ROUNDUP

Murphy steps up for Gator victory

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Matt Jones rushed for 176 yards and a touchdown and Tyler Murphy threw for 156 yards and a score as No. 20 Florida beat Kentucky 24-7 on Saturday night, its 27th consecutive victory over the Wildcats.

Murphy also rushed for a 3-yard TD in his first career start for the Gators (3-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference), who closed a difficult week on a high note after losing starting quarterback Jeff Driskel and defensive tackle Dominique Easley to season-ending injuries.

Jones, who had 28 carries, outgained Kentucky by himself while he and Murphy provided all of the Gators’ touchdowns in the first half to extend the longest active winning streak over a major opponent. Florida gave Gators wide receivers coach Joker Phillips a happy return after his firing last fall as Wildcats coach.

Joe Mansour’s 25-yard run on a fake field goal was the only TD for Kentucky (1-3, 0-1), which was outgained 402-173.

That trick play was Kentucky’s only highlight on a night that largely belonged to Murphy and the Gators.

Despite failing to score a second-half touchdown, Florida had no problems moving the ball on Kentucky thanks to Murphy, who didn’t miss a beat in completing his first 11 passes and rushing for 36 yards, variety that the Wildcats struggled to keep up with.

He threw a second-half interception, but it didn’t matter as Florida picked off Maxwell Smith in the end zone en route to another stifling performance in which the Gators’ SEC-leading defense held the Wildcats to just 48 yards rushing - seven below their average - and allowed just 1 of 8 third-down conversions.

On the opening drive the redshirt junior completed all four passes for 33 yards and ran twice for 20 in leading Florida’s 93-yard, 14-play march ending with Jones’ 2-yard touchdown run.

Unfazed, Kentucky tied it thanks to Mansour, who caught Florida completely off guard on a 42-yard fake field goal attempt. By the time the Gators realized what was happening, the 6-foot-2, 189-pounder was off and running down the right sideline for a 25-yard TD after holder Jared Leet flipped him the ball over his head.

That bizarre play had nothing on Jones’ 67-yard run that led to Florida’s second touchdown, the end of which is destined to be replayed on TV and the Internet as an example of how not to help a teammate.

In the clear and dashing right across the field past two Kentucky pursuers, wideout Quinton Dunbar rushed up behind in an attempt to push Jones forward but ended up tackling his teammate at the 12. Murphy simply turned it into a 14-7 lead two plays later, hitting Trey Burton for a 9-yard touchdown that got the Gators in gear.

Florida drove 62 yards for another score ending with Murphy’s 3-yard run, capping a perfect half in which he passed for 120 yards and accounted for 140 total.

Murphy’s combined yardage was 16 more than Kentucky (124) had through 30 minutes. Jones, whose starting status was in question following fumbles in the past two games, added 94 yards on 10 carries in Florida’s 253-yard half.

NO. 12 SOUTH CAROLINA 28, CENTRAL FLORIDA 25

ORLANDO, Fla. - Mike Davis rushed for 167 yards and three touchdowns as South Carolina overcame an injury to its starting quarterback, four turnovers and a halftime deficit to get the victory.

Davis picked up the slack after starting QB Connor Shaw left with a sprained right shoulder following a hard tackle during South Carolina’s first offensive series.

Knights quarterback Blake Bortles threw for 358 yards and two touchdowns, but had two interceptions and a fumble.

South Carolina (3-1) also lost second-string tailback Brandon Wilds in the third quarter with a left elbow strain, but Davis remained steady as the primary ball carrier.

UCF (3-1) had all the early momentum, leading 10-0 at halftime, the first time the Gamecocks had been shut out in a half since 2010.

TENNESSEE 31, SOUTH ALABAMA 24

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Brian Randolph made a game-clinching, fourth-and-goal interception in the end zone with 1:51 remaining as Tennessee squandered most of a 24-point lead before hanging on for a victory over South Alabama.

South Alabama (2-2) had first-andgoal at the 7 in the closing minutes but was unable to get the tying touchdown. Facing fourth-and-goal from the 8, South Alabama quarterback Ross Metheny was hit by Corey Vereen while releasing the pass that Randolph intercepted.

Tennessee’s Rajion Neal rushed for a career-high 169 yards on 25 carries. Neal’s 11-yard touchdown run gave Tennessee (3-2) a 31-7 lead early in the third quarter.

Metheny was 21 of 42 for 244 yards with two interceptions. He also rushed for 67 yards and two touchdowns.

Tennessee overcame a three-interception performance from Justin Worley, who was 20 of 36 for 204 yards. Worley threw touchdown passes to freshmen A.J. Branisel and Josh Smith.

VANDERBILT 52, ALA.-BIRMINGHAM 24

NASHVILLE, Tenn - Jerron Seymour ran for a pair of first-half touchdowns to lead Vanderbilt to a victory over Alabama-Birmingham.

Seymour started the game’s scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. With just over nine minutes remaining in the second, Seymour took a direct snap and ran for a 58-yard score on the only play of that drive.

Vanderbilt quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels ran for a touchdown and threw for two more. He was 23-29 passing for a career high 334 yards.

Carta-Samuels’ second touchdown pass went to Jordan Matthews, who tied a Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-2 SEC) record with his 21st career touchdown reception.

Ty Long had three field goals for the Blazers (1-3, 0-0 Conference USA) in the game.

SATURDAY’S GAMES Texas A&M 45, Arkansas 33 South Carolina 28, Cent. Florida 25 Tennessee 31, South Alabama 24 Georgia 44, LSU 41 Alabama 25, Mississippi 0 Florida 24, Kentucky 7 Vanderbilt 52, Ala.-Birmingham 24 Missouri 41, Arkansas State 19OCT. 5 All times Central Georgia State at Alabama, 11:21 a.m.

LSU at Mississippi State, 6 p.m.

Missouri at Vanderbilt, 6:30 p.m.

Kentucky at South Carolina, 6:30 p.m. Arkansas at Florida, TBA Georgia at Tennessee, TBA Mississippi at Auburn, TBA

Sports, Pages 32 on 09/29/2013

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