Manning Makes Second Half Count Most

Peyton Manning threw for 371 yards and two touchdowns and No. 7 Tennessee broke open a defensive struggle Saturday night by reaching the end zone on its first three drives of the second half for a 29-17 victory over Georgia at Athens, Ga.

Tennessee, 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the Southeastern Conference, led, 9-3, at halftime, but Manning took matters into his own hands in the second half. He completed 31 of 41 passes with no interceptions.

Georgia dropped to 2-3, 1-2.

Jay Graham scored the game’s first touchdown on a one-yard dive early in the third quarter, pushing Tennessee to a 15-3 lead.

No. 8 Alabama 24, N. Carolina St. 19--Dennis Riddle ran for 154 yards and three touchdowns for the Crimson Tide (6-0) at Raleigh, N.C.

Riddle carried 33 times, scoring on runs of three, four and 14 yards.

N.C. State (1-4) had 418 yards against a defense that came in ranked second in the nation. The Crimson Tide did not seal the victory until an interception by Fernando Bryant with 90 seconds remaining.

No. 18 Auburn 49, Mississippi St. 15--Dameyune Craig threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns and the Tigers (5-1, 3-1) finished with 486 total yards at Starkville, Miss.

Craig, who left the game with 12 minutes remaining, completed 27 of 40 passes with no interceptions. All of his numbers were career highs.

Tyrone Goodson had 10 receptions for 145 yards with two touchdowns. His seven-yard scoring catch late in the first quarter gave Auburn a 14-0 lead.

A new starting quarterback, Matt Wyatt, failed to inspire Mississippi State (3-3, 1-2).

South Carolina 25, Kentucky 14--Senior Duce Staley rushed for a career-high 193 yards, including 58 on a touchdown with 8:17 remaining, as the Gamecocks (3-3, 2-2) snapped a three-game losing streak at Lexington, Ky.

Kentucky (1-5, 0-3) led, 14-3, at the half and appeared in control until Staley went to work.

Vanderbilt 19, North Texas 7--Damian Allen threw for a career-high 251 yards and Brett Speakman kicked two 43-yard field goals for the Commodores (1-4) at Denton, Texas.

Vanderbilt led, 10-0, at halftime behind a five-yard touchdown run by Jason Dunnavant and Speakman’s first 43-yarder, a low line drive into the wind.

North Texas dropped to 2-4.

Arkansas 38, Louisiana Tech 21--Pete Burks hooked up with Anthony Eubanks on a 35-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter as the Razorbacks (2-3) rallied from a 15-point deficit at Little Rock.

Tech (3-4) led, 21-6, in the second quarter and, 21-17, at the half.