COLLEGE FOOTBALL : SOUTHEASTERN ROUNDUP : Tennessee Takes Offense With Confusing Start

Tennessee’s confusion lasted one series.

Then the No. 10 Volunteers scored touchdowns on six of their next eight possessions in recovering to beat 18th-ranked Arkansas, 49-31, in a Southeastern Conference game Saturday at Fayetteville, Ark.

After losing yardage on a failed opening-game series, Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes in the first half.

In the third quarter, he completed three third-down passes in a 77-yard drive that ended with Jay Graham’s one-yard dive, giving the Volunteers a 35-24 lead.

Arkansas led, 17-7, and, 24-14, in the first half, but Manning’s fourth touchdown pass of the half put the Volunteers in front, 28-24, with 21 seconds left.

Tennessee, 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the Southeastern Conference, rolled up 521 yards against a defense that was second in the SEC. Manning was 35 for 46 for 384 yards.

Barry Lunney Jr. finished 22 for 27 for 283 yards for Arkansas (4-2, 3-1).

“We had two big-time drives in the second half that really made the difference in the ball game,” said Manning, including one in which the quarterback completed three third-down passes. “They had different guys in different positions but we finally settled down and got things going.”

No. 16 Alabama 27, North Carolina State 11--The Crimson Tide’s Brian Burgdorf threw for two touchdowns and 196 yards at Tuscaloosa, Ala., in handing the Wolfpack (1-5) its fifth consecutive loss.

Alabama (4-1) once again was besieged by penalties. The Tide was flagged 12 times for 91 yards.

Mississippi 20, Tulane 17--Mark Smith dove in from one yard with 9:47 left as the Rebels (3-2) edged the Green Wave (2-3) at Oxford, Miss.

The lead changed hands for the fourth time when Smith’s touchdown capped a 25-yard drive. The drive was set up by Moine Nicholson’s 28-yard return of a short punt. Tulane failed on two final chances to tie the game.

South Carolina 77, Kent 14--Steve Taneyhill tied a school record with four touchdown passes and Zola Davis caught three scoring passes as the Gamecocks (2-3-1) trounced the Flashes (1-4-1) at Columbia, S.C.

Taneyhill’s four touchdown passes gave him 49 for his career, both totals tying records set by Todd Ellis.