SEC FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Vanderbilt moves ball just enough to beat Missouri

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In an epic defensive struggle, Vanderbilt’s ability to move the ball just enough proved to be the difference in the Commodores’ 10-3 victory over Missouri at Vanderbilt Stadium on Saturday.

The Commodores, led by 157 rushing yards between running backs Ralph Webb and Darrius Sims, kept the ball for 38:24 and had 18 first downs to the Tigers’ 10, giving coach Derek Mason his first Southeastern Conference win.

Missouri went more than 40 minutes between first downs, and yet the Tigers still had a chance to win late after Vandy’s Tommy Openshaw hit a 40-yard field goal, putting VU up 10-3 with 9:12 left.

Openshaw clanked a 32-yard attempt off the right upright with 1:58 left, giving Missouri one last chance. The Tigers moved to the VU 13-yard line with under a minute to play, but four incompletions killed the drive.

Missouri managed just one first down in the first half, but the Tigers managed a field goal thanks to defensive end Charles Harris’ sack and subsequent strip of Vanderbilt quarterback Kyle Shurmur. That set up Andrew Baggett’s 35-yard field goal with 1:17 left in the half.

Vanderbilt’s score came with 11:27 left in the half, when Webb dove over on a third-and-goal from the shadow of the Tigers’ goal line.

No. 5 LSU 48, Western Kentucky 20

If only for a moment, Jamal Adams resurrected a maligned unit.

Then, he sealed his team’s fate.

Adams, a safety, playing on a special teams unit that ranked 114th out of 128 in special teams efficiency when Saturday began, stripped wide receiver Kylan Towner on a third-quarter kickoff to spark a frenzied stretch that saw LSU score three touchdowns in less than five minutes to put away Western Kentucky.

Adams’ strip followed Trent Domingue’s second field goal of the third quarter and paved the way for running back Leonard Fournette to provide some separation, scoring from a yard out three plays later to push the LSU lead to 27-13.

Hilltopper quarterback Brandon Doughty, who completed his first six passes of the half, found Adams on the next drive, flinging an errant throw that easily was intercepted.

Three plays later, Tiger quarterback Brandon Harris created time in a broken down pocket to find wide receiver Tyron Johnson, who wrestled a 61-yard touchdown away from two defenders.

Harris outdueled Doughty — the nation’s second leading passer — with a career-high 286 yards and three touchdowns to three receivers.

Doughty, who attempted a season-high 62 passes, found a wide-open wide receiver Antwane Grant for a 39-yard touchdown strike on the Hilltoppers’ first second-half possession, eluding coverage and streaking wide open down the sidelines to pull the visitors within four at 17-13 after a missed extra point.

Though infrequent, heavy rain fell throughout the first half, it was two huge pass plays that sent LSU into the half with a 14-7 lead.

Harris rolled out on the Tigers’ fifth play from scrimmage, finding a wide-open wide receiver Malachi Dupre in the middle of the field for a 55-yard touchdown — the longest reception of the season for the sophomore receiver to cap a 70-yard drive.

Missing a starting cornerback and with an in-game injury to another, LSU’s secondary held Doughty to 128 yards on a 16-for-30 clip, which included three pass break-ups.

Doughty set up the Hilltoppers’ only score of the first half with the run, handing it to running back De’Andre Ferby who scampered 35 yards to put Western Kentucky in the red zone on its first drive of the second quarter. Two plays later, Doughty shoveled a pass in the face of pressure, connecting with running back Anthony Wales for the tying touchdown.

Harris, who completed just four passes in the first half, countered with a strike to wide receiver Travin Dural from his own 7-yard-line late in the half, resulting in a 67-yard gain.

Five plays later, running back Darrell Williams plunged in from 2 yards out to put the Tigers up 14-7 with 1:25 left.

No. 24 Ole Miss 23, No. 15 Texas A&M 3

A week after suffering a disappointing loss to Memphis, No. 24 Mississippi bounced back with a 23-3 victory over No. 15 Texas A&M in front of a season-high crowd of 60,674 on Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Laremy Tunsil returned to the lineup at offensive tackle and the Rebels’ running game showed dramatic improvement even though it settled for field goals in the first half.

And even without defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche in the lineup, Ole Miss more than held its own against the Aggies’ passing attack.

Texas A&M quarterback Kyle Allen was held to 90 yards in the first half. Allen, who threw three interceptions that were returned for touchdowns in the Aggies’ loss to Alabama, was intercepted by Kendarius Webster late in the first half.

It didn’t get any better for Allen the second half. He didn’t complete a pass in the third quarter, going 0 of 13, and his night came to an end early in the fourth quarter. He finished 12 of 34 for a career-low 88 yards.

Ole Miss (6-2, 3-1 SEC) had 141 yards on the ground in the first half after running for just 40 in the game against Memphis. The Rebels finished Saturday night with 230 yards.

Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly had a quiet first half by his standards, throwing for 116 yards.

Kelly’s arm strength and accuracy were on display early in the third quarter when he hit wide-open Laquon Treadwell for a 58-yard touchdown. That score put the Rebels up 23-3 and set the stage for the Land Shark defense to feast the rest of the way.

Kelly put a wrap on Ole Miss’ fifth home win this season by completing 25 of 40 passes for 239 yards. The only negative in his stat line were three interceptions.

The Rebels never trailed after they scored on their second possession of the game. Kelly found tight end Evan Engram for a 7-yard touchdown with 2:33 left in the first quarter.

Ole Miss led as much as 13 points before A&M got on the board for the first time. Gary Wunderlich had three field goals in the first half after missing his initial attempt on the Rebels’ first drive. His 22-yarder was set up by Webster’s interception at the A&M 33.

The Rebels clamped down on the Aggies defensively, allowing only 192 total yards.

Mississippi State 42, Kentucky 16

Quarterback Dak Prescott completely dominated Mississippi State’s 42-16 Southeastern Conference rout of Kentucky on Saturday night.

As the cowbell-ringing audience at Davis Wade Stadium loudly sounded its approval, Prescott accounted for every Bulldog score, compiling 465 of his team’s 586 yards. He threw for 348 and ran for 117.

The Wildcats (4-3, 2-3) led 10-7 after one quarter, on a 2-yard sneak by quarterback Patrick Towles and a 44-yard field goal by Austin MacGinnis. But Prescott erased that during a 21-point second quarter.

After hooking up with wide receiver De’Runnya Wilson on a 13-yard touchdown pass to give Mississippi State (6-2, 2-2) the lead, Prescott found running back Brandon Holloway for an 8-yard scoring strike with 1:34 left in the half, then scored on a 20-yard run a minute later for a 28-10 lead.

MacGinnis’ 48- and 32-yard field goals pulled Kentucky within 28-16, but Prescott connected with tight end Darrion Hutcherson on a 13-yard touchdown pass with 59 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Prescott’s 18-yard run with 9:14 left in the game wrapped up the scoring.