Couch Is No Slouch in Kentucky’s Rare Win Over Alabama

It took 75 years and one overtime for Kentucky to finally beat Alabama.

Tim Couch completed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Craig Yeast in overtime as Kentucky stunned the 20th-ranked Crimson Tide, 40-34, on Saturday night at Lexington, Ky.

“This can’t be put into words,” Wildcat linebacker Bob Holmberg said. “ This is just unbelievable. We never quit. The coaches didn’t have to urge us on.”

On third and 11 at the 26, Yeast caught a pass at the 10 and dashed to the end zone. Fans charged onto the Commonwealth Stadium field to congratulate the players and then pulled down both goal posts.

“Looking back on career victories is something you do when you’re really old,” Kentucky Coach Hal Mumme said. “But right now it is No. 1.”

Kentucky, 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the Southeastern Conference, earned only its second victory over Alabama (3-2, 1-2) in the 34-game series. The Wildcats won, 6-0, in 1922, battled to a 7-7 tie in 1939, and then lost the next 14 meetings to trail 31-1-1 in the series going into Saturday night’s game.

“We made way too many mistakes to go on the road and win a football game,” Alabama Coach Mike DuBose said.

Kentucky won the toss in overtime, and decided to defend on the first possession. A holding call on first down took Alabama back to the 37, out of field-goal range, and three plays later Chad Goss fumbled Freddie Kitchens’ pass at the 21 and Kentucky’s Tremayne Martin recovered.

Kentucky also had a holding penalty on its possession, setting up a second and 15 from the 30. Couch completed a four-yard pass to Darrin Clark before hitting Yeast with the game-winner.

“They made the plays when they had to and we didn’t, but that’s my responsibility,” DuBose said of the overtime. “I thought both teams were a little bit tired in the overtime. It was a physical game and an emotional game.”

Couch completed 32 of 49 passes for 355 yards, including touchdown passes of 62 yards to Derek Homer in the first quarter and six yards to Anthony White and 14 yards to Kevin Coleman in the third quarter. He had three passes intercepted.

Kentucky had lost 12 consecutive games to ranked opponents.

No. 1 Florida 56, Arkansas 7--The Gators got a complete defensive performance, and quarterback Doug Johnson threw for three touchdowns in a victory at Gainesville, Fla.

Bo Carroll returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown and the Florida defense held Arkansas to only one first down until its final possession of the first half.

Florida (5-0, 3-0) got a scare when Johnson took a late hit from linebacker Delancey Kent on the second play of the fourth quarter with a 35-0 lead. Johnson, who was helped from the field, suffered a bruised right shin.

Spurrier said he had Johnson in the game that late to give the sophomore as much playing time as possible.

“He’s still not where we hoped he would be at this point,” Spurrier said.

It was the worst loss by the Razorbacks (3-2, 1-1) since Tulsa defeated them, 61-0, in 1943.

The Gators head into a crucial stretch of the season. The next three games are at No. 13 Louisiana State, at No. 8 Auburn and against 18th-ranked Georgia in Jacksonville.

No. 8 Auburn 23, South Carolina 6--Dameyune Craig threw for two touchdowns and 321 yards at Columbia, S.C., to keep the Tigers undefeated.

Craig’s third consecutive 300-yard game matched the school record of Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan. It also showed that when Craig starts passing, the Tigers (5-0, 3-0) start moving.

South Carolina (2-3), which had hoped to recover from blowout losses at Georgia and Mississippi State with a solid effort, is 0-3 in league play for the fourth time in six seasons.

The Tigers’ defense held the Gamecocks to only two yards in the third quarter.

No. 9 Tennessee 31, Mississippi 17--Peyton Manning passed for two touchdowns and 324 yards and freshman tailback Jamal Lewis ran for 155 yards and scored once as the Volunteers won at Knoxville, Tenn.

Manning was 25 for 44 with one interception in his fourth consecutive 300-yard game and Lewis, with 22 carries, gave Tennessee (3-1, 1-1) its first 100-yard game by a back this season.

Tennessee looked sluggish through the first half in its first action since losing two weeks ago to top-ranked Florida.

John Avery gained 106 yards in 20 carries for Mississippi (3-2, 1-2).

No. 13 Louisiana State 7, Vanderbilt 6--A blocked 30-yard extra-point attempt with 12 seconds to play enable the Tigers, who lost conference rushing leader Cecil Collins because of a broken leg, to escape with a victory at Nashville, Tenn. Kenny Mixon was credited with the block, but he wasn’t sure it was him. He said the kick was a little low.

“I just know I felt the ball. I thought someone else got the block,” said the senior who earlier recovered a fumble. “Let’s go home. Take it home with a win.”

Damian Allen passed to Tavarus Hogans for a 12-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left and Vanderbilt (2-3, 0-3) at first elected to gamble on victory by going for a two-point conversion.

Consecutive delay-of-game penalties ended that idea and the Commodores finally lined up for John Markham’s ill-fated extra-point try.

Vanderbilt had one last chance, but Christopher Green recovered Markham’s onside kick.

LSU Coach Gerry DiNardo called the game bizarre. “We got the win. I don’t care if you win by half a point, the ‘W’ is what matters,” he said. “We’re excited to come out of here with a win.”

The Commodores still haven’t won an SEC game since 1995.

No. 18 Georgia 47, Mississippi State 0--Robert Edwards, recovered from a severely sprained ankle, slipped back into the Bulldogs’ offense with style, catching the first of Mike Bobo’s three touchdown passes and running for two more scores in an easy victory at Athens, Ga.

Edwards, back in the starting lineup after getting hurt on his first carry of his senior season, finished with 102 yards in 14 carries.

Bobo, leading the Southeastern Conference quarterback ratings, completed 26 of 33 passes for 257 yards, with one interception.

Georgia is 4-0 and 2-0, the first time since 1982 it has started so well.