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Ingram, Tide improve to 10-0

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The Associated Press

Published: November 15, 2009

Updated: 11/15/2009 12:11 am

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mark Ingram rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns, Greg McElroy threw two long scoring passes and No. 3 Alabama improved to 10-0 for the second straight year with a 31-3 win against Mississippi State on Saturday night.

Mark Barron made his fifth and six interceptions of the season, most in the Southeastern Conference, and helped the Crimson Tide (7-0 SEC) smother the Bulldogs (4-6, 2-4).

The Alabama offense matched the defense big play for big play, and did it without a turnover or penalty.

Ingram had a workmanlike night until midway through the fourth quarter when he ripped off a 70-yard scoring run untouched. That one-play drive came after McElroy hit Julio Jones with a 48-yard touchdown pass on the previous drive, which also went for one play.

The Crimson Tide are already locked into the SEC title game.

NO. 9 LSU 24, LA. TECH 16

BATON ROUGE, La. - Keiland Williams ran for 116 yards and two second-half touchdowns, helping LSU fend off upset-minded Louisiana Tech.

Williams' first score, on a powerful 3-yard run that moved the pile, gave LSU (8-2) a 17-13 lead midway through third quarter. His 9-yard TD in the fourth quarter made it a two-score game with a little over seven minutes to go.
Louisiana Tech (3-7) hasn't beaten LSU since 1904, but led 13-10 at halftime after running back Daniel Porter took a direct snap on a fourth-down play and lobbed a 1-yard jump pass to tight end Dennis Morris as time expired in the second quarter.

MISSISSIPPI 42,

TENNESSEE 17

OXFORD, Miss. - Dexter McCluster ran for 282 yards and finished with 324 all-purpose yards, setting two Mississippi (7-3, 3-3) records.

McCluster broke the Rebels' single-game rushing record of 242 set by Dou Innocent in 1995. He eclipsed the all-purpose mark of 317 yards by Deuce McAllister in 1999.

McCluster scored on runs of 15, 23, 32 and 71 yards in Ole Miss' first win against the Vols since 1983 - and the best rushing day a player has ever had against Tennessee (5-5, 2-4).

KENTUCKY 24,

VANDERBILT 13

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Randall Cobb ran for two touchdowns, Derrick Locke rushed for a career-high 144 yards and a touchdown, and Kentucky became bowl eligible for a school record fourth straight year.

Kentucky (6-4, 2-4) has won seven of the past nine in this series.

Vanderbilt (2-9, 0-7) had its best scoring game this season against an SEC opponent. But the Commodores blew a 13-10 halftime lead and lost their seventh straight after being shut out in the second half. They managed a mere 31 yards offense in the second half.

GEORGIA 31, AUBURN 24

ATHENS, Ga. - Caleb King ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, Bacarri Rambo made a jarring tackle that likely saved the tying score and Georgia assured itself of bowl eligibility with its fourth straight win in the Deep South's oldest rivalry.

The Bulldogs (6-4, 4-3) looked like they were headed for a blowout loss when Auburn (7-4, 3-4) scored on its first two possessions for a 14-0 lead. But Georgia rallied, taking the lead for good on King's second TD run from 24 yards out with 6:52 remaining.

Auburn was driving to force overtime when Chris Todd lofted a pass over the middle for Mario Fannin, who was hauling it in at the goal line until Rambo flew out of nowhere to knock the ball away.

ARKANSAS 56, TROY 20

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Ryan Mallett broke Arkansas' single-season passing record and threw five touchdown passes.

Mallett threw for 405 yards, bringing his season total to 2,882. He surpassed Clint Stoerner's mark of 2,629 in the second quarter.

Arkansas (6-4) has won three straight games for the first time under Coach Bobby Petrino, who took over before last season.

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