SOUTHEAST ROUNDUP : Florida Wins Seventh in Row, Gets Alabama

Florida, seemingly out of the race after three weeks, made a date with second-ranked Alabama in the first Southeastern Conference championship game Dec. 5.

The Gators trounced Vanderbilt, 41-21, Saturday at Nashville, Tenn., for their seventh consecutive victory to clinch the SEC’s Eastern Division championship.

“This was a year we were extremely fortunate,” Florida Coach Steve Spurrier said. “We only had to win one out of three road games. We managed to win one of them and to win the division championship.”

The Gators, 8-2 overall and 6-2 in the SEC, were 1-2 after losses at Tennessee and Mississippi State.

Florida won at Nashville for the first time since 1966 to set up the game at Birmingham with Western Division champion Alabama for the SEC title and a New Year’s Day berth in the Sugar Bowl.

Matthews, SEC player of the year the past two seasons, passed for 343 yards and three touchdowns, completing 28 of 43 attempts.

He increased his number of league passing records to 10 with his 70th touchdown pass and 675th completion, breaking the records held by LSU’s Tommy Hodson.

The Gators rolled up 514 yards.

Vanderbilt (4-6, 2-5) opened the second half with an 80-yard drive capped by Marcus Wilson’s four-yard touchdown run to pull to within 21-14.

Matthews’ third touchdown pass, a 36-yarder to Jack Jackson, and Judd Davis’ 46-yard field goal made it 31-14.

No. 20 Tennessee 34, Kentucky 13--The Volunteers gave Coach Johnny Majors a victory in his final home game, rolling up 534 yards in trouncing the Wildcats at Knoxville, Tenn.

Majors, leaving as coach after 16 seasons because the university wouldn’t renew his contract, was carried to midfield on his players’ shoulders after the game.

Heath Shuler of Tennessee (7-3, 4-3) connected on a 60-yard touchdown pass play to James (Little Man) Stewart and also ran for two touchdowns.

Matt Riazzi of Kentucky (4-7, 2-6) rushed for 109 yards as the Wildcats gained 416 yards.

Southern Methodist 24, Arkansas 19--Drew Randall picked up a fumbled punt and ran 20 yards for a touchdown to give the Mustangs a victory at Little Rock, Ark.

Arkansas (2-7-1) scored in the final minute on a 15-yard pass from Barry Lunney to Tracy Caldwell, but failed on a two-point conversion attempt. SMU (5-6) recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock.

Louisiana State 24, Tulane 12--Quarterback Chad Loup, demoted to third-string 10 weeks ago, returned to guide the Tigers past the Green Wave in his final home game at Baton Rouge, La.

Loup completed nine of 18 passes for 85 yards and a five-yard touchdown to Germaine Williams to give LSU (2-8) a 14-0 lead.

Billy Duncan of Tulane (2-9) passed for 207 yards and a touchdown, but had two passes intercepted and was sacked twice.