SOUTHEAST : Mississippi Wins With Backup Quarterback

Mississippi’s offense sputtered at times behind backup quarterback Russ Shows, but the 17th-ranked Rebels had just enough to get the job done against Vanderbilt.

With starter Tom Luke out with an injured left knee, Shows guided the Rebels to two first-half touchdowns that the defense made stand up for a 14-13 Southeastern Conference victory Saturday at Nashville, Tenn.

Shows completed eight of 20 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown and ran for 54 yards. Ole Miss halted three second-half Vanderbilt threats, limiting the Commodores to a pair of field goals in the final 30 minutes.

Randy Baldwin gained 121 yards in 18 carries and Ed Thigpen had 96 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries for Ole Miss, 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the SEC.

Vanderbilt (1-6, 1-4) has lost 21 of its last 23 games.

“This was just a remarkable football game,” said Mississippi Coach Billy Brewer, whose Rebels are nationally ranked for the time time since 1986. “We were able to do the things in the end it took to win.

“Offensively, we just didn’t have the rhythm we had in the last several games. I don’t know whether that’s because Tommy didn’t play or what. We just weren’t very consistent.

“You’re going to get your opponent’s best shot when you are a ranked team. This was a golden opportunity for Vanderbilt.”

The Rebels had 291 yards in 56 rushes and 446 yards overall to Vanderbilt’s 314.

Mississippi led at halftime, 14-7.

Kentucky 26, Georgia 23--Doug Pelfrey kicked a 32-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the game to give the Wildcats an SEC victory over the Bulldogs at Lexington, Ky.

Georgia (4-4, 2-3) went ahead, 24-23, when Chuck Carswell took Bill Hawk’s punt at the 31, broke right and raced 69 yards untouched down the sidelines with 6:19 left in the game.

Kentucky (3-5, 2-2) began its winning, 80-yard drive when Freddie Maggard, replacing the injured Brad Smith at quarterback in the fourth quarter, passed to Phil Logan for a 22-yard gain.

Maggard later connected on an eight-yard pass to Logan to the Georgia 45, a 17-yarder to Terry Samuels to the 30 and a 10-yarder to Rodney Jackson to the 23 with 40 seconds.

Kentucky then ran off four plays to the 14 before Pelfrey came on for his winning kick.