has beaten State only four times in the last 13 years.

The game was the second of a day-night doubleheader at Memorial Stadium.

Tennessee 22, Mississippi 10--Earlier at Jackson, Miss., the 20th-ranked Rebels, last in the SEC in total offense, were outgained, 137-0, in the fourth quarter as the Volunteers scored the game’s final 16 points.

Jeff Francis hit Joey Clinkscales on a 38-yard pass play early in the final period to give the Volunteers their first lead, and William Howard added a 2-yard touchdown to clinch the victory.

The loss dropped the Rebels to 6-3-1 overall and 3-2 in the SEC. In snapping Mississippi’s four-game winning streak, the Volunteers improved to 4-5 and 1-3.

Alabama 24, Temple 14--Bobby Humphrey scored three touchdowns as the 11th-ranked Crimson Tide defeated the Owls at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The Crimson Tide is 9-2 heading into its final SEC game against Auburn on Nov. 29.

Temple’s Paul Palmer, the nation’s leading rusher, gained 149 yards in 29 carries to give him 1,781 yards this season for the Owls (5-5).

Humphrey led the Tide with 129 yards in 23 carries. His three touchdowns tied the school season record of 16, set by Johnny Musso in 1971.

Kentucky 10, Florida 3--At Lexington, Ky., Bill Ransdell completed a school-record 20 of 23 passes as the Wildcats snapped the Gators’ four-game winning streak and all but ended their hopes for a postseason bowl.

In winning its second straight game, Kentucky improved to 5-4-1 overall, 2-3 in the SEC, while Florida fell to 5-5, 2-4.

Ransdell, completing 87% of his attempts, threw for 161 yards, while Florida’s Kerwin Bell hit on only 7 of 24 attempts for 145 yards.

Virginia Tech 29, Vanderbilt 21--Chris Kinzer kicked five field goals at Blacksburg, Va., to help Bill Dooley set a school record for coaching victories at 62 as the Hokies finished the season at 8-2-1.