Around the SEC: Week 4
While Mizzou was opening its SEC schedule with a 29-20 win against South Carolina, the rest of the SEC was having a crazy day. For those who weren’t interested in watching nine other games Saturday, here is a rundown of the conference slate from Week 4.
All rankings will be from when the games were played. So they are before Sunday’s update.
No. 11 Oklahoma 24, No. 22 Auburn 17
In the lone other conference matchup on the week, No. 11 Oklahoma came out on top with the help of a touchdown the conference quickly said should not have counted.
With the game tied at 3 in the second quarter, Isaiah Sategna ran toward the sideline and stopped before reaching it. He tricked the Auburn defense into not guarding him and John Mateer tossed him an easy 24-yard touchdown.
The conference released a statement after the game saying it was “unfair tactics” and should not have counted.
But it did and Oklahoma won by a touchdown.
Auburn responded with a touchdown to take the game into halftime tied at 10.
Oklahoma kicked two field goals to go up 16-10, but Malcolm Simmons ran in a 4-yard touchdown to put Auburn in front 17-16 with 7:08 left to play.
Mateer responded with a 9-yard rushing touchdown with 4:54 left in the game, then Oklahoma took down Jackson Arnold for a safety with 1:06 on the clock. The Arnold revenge game did not go how he probably hoped.
Oklahoma out gained Auburn 303-287 overall and 271-220 in the air. Auburn led 67-32 on the ground.
Mateer completed 24-of-36 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown. He led the Sooners with 29 rushing yards and a score.
Arnold went 21-of-32 for 220 yards and one touchdown.
Jeremiah Cobb led Auburn with 61 rushing yards.
Cam Coleman led the Tigers with 88 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Sategna ended with 127 yards and a score for Oklahoma.
No. 11 Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0) will be on a bye in Week 5.
No. 22 Auburn (3-1, 0-1) will take on No. 10 Texas A&M (3-0, 0-0) at 2:30 p.m.
Memphis 32, Arkansas 31
In one of the most fun matchups of Saturday, Arkansas jumped ahead, but Memphis clawed back to win its fourth consecutive game against a Power-4 team.
It’s most recent Power-4 loss? Mizzou in 2023.
Arkansas took the initial lead when Taylen Green hit Rohan Jones for a 62-yard touchdown, but Memphis responded with a field goal and a touchdown with 20 seconds left in the first to take a 10-7 lead into the second.
Arkansas was able to pour it on in the second, scoring three times. Braylen Russell ran in a 16-yard touchdown, Jones added a 5-yard scoring run and Mike Washington ran in a 1-yard score to put the Razorbacks up 28-10.
Memphis scored with 31 seconds left to cut the deficit to 28-17 going into halftime.
In the third quarter, Both teams kicked a field goal and Memphis added a score with 1:40 left to go into the fourth with Arkansas leading 31-26.
Then Memphis finished the game when Sutton Smith broke free for a 64-yard touchdown to put Memphis up by the final margin of 1 point.
Arkansas led Memphis 500-489 in total yards and 325-199 passing. But Memphis led 290-175 in rushing yards.
Green completed 18-of-34 passes for 325 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He had another couple of throws that could have been intercepted, but weren’t.
Washington led Arkansas with 70 rushing yards and a score.
Memphis had two 100-yard rushers in Smith (147) and Brendon Lewis (103).
Jones led Arkansas with 102 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Arkansas (2-2, 0-1) will host Notre Dame (1-2) at 11 a.m. Saturday.
No. 4 Miami 26, Florida 7
Florida continues to fall apart. Though losing to the No. 4 team isn’t all that bad.
Miami jumped ahead 13-0 going into halftime, then closed the game with 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Florida’s lone touchdown came on a 7-yard Jaden Baugh run in the third quarter.
Miami led Florida 344-141 in total yards, 160-61 in passing yards and 184-80 in rushing yards.
DJ Lagway was 12-of-23 passing for 61 yards and was sacked four times.
Former SEC quarterback Carson Beck went 17-of-30 for 160 yards and an interception.
Baugh led Florida with 46 rushing yards and a score. No Gator receiver had 25 yards.
Florida (1-3, 0-1) will be on a bye in Week 5.
No. 15 Tennessee 56, UAB 24
Alright, onto the blowouts.
Tennessee scored 21 in the first quarter, 21 more in the second and 14 in the third before calling off the dogs.
The Volunteers led 510-394 in total yards and 235-23 in rushing yards. UAB led 371-275 in passing yards.
Joey Aguilar completed 15-of-22 passes for 218 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Jake Merklinger came on in relief and went 3-of-8 for 57 yards.
Peyton Lewis led Tennessee with 81 rushing yards and a score, while DeSean Bishop added 59 yards and two scores on the ground. Star Thomas had 51 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Chris Brazzell was the leading receiver with 62 yards and a a score, while Mike Matthews added 53 yards and a touchdown. Thomas had one 17-yard catch for a touchdown.
No. 15 Tennessee (3-1, 0-1) will play at Mississippi State (4-0, 0-0) at 3:15 p.m. Saturday.
No. 13 Ole Miss 45, Tulane 10
Ole Miss scored 10 points in the first quarter and 13 in the second to take a 23-3 lead into halftime. Then the Rebels scored 22 in the fourth to pull away for good.
The Rebels led 548-282 in total yards, 307-104 in passing yards and 241-178 in rushing yards.
Trinidad Chambliss, in his second straight start at quarterback, was 17-of-27 passing for 307 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the Rebels on the ground with 112 yards.
Former Tiger Kewan Lacy had 18 carries for 68 yards and two scores, while Logan Diggs added 20 yards and a touchdown.
Deuce Alexander was the leading receiver with 94 yards and a touchdown, while Dae’Quan Wright had an 71 yards and a score.
No. 13 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0) will host No. 3 LSU (4-0, 1-0) in one of the premier matchups of next weekend at 2:30 p.m. on ABC.
Mississippi State 38, NIU 10
Mississippi State scored 24 unanswered points in the second half to pull away after taking a 14-10 lead into halftime.
The Bulldogs led 452-267 in total yards, 160-142 in passing yards and 292-125 in rushing yards.
Blake Shapen went 12-of-20 passing for 160 yards and a touchdown.
Fluff Bothwell (what a name) led the Bulldogs with 101 rushing yards, while Xavier Gayten had 45 yards and a score. Davon Booth added 22 yards and two touchdowns, while Brenen Thompson had one 10-yard touchdown run.
Anthony Evans was Mississippi State’s leading receiver with 80 yards, while Seydou Traore caught the lone passing touchdown for his lone catch. He totaled 1 yard.
Mississippi State (4-0, 0-0) will host No. 15 Tennessee (3-1, 0-1) at 3:15 p.m. Saturday.
No. 3 LSU 56, Southeastern Louisiana 10
A 28-point second quarter helped LSU jump out to a 42-0 lead before sending in the backups in the third quarter.
LSU led 530-204 in total yards, 395-116 in passing yards and 135-88 in rushing yards.
Garrett Nussmeier went 25-of-31 passing for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Michael Van Buren (last year’s starter at Mississippi State) completed 10-of-12 passes for 122 yards and a score in relief.
Ju’Juan Johnson led LSU with 43 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Van Buren had 16 yards and a score on the ground, while Nussmeier had 10 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Bauer Sharp led LSU with 73 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Barion Brown had 54 yards and a score. Kyle Parker added 52 yards and a touchdown and Zavion Thomas had 26 yards and a score.
No. 3 LSU (4-0, 1-0) will go on the road to face No. 13 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
No. 20 Vanderbilt 70, Georgia State 21
Oh boy, 70 points for Vanderbilt isn’t something I thought I would type at any point.
The Commodores scored 21 points in the first, 21 more in the second, 14 in the third and 14 in the fourth.
Vanderbilt led 635-290 in total yards, 349-258 in passing yards and 286-32 in rushing yards.
Diego Pavia went 18-of-24 passing for 245 yards and a touchdown. Whit Muschamp was 2-of-3 passing for 40 yards, Blaze Berlowitz completed 2-of-5 for 36 yards and Drew Dickey went 1-of-2 for 28 yards.
Pavia led the ground game with 86 yards and a touchdown, while Makhilyn Young added 64 yards and a touchdown on just two attempts. Berlowitz had 63 yards and a score on just four carries.
AJ Newberry had 17 yards and two touchdowns. Dickey had 13 yards and a score and Sedrick Alexander added 13 yards and a touchdown. Junior Sherrill had 4 yards and a rushing score.
No. 20 Vanderbilt (4-0, 1-0) will host Utah State (3-1) at 11:45 a.m. Saturday.
No. 8 Texas 55, Sam Houston State 0
Texas scored 14 in the first, 17 in the second, 17 in the third and added a fourth-quarter touchdown for good measure.
The Longhorns led 607-113 in total yards, 343-86 in passing yards and 264-27 in rushing yards.
Arch Manning had a get-right game and went 18-of-21 passing for 309 yards and three touchdowns. Matthew Caldwell went 4-of-6 passing for 27 yards and Karle Lacey Jr. completed one pass for 7 yards.
Christian Clark led Texas’ rushing attack with 62 yards and a score, while Jerrick Gibson added 53 yards and a score. Manning ran in two touchdowns.
Ryan Wingo was the Longhorns’ primary target, catching four passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Washington had 33 yards and the other touchdown.
No. 8 Texas (3-1, 0-0) will have a bye next week.
Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and Texas A&M were on a bye.