COLLEGE FOOTBALL : SOUTHEAST ROUNDUP : Nix’s Passing Leads No. 6 Auburn, 46-13

Patrick Nix threw for a school-record 382 yards Saturday as No. 6 Auburn emerged from NCAA probation in impressive fashion, defeating Mississippi, 46-13, at Auburn, Ala.

Nix completed 28 of 39 passes, threw for one touchdown and ran for two as the Tigers unveiled a fearsome offensive arsenal that didn’t even need the help of Stephen Davis, the top rusher in the Southeastern Conference last season.

Davis watched many of Auburn’s most impressive drives from the sidelines, though he capped two with short touchdown runs. Davis carried only 14 times for 70 yards, breaking one run for 32 yards.

Wide receiver Tyrone Goodson caught seven passes for 115 yards, and counterpart Willie Gosha had four catches for 77 yards.

Dou Innocent had his seventh consecutive 100-plus rushing game with 137 yards in 22 carries for Mississippi.

No. 8 Tennessee 27, East Carolina 7--Jay Graham rushed for 144 yards and the Volunteers converted East Carolina’s worst mistake into points in their victory at Knoxville, Tenn.

Graham, a junior making his first start, carried 26 times for 104 yards in the second half as the bigger, deeper Volunteers wore down the Pirates in the opener for both teams.

Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning completed 17 of 29 passes for 178 yards and a 31-yard touchdown to Nilo Silvan, his longest completion of the game. Manning also scored on a one-yard sneak.

East Carolina’s Marcus Crandell completed 20 of 35 passes for 185 yards, and Jerris McPhail rushed for 108 yards in 23 carries.

With Tennessee ahead, 10-0, midway through the second quarter, the Pirates hurt themselves when reserve running back Daryl Jones threw a halfback option pass that was intercepted by DeRon Jenkins and returned 22 yards to the Pirate 31.

From there, Manning completed a touchdown pass to a wide-open Silvan in the back of the end zone for a 17-0 lead.

Southern Methodist 17, Arkansas 14--Defensive end Wilbert Mitchell recovered a fumble on the one-yard line with 56 seconds remaining to save a touchdown and give the Mustangs a victory at Dallas.

SMU was seemingly beaten with Arkansas just inches away from the goal, but Arkansas quarterback Barry Lunney fumbled on a sneak and Mitchell grabbed the ball to preserve the victory for the Mustangs, using the Cotton Bowl as their home stadium for the first time since 1978.

SMU, which lost quarterback Ramon Flanigan on the season’s first play because of a dislocated left hip, took the lead on Donte Womack’s 37-yard touchdown run with 13:07 to play.

Mississippi State 28, Memphis 18--Derrick Taite completed 18 of 26 passes for 296 yards and tied a school record with four touchdowns as the Bulldogs opened the season with a victory at Starkville, Miss.

The Bulldogs built a 21-0 lead when Eric Moulds split two Memphis defenders and made a diving, one-handed catch in the back corner of the end zone midway through the second quarter. Moulds made his second scoring catch even as one of the defenders was flagged for face guarding.

Memphis scored 18 consecutive points in the second half to cut the gap to 10 points. But the Tigers, who blew three scoring opportunities in the first half, couldn’t get any closer.

Louisville 13, Kentucky 10--Calvin Arrington ran a yard for the deciding touchdown with 1:29 remaining to lift the Cardinals in the season opener for both teams at Lexington, Ky.

The Cardinals drove 72 yards in nine plays in the closing minutes to overcome a 10-6 deficit and make Ron Cooper a winner in his debut as Louisville coach. It was the Cardinals’ first win against Kentucky in eight tries.

Arrington finished with 133 yards in 37 carries.