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Ole Miss holds off LSU

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The Associated Press

Published: November 22, 2009

Updated: 11/22/2009 12:44 am

OXFORD, Miss. - Former Largo High standout Dexter McCluster ran for 148 yards and passed for a touchdown, and Mississippi survived a last-ditch drive by 10th-ranked LSU for a 25-23 victory Saturday.

After recovering an onside kick, LSU's Jordan Jefferson heaved a pass to Terrance Tolliver that he caught at the Ole Miss 6 with one second left. The Tigers had no timeouts and didn't send the field goal unit onto the field, and the clock expired as they tried to spike the ball.

The win likely gives Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3) second place in the SEC West with a game left to play, and an edge over LSU (8-3, 4-3) when bowl invitations are handed out.

McCluster took a handoff, ran right, then pulled up and hit wide-open Shay Hodge with a 27-yard TD pass for the first completion of his career midway through the fourth quarter.

Jefferson rallied the Tigers with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Rueben Randle with 1:17 left, but Cassius Vaughn broke up a 2-point conversion pass to preserve the Rebels' lead.

NO. 2 ALABAMA 45,

CHATTANOOGA 0

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Mark Ingram ran for 102 yards and two long touchdowns in the first half, and Alabama breezed to a win.

The Crimson Tide (11-0) raced to a 35-0 halftime lead and showed no signs of a letdown ahead of games with rival Auburn and No. 1 Florida. That enabled many of the starters to take a break in the second half against the FCS Mocs (6-5).

ARKANSAS 42,

MISSISSIPPI STATE 21

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Ryan Mallett threw for 313 yards and five touchdowns to lead Arkansas (7-4, 3-4).

Mallett's final TD pass was his 28th of the season, a school record.

Anthony Dixon rushed for 176 yards for Mississippi State (4-7, 2-5), which was eliminated from bowl contention.

TENNESSEE 31,

VANDERBILT 16

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Jonathan Crompton threw for two touchdowns as Tennessee (6-5, 3-4) beat its in-state rival to become bowl eligible. The Commodores (2-10, 0-8) finished without a conference win for the first time since 2002.

KENTUCKY 34,

GEORGIA 27

ATHENS, Ga. - Randall Cobb ran for two touchdowns and Kentucky (7-4, 3-4) took advantage of four Georgia second-half turnovers to beat the Bulldogs (6-5, 4-4) for the Wildcats' first win in Athens in 32 years.

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