The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 78

The! Atlanta Journal The Atlanta Constitution Sunday, November 14, 1993 COLLEGE FOOTBALL Bama rebounds, Gators climb out of early 17-0 hole to beat Gamecocks holds on to beat Miss. State 36-25 I i i EASTERN DIVISION Conf. Overall W-L-T W-L-T Saturday's score Next game Florida 6-1-0 8-1-0 beat S. Carolina 37-26 Sat, vs. Vanderbilt Tennessee 4-1-1 7-1-1 Idle Sat, at Kentucky Kentucky 4-3-0 6-4-0 beat E.

Carolina 6-3 Sat, vs. Tennessee Georgia 2-6-0 4-6-0 lost to Auburn 42-28 Nov. 25 at Ga. Tech S.Carolina 2-6-0 4-6-0 lost to Florida 37-26 Sat, vs. Clemson Vanderbilt 1-5-0 4-5-0 beat Navy 4 1 -7 Sat, at Florida WESTERN DIVISION Auburn 7-0-0 beat Georgia 42-28 Sat, vs.

Alabama Alabama 5-1-1 8-1-1 beat Miss. St. 36-25 Sat, at Auburn LSI) 3-4-0 4-5-0 Idle Sat, vs. Tulane OleMiss 3-4-0 5-5-0 beat N. Illinois 44-0 Nov.

27 at Miss. St. Arkansas 2-4-1 4-5-1 beat Tulsa 24-1 1 Nov. 27 at LSU Miss. St.

1-5-2 2-6-2 lost to Alabama 36-25 Nov. 27 vs. Ole Miss 13. Two plays later, on the first snap of the fourth quarter, Rhett scored from eight yards out for a 30-26 advantage that South Carolina would not overcome. The Gators used all of three hours and 45 minutes to run their record to 7-1 (5-1 in the conference) and can clinch the Eastern Division next Saturday at home against Vanderbilt "I had a feeling it was going to come down to an onsides kick," Spurrier said.

"But fortunately it never got to that." South Carolina, which fell to 4-6, 2-6, was guaranteed its third straight losing season, a decline unseen since 1963. But when the day began, the Gamecocks scored on their first three possessions (one set up by Frank Adams's blocked punt) and had Florida flummoxed. Under Spurrier, the Gators have been a mere 13-9 playing outside the Sunshine State, and not since 1986 had they come back from a 17-point deficit (at home versus Auburn). The comeback came as quickly as South Carolina's lead had come. Danny Wuerffel, playing without favorite receiver Willie Jackson, who was serving a one-game suspension, threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Jack Jackson.

On South Carolina's next snap, Florida linebacker Dexter Daniel made a one-handed interception on the Game- By Tom McCollister STAFF WRITER Tuscaloosa, Ala. Its national reputation and ego bruised by LSU a week ago, Alabama went back to the basics here Saturday defense, the Alabama kicking game and Jay Barker to David Palmer. And the Crimson Tide needed all three to fight off stubborn Mississippi State in the second half, winning 36-25 before a sold-out crowd of 70,123 in Bryant-Denny Stadium. With its victory, Alabama improved to 8-1-1 as it moves to a dramatic showdown next week with still undefeated Auburn, which handily beat Georgia 42-28. "It was a good win, but not without some blemishes," said Alabama coach Gene Stallings.

"The players were excited after it was over and had reason to be. The defense came up with some big plays, but if I had my rathers, I'd like to have held them to fewer points." Mississippi State did not go quietly, and might not have gone at all except for big plays from Barker, Palmer, linebackers Darrell Blackurn and Lemanski Hall and kicker Michael Proctor. With Barker still not 100 percent, nursing a sore back, Palmer started at quarterback. But after he threw an intereception that set up Mississippi State's first touchdown, Baker came on and completed 12 of 23 passes for 221 yards and a touchdwon. Palmer caught eight of them for 171 yards and a touchdown.

That gave him 918 yards on the season, breaking the record of 820 set by Dennis Homan in 1967. "I can play quarterback, but I was glad to have Jay back," Palmer said. "I feel a heck of a lot more comfortable catching them than throwing them. Now it's Auburn and everybody knows what that means." Despite Palmer's heroics, Mississippi State might have been the one celebrating except for a breakdown in its kicking game and the perfection of Alabama's. Proctor was a perfect three for three for Alabama, from 44, 42 and 50 yards.

But it was one that State's Tom Burke had blocked with Alabama leading 20-17 that turned the Tide's fortunes. It came late in the third peri fu sc First downs Rushes-yards 17 34-123 333 11 24 41-119 275 27 Return Yards Comp-Atl-lnl Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Time ot Possession 25-37-0 20-39-2 3-46 4-31 1-1 1-1 9-64 543 28:05 31:55 Florida South Carolina 0 20 3 14-37 14 0 3 0-26 SC-Bermett 26 run (Morion kick) SC Cates 3 pass from Taneyhill (Morion kick) SC-FG Morton 42 Fla-Jackson 59 pass from Wuerffel (kick failed) Fla-Houston 25 pass from Wuerffel (pass failed) Fla Wuerffel 1 run (Hill pass from Wuerffel) SC-Cales 36 pass from Taneyhill (kick failed) Fla FG Davis 41 SC-FG Morton 24 Fla Rhett run (Davis Fla Rhett 1 run (Davis kick) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Florida, Rhett 29-120. South Carolina, DeBoer 13-73, Bennett 17-53. PASSING Florida, Wuerffel 25-37-0-333. South Carolina, Taneyhill 15-29-2-197, Williamson 5-100-76 RECEIVING Florida, Rhett 643, J.Jackson 6-167, Doer-Ing 4-38, Houston 2-30.

South Carolina, Reddick 5-109, Cates 343, Bennett 3-13, DeBoer 2-15. Wolfpack's mm 4 vx i nil rjr' III (fr yi Rl'W I I od with the Bulldogs driving for the go-ahead touchdown. HfM with 34 seconds left, the dr. 3 stalled at Alabama's 27, setting -up a 44-yard attempt by Burke, who'd kicked one from 50 just before halftime. 't-T-l But Alabama's Blackbur blocked it, Hall picked it up and ran 60 yards for the touchdSwn that put Alabama up 26-17ind effectively knocked out'itfito Bulldogs.

liarft "That was the big play of jMt game, no doubt about it," StaiW ings said. "We stayed in the game witl them until the blocked vfield goal," said Bulldogs coach Jackifc Sherrill. "Every game comes down to three or four big plays and that was the biggest." It figured that Mississippi State would be the perfect panacea for an Alabama team, that; saw its 31-game unbeaten streak' snapped by LSU. ttt For one thing, in their lastoSI meetings, Alabama had won 34 of them. For another, the Bffll-dogs left four of their numberoata home, suspended by Sherrilldnd a facing charges ranging front atW tempted rape to simple assault Mow aggravated assault.

Mooo All that did, however, wadfire up the Bulldogs, who sprintedofEI the field at halftime. Though trailing 20-17, they'd movedarii ball well. fibnA But Alabama's defense! showed up in the second halfifesoi pecially the fourth period whenitfc held the Bulldogs to only fdufca first downs and 85 total yardsaavs "We had something to pfove today, that we could put a lotuib points on the board," Barkerfc said. "Now we can get ready Auburn." iw HSU Ala First downs Rushes-yards Passing Return Yards Comp-Att-im Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Time of Possession 19 20 36-146 50-199 256 221 28 67 14-264 12-24-3 442 246 1-1 7-55 28:20 31:40 Mississippi SL Alabama 7 100 fr-25 3 17 1 1096 MSU Bouie 1 run (Burke kick) Ala FG Proctor 44 Ata-Palmer 20 pass from Barker (Proctor kick) Ala-FG Proctor 42 MSU-Moulds 30 pass from Euell (Burke kick) Ala-Lynch 8 run (Proctor kick) MSU-FG Burke 50 Ala-Hall 60 return of blocked kick (pass failed) AJa-FG Proctor 30 Ala-Lynch 7 run (Proctor kick) MSU-Jones 35 pass from Jordan (Davis run) A 70,123 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS dines irJi EfiV mso? oaaoH iomal oD 'i iillOUOJ RUSHING Mis State Davis 23-102, Euel 5-37, Bouie 7-14. Alabama A irson 22-77, Lynch 7-31 Sieger 6- 27.

PASSING Mississippi Stata Jordan EueB 1-1-0-30. Alabama Barker 12-23-2-221, Palmer 0-1-1-0, RECEIVING Mississippi State Causey 7-115, Jones 341, Moulds 347. Alabama Palmer 8-171, Anderson 2-6, Matom 1-37. vr-r riOB Maryland 3 03 luti Notre Dame 3 1 -24 Sat. vs.

N.C. State 7ta late Nov. 26 vs. Duke Sat. at S.

Carolina 4wl Clemson 23-14 Sat, vs. Virginia Nov. 26 at N. Carolina Ga. Tech 38-28 N.C.

State 44-21 Sat, vs. Marylandrrwi Sat at Wake ForeoT (iJTT The TD catch by Goines'was his 10th of the season and 14th of his career, tying him with Haywood Jeffires for the school record. L3l IM MCI First downs Rushes-yards Passing Return Yards Comp-Att-Int Punts Fumbles-Lost Penallies-Vards Time of Possession 37-125 287 864 23 45 2949-1 2.1-67-1 4-53 48 7-4 7-54 S3 29:06 Maryland N.C.8tate 7 ttfM 0 13 IT I444 Md-A. Williams 12 run (Mllligan kick) NCS FG Vldetich 21 NCS-Downs 4 run (Vioetich kick) NCS-FG Videtich 44 1 aril oilw XtE yd By Thomas Stinson STAFF WRITER Columbia, S.C. For four years now, bteve Spurrier has been stampeding his mojo offense all over the SEC, Florida preaching that in time, his blessed system conquers all.

Saturday came his ultimate test of faith. Down by 17 points before they could work up a good case of grass stain, Florida's Gators responded with a champion's comeback and some vintage Spurrier chicanery to defeat South Carolina 37-26 in Wil-liams-Brice Stadium. That sounds a lot easier than it actually, was. Along the way, Florida needed a record-setting performance by the serviceable Errict Rhett, who surpassed Emmitt Smith in career rushing yardage for the Gajprs. They also needed 20 potlits following South Carolina turnovers, 496 yards in total offense and five sacks.

Before Florida was done, Spurrier incredibly balled for a screen pass from his 'end zone that should have been a safety but went 73 yards. Centuclcy's new kicker accounts for 6-3 victory ASSOCIATED PRESS Lexington, Ky. Kentucky backup kicker Nicky Nickels came through on a second chance from his teammates to defeat East Carolina. Nickels, kicking field goals for the first time this season, connected on a 29-yarder with 28 seconds left to lift the Wildcats to a 6-3 win, ensuring their first winning season since 1989. Linebacker Marty Moore recovered a fumble by Junior Smith at the East Carolina 30 with 1:19 left in the game to set up Kentucky's winning score on the fain-soaked field.

Nickels had missed a 22-yard attempt 26 seconds earlier. '-'Everybody said, 'Don't worry, you'll get another said Nickels, who also kicked a 24-yarder early in the final period. ''The guys said, 'We're going to give you another Antonio O'Ferral, replacing injured Pookie completed a 4-yard pass to Alfonzo Brown-, ingtm a third-and-3 at the 23 to keep the drive going. "O'Ferral intentionally downed the ball to stop the clock on the next play. Then he completed a 3-yard pass to Randy Wyatt and ran 4 yards to the 12 in the -middle of the field with 31 seconds left.

Nickels had to wait as East Carolina called two timeouts. "I was lining up, and I told coach Bill Curry that they were going to ice me," said Nickels, a redshirt freshman from Lexington. "I ran out and lined up and was a whole half-yard off my spot. Holder Matt Riazzi had to line me up again. "Center Wes Jackson kept asking me, 'What's your name? What's your At first I thought he was trying to get me focused, but now I realize he was just trying to take my mind off of the pressure." EC Ky First downs Rushes-yards Passing RetuBirards CornaJUt-Int Punts Fumblet-lost Perialtiet-Yaroa 13 45-209 36 13 6-16-1 3-33 3-1 f40 2636 19 55-287 34 14 6-164 2-37 445 33:24 Time of Possession cocks' 30 that led to another quick touchdown.

A South Carolina fumble two possessions later led to a Wuerffel one-yard sneak and a 20-17 lead with 3:46 left in the first half. And still, South Carolina reclaimed the lead before halftime, Steve Tanneyhill connecting with Toby Cates for a 36-yard score and a 23-20 halftime advantage. That lead held up until late in the third quarter, when the Gamecocks stuck the Gators to their 2-yard line with a punt. Spurrier called for a screen pass and then blanched as South Carolina sniffed it out. Jackson caught the ball in traffic in the end zone and was blasted immediately by linebacker Mike Landry.

"If I make that play," Landry said, "I know we win." But Landry never wrapped his arms. The play went 73 yards, and with South Carolina also called for roughing Wuerffel, the ball was advanced to the Gamecocks' Return Yards Comp-Att-Int Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Time of Possession 6 47 2445-2 6-84 245 3-34 2-0 2-1 3-15 3-25 26:16 33:42 Tulsa Arkansas 3 0 0 8-11 7 14 3 0-24 Ark M. Johnson 2 run (Boulware kick) Tul FG Brisler 46 Ark M.Johnson 2 run Ark-Gray 5 pass from Lunney (Boulware kick) Ark-FG Boulware 20 Tul-Penn 10 pass from Frerotte (Headd run) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING-Tulsa, Headd 1645. Arkansas, M. Johnson 34-177.

PASSING-Tulsa, Frerotte 2445-2-222. Arkansas, Lunney 4048, Cherry 2-2-0-29. RECEIVING Tulsa, Perm 11-100. Arkansas, Caldwell 2-29. Ole Miss blanks N.

Illinois, stops nation's top rusher Oxford, Miss. Lawrence Adams threw three touchdown passes in the first half and Mississippi limited the nation's leading rusher to 59 yards as the Rebels beat Northern Illinois 44-0 on Saturday. Northern's LeShon Johnson needed just 83 yards to become the fourth player in Division I-A history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Not Mis Firsl downs Rushes-yards Passing Return Yards Comp-Att-Int Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Time of Possession 10 47-65 81 12 18 41-214 202 119 4-164 13-28-2 7-36 449 3-3 1-1 6-70 992 28:19 31:41 N.llllnols Mississippi 0 0 0 12 20 7 0-0 Miss FG Grant 41 Miss-Small 80 pass from Adams (Grant kick) Miss-Safety, intentional grounding from end zona Miss-Small 23 pass from Adams (Grant Kick) Miss Brice 37 Interception return (kick failed) Miss-Brown 4 pass from Adams (Grant kick) Mlss-Bonner 46 interception return (Montz kick) Miss-FGMontz41 Miss Saftey, fumble out of end zone INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING N.Illinois, Johnson 30-59, Tally 5-14, Wharton 34. Mississippi, Courtney 540, Brown 8-58, Orr 4-27, Adams 7-26, Veasley 5-29.

PASSING N.IIHnois. Crabtrae 4-14-241, Geiser 0-2-1-0. Mississippi, Adams 7162-137, Reed 6-12-0-65. RECEIVING N.lllinots. Patterson 3-53, Roberts 1-28.

Mississippi, Small 5-135, Preston 4-35, Woods 1-15. ASSOCIATED PRESS East Carolina running back Junior Smith (35) is tackled by Kentucky defender Melvin Johnson after a first-half gain. Smith set up his team's only score in Saturday's loss to the Wildcats. 17-point third period sparks 44-21 win over Conf. Overall W-L-T W-L-T Saturday's score Next game FSU 7-0-0 9-1-0 lost to N.

Carolina 5-2-0 8-2-0 Tulane, Clemson 5-3-0 7-3-0 beat Virginia 23-14 Virginia 5-3-0 7-3-0 lost to N.C. State 4-3-0 7-3-0 beat Maryland 44-21 Sat, at Florida St. Ga.Tech 3-5-0 5-5-0 beat Wake Forest 38-28 Nov. 25 vs. Q8 Gordon leads the way as Vanderbilt routs Navy Nashville, Tenn.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Ronnie Gordon rushed for two touchdowns, and Vanderbilt forced 10 turnovers in routing Navy 41-7 Saturday. The Commodores (4-5) inter cepted five passes and recovered five fumbles that set up four TDs and a 23-yard field goal. Navy (4-5), averaging 362 yards a game, had 165. Navy Vand First downs Rushes-yards Passing Return Yards Comp-Att-Int Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Time of Possession 11 2547 118 4 17-27-5 5- 38 6-5 6- 51 21:26 23 75-365 57. 67 5-60 3-27 2-2 9-66 38:34 Navy Vinderblrl 7 0 0 0-7 710 17 7-41 Vand-Gordon 4 run (Yennet kick) Navy Van Matre 5 run (Buccianeri kick) Vand-Gordon 3 run (Yenner kick) Vand-FGYenner38 Vand-Jackson 58 run (Yenner kick) Vand-FG Yenner 23 Vand-Johnson 2 run (Yenner kick) Vand-Johnson 2 run (Yenner kick) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Navy, Van Matre 947, James 6-32, M.

Williams 2-10. Vanderbilt, Jackson 15-120, Johnson 13-70, Gordon 15-69, Deese 1447, Simon 1-24, Marinangel 1-21. PASSING-Uavy, Kubiak 14-214-100. Buckles 3-5-1-18. Vanderbilt, Gordon 50-57.

RECEIVING Navy, Van Matre 5-32, Hickman 3-20, Dixon 2-25, Emery 2-21, Jefferson 2-17. Vanderbilt, Simon 4-37, Tomicbek 1-20, Arkansas beats Tulsa 24-11 as Johnson gets 177 yards Fayetteville, Ark. Marius Johnson, who spent a month playing himself out of the doghouse and into the starting lineup, rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns in the first half as Arkansas beat Tulsa 24-11 on Saturday. Johnson finished with 177 yards rushing on 34 attempts. Tul Ark First downs Rushes-yards Passing 7' 22 19 29-103 $8-251 222 77 ASSOCIATED PRESS Raleigh, N.C.

It was a new kind of pressure for North Carolina State on Saturday. Could the Wolfpack, who had its last six games decided by 26 points, hold a big lead against pass-happy Maryland? The answer was a resounding yes with Terry Harvey rebounding from the worst game of his career to throw for 264 yards and two scores as N.C. State defeated the Terrapins 44-21 to almost assure a sixth straight bowl appearance. "We rose to the occasion just like we've done for week after week this season," said N.C. State coach Mike O'Cain.

"Every time we've been in a pressure situation. Every time we've had our backs against the wall we've responded. "To be very honest with you I was more nervous today than when we were behind the last six games because of the potential of the Maryland offense." The Wolfpack (7-3, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) also performed well on defense, limiting the nation's third-best passing team to 79 yards through the air midway through the third quarter while building a 23-7 lead. "We knew we needed to slow them down," O'Cain said of the Terrapins. "If they were going to score let them ttake a long time and let them 5-yard us, 4-yard us, 3-yard us but don't give up Duke 2-5-0 3-7-0 Idle Wake Forest 1-6-0 2-8-0 lost to Maryland 1-6-0 1-9-0 lost to the big play." N.C.

State is battling with Clemson for the ACC's fourth postseason berth, but Hall of Fame Bowl scout Dick Bowers named the Wolfpack as the front-runner for the Jan. 1 game at Tampa, Fla. Maryland (1-9, 1-6) moved within one loss of becoming the first Terrapins team to drop 10 games in a season. Scott Milanovich completed 22 of 28 for 244 yards to become only the second Maryland quarterback to pass for more than 3,000 yards in a season. The Terrapins allowed the Wolfpack 31 first downs and 540 total yards, while losing four of seven fumbles and throwing one interception.

Harvey, 21-of-37, threw scoring passes of 71 yards to Eddie Goines and 9 yards to Robert Hinton in the Wolfpack's 17-point third quarter to break open a close contest. I. Carolina 10 00-3 Ktrttwctry 0000-0 EO-K5Holcomb21 Ky-fG Nickels 24 Ky-FG Nickels 29 A 34,500, INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS NCS-Goines 71 pass from Harvey Vldetich kick)rn Jfid I Md-Milanovich 1 run (pass failed) NCS-Hirton9rjassfromHarvey(Vi(ltlchll() NCS-Cotton run (Videtich kick) J8J Md-Kremus 17 pass from Milanovich (Williams runlr t)fi NCS Mailer 31 run (Szlksal kick) 'til INDIVIDUAL STATISnCS RUSHINO-E. Carolina, Smith 34-169, Blanlon 5-19. Kentucky, IrVilHama 25-129, Hood 9-75, O'Ferral 9-38, Riazzi 6-31.

PASSING-f Carolina Mattison S-16-1- Jacobs 0-1-M. Kentucky, q1Ferral6-16-3-34, 1 RECEIVING E. Carolina, Latch 2-17, Compter 2-14. Kentucky, Browning 2-14, Wyatt 2-10. RUSHINQ-Maryland, AWilliams 17-93, Mfuon 8-4f.

Nfli Slate, Downs 15-89, Cotton 747, Matier 4-45, Harvey 448 PASSINQ-Maryland, Mffaoovlch 22-28244. Foley N.C. Slate, Harvey 2147-1-264. I RECEtVING-Maryland, Simon 9-98, Weaver 7-45, Krsmm 670. N.C.

State, Goines 5-1 18, Hinton 548..