Unfazed Cam propels Auburn

The unbeatens all took shots from unranked opponents, responded one way or another, and stayed perfect.
Cam Newton and No. 1 Auburn rolled past Georgia 49-31 after being down 21-7 in the first half, while No. 3 TCU spotted San Diego State the first 14 points before going on to win 40-35.
No. 1 Oregon got the biggest scare, needing a defensive effort and the help of a missed field goal to beat California 15-13.
No. 4 Boise State got to sit back and watch the other national championship contender after staying perfect with a 52-14 victory at Idaho on Friday.
Newton seemed unaffected by a tumultuous week in which it was reported that his father asked Mississippi State for money for his son to play for the Bulldogs.
Auburn 49, Georgia 31
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Cam Newton responded to allegations of wrongdoing by passing for two touchdowns and running for two more to lead Auburn into the SEC title game.
The Tigers (11-0, 7-0) will face South Carolina for the conference title Dec. 4, and have their eyes on a national crown.
Newton carried 30 times for 151 yards and completed 12-of-15 passes for 148 yards.
Alabama 30, Miss. St. 10
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Greg McElroy passed for 227 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown to Mark Ingram, and Alabama rolled over Mississippi State.
The Tide used big plays to punch up the offense after the Bulldogs kept Ingram and the short-handed running game from producing much. Instead, Alabama had scores of 45, 78 and 56 yards on three consecutive offensive plays starting in the second quarter to run away with it.
It didn’t matter that the game kicked off around the time rival Auburn was clinching the SEC West championship with a win over Georgia, ending Alabama’s two-year run on top.
S.Carolina 36, Florida 14
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Marcus Lattimore ran 40 times for a career-high 212 yards and three touchdowns, Stephen Garcia played turnover-free and Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks upset Florida to clinch the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division.
The Gamecocks won for the second time in 19 tries against Florida, snapped an 0-for-12 streak in Gainesville and earned a spot in the league title game for the first time. South Carolina (7-3, 5-3 SEC) will play second-ranked Auburn on Dec. 4, with the winner advancing to the Bowl Championship Series.
The Gators (6-4, 4-4) lost to a division opponent for the first time in 17 games, dropped their third consecutive home game and proved they didn’t deserve to play for a championship. It’s the program’s first three-game losing streak at home since 1989.
TCU 40, San Diego St. 35
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Andy Dalton threw three touchdown passes to Jeremy Kerley as TCU rallied from an early two-touchdown deficit, then held on to beat San Diego State.
The Horned Frogs (11-0, 7-0 Mountain West) won their 20th consecutive home game and clinched at least a share of the conference title. They also kept alive their chance to reach the BCS national championship game, but it’ll be interesting to see how poll voters react to the Horned Frogs’ closest game of the season.
San Diego State (7-3, 4-2) led 14-0 less than 6 minutes into the game, before TCU scored touchdowns on five of its last six drives before halftime. The Aztecs didn’t have a first down in that stretch, but three TDs in the final 16 minutes of the game made it close.
Oregon 15, California 13
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Jeff Maehl caught a 29-yard touchdown pass and No. 1 Oregon got stellar effort from its defense and a huge break on a missed field goal to stay unbeaten.
Cliff Harris returned a punt 64 yards for the only touchdown in the first half by the Ducks (10-0, 7-0 Pac-10), who wobbled on the road to the BCS title game.
Darron Thomas led a final drive that chewed up the last 9:32 after a stellar defensive effort by the Bears, who held the nation’s most potent offense to a season-low in yards.
Giorgio Tavecchio missed a 29-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for Cal that would have given the Golden Bears a 16-15 lead. The miss came after he was called for a false start that wiped a 24-yard field goal off the board.
Derrick Hill forced a fumble and recovered it in the end zone for the Bears (5-5, 3-4), who lost in Strawberry Canyon for the first time all season — but only after putting a mighty scare into their first top-ranked opponent in five years.

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