In the End, Alabama Saved as Time Runs Out on LSU

Tyler Watts threw two touchdowns and 12th-ranked Alabama stopped Louisiana State at the one-yard line on the final play to beat the Tigers, 23-17, Saturday in a Southeastern Conference game at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

With 10 seconds left and LSU on the one, quarterback Josh Booty took the snap in the shotgun, rolled right and tried to run the ball into the end zone. He leaped at the three-yard line, but was stopped short in a collision with Reggie Myles and linebacker Marvin Constant.

LSU was out of timeouts, but Constant was hurt on the play and the referees appeared to stop the clock for the injury.

“I don’t feel comfortable commenting on the last play, it’s kind of counterproductive to say anything,” LSU Coach Gerry DiNardo said. “I got no explanation from the officials on why they didn’t put time back on the clock.”

By this time, Alabama’s players had stormed the field and LSU’s players stood near the 10-yard line wondering what to do. As the entire Alabama team crowded around Constant, the referees, almost two minutes later, ruled the game was over.

Constant suffered a torn knee ligament and is out for the season. Alabama also lost defensive tackle Kenny Smith, who suffered the same injury earlier in the series, defensive end Canary Knight, who broke his ankle in the first half, and safety Tony Dixon, who separated his shoulder in the first quarter.

Alabama, 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the SEC, plays undefeated Mississippi State next Saturday. The winner should lock up the SEC West title and earn a spot in the league’s title game.

LSU (2-7, 0-7), which has lost seven straight, dressed only 57 players.

No. 5 Florida 13, Vanderbilt 6--Against a team they have taken for granted over the years, the Gators (8-1, 6-1) barely escaped at Gainesville, Fla. Helped by a 44-yard completion from Greg Zolman to Tavarus Hogans, the Commodores (5-4, 2-4) had the ball at the Gator 19 trailing by seven with less than a minute left.

No. 23 Mississippi 38, Arkansas 16--Deuce McAllister had another all-around game, returning the opening kickoff 100 yards and rushing for 125 yards and two more touchdowns as the Rebels (7-2, 4-2) beat the Razorbacks (5-2, 2-3) at Oxford, Miss. McAllister had a career-high 317 all-purpose yards, his third straight game with more than 250.

Auburn 28, Central Florida 10--Jeff Klein’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Worthy late in the fourth quarter touched off a three-touchdown blitz during a span of 1:37 as the Tigers (4-5) rallied to a nonconference victory over the Knights (3-6) at Auburn, Ala.