Southeast Roundup : Georgia Grinds Out 28-17 Victory

Rodney Hampton ran for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns and Tim Worley added 144 yards and 2 more scores as No. 12 Georgia overpowered No. 18 Tennessee, 28-17, in a Southeastern Conference game Saturday night at Athens, Ga.

Hampton scored on runs of 43 yards in the first quarter and 2 yards on fourth down with 6:35 remaining for the final score.

Worley’s touchdowns came on a 3-yard run after Georgia recovered a Tennessee fumble, and on a 15-yarder that was set up by Hampton’s 56-yard run.

The ground assault enabled Georgia to start Coach Vince Dooley’s 25th season with a victory, leaving him 7 wins shy of becoming the 10th coach in National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division 1-A history to reach 200 wins.

The Bulldogs had to overcome the passing of Jeff Francis, who became Tennessee’s all-time leader in passing yardage.

Francis hit 25 of 39 passes for 354 yards, lifting his career total to 3,989 and breaking the record of 3,823 set by Alan Cockrell from 1981-83.

Francis scored on a 6-yard scramble, and the other Volunteer touchdown came on a 20-yard run by Reggie Cobb.

Chip McCallum added a 24-yard field goal for Tennessee.

LSU 27, Texas A&M; 0--Quarterback Tommy Hodson had an off night, but the No. 17 Tigers still rolled past the No. 11 Aggies at Baton Rouge, La.

The game was the season opener for LSU, whereas Texas A&M; lost to No. 2 Nebraska last week.

Hodson, a 61% passer for 2 years as a starter, completed only 7 of 27 for 112 yards, but the LSU defense carried the night.

Linebacker Ron Sancho scored a first-quarter touchdown on a 20-yard pass interception, and keyed a defensive effort that kept Texas A&M; out of the end zone on four attempts from the 5-yard line as the fourth quarter began.

Second-string quarterback Mickey Guidry threw a 3-yard touchdown to running back Eddie Fuller in the second quarter and Victor Jones scored on a 1-yard run with 2:41 left in the game. David Browndyke added field goals of 37 yards and 27 yards for LSU.

Florida 69, Montana State 0--Emmitt Smith rushed for 148 yards and 3 touchdowns and Stacey Simmons scored on a 93-yard pass play as the Gators trounced the Bobcats at Gainesville, Fla.

Smith, a sophomore who rushed for 1,341 yards last season, scored on a 19-yard run in the second quarter, when Florida scored 24 points to open a 34-0 halftime lead. He added scoring runs of 3 and 25 yards in the third period.

Simmons’ touchdown reception highlighted the second-quarter scoring burst and was the third-longest pass play in Florida history. He caught the pass from Kyle Morris at the Montana State 40 and ran into the end zone untouched.

Morris, a redshirt freshman, completed 9 of 18 passes for 213 yards.

Kentucky 18, Central Michigan 7--Tailback Ivy Joe Hunter scored on a 4-yard run and linebacker Randy Holleran recovered a fumble for a touchdown as the Wildcats turned back the Chippewas in the rain at Lexington, Ky.

Kentucky held a 9-7 lead going into the third quarter when the rain turned into a downpour and the Wildcats poured it on.

Central Michigan’s reserve quarterback, Jeff Bender, fumbled the snap on the Chippewas’ 3-yard line and the ball rolled into the end zone, where Holleran fell on it.

Bender fumbled his next snap, on the Central Michigan 40-yard line, and the Wildcats were able to capitalize with a 38-yard field goal by Ken Willis for the final points.

Mississippi 24, Memphis State 6--Joe Mickles ran for 109 yards and a touchdown and the Rebels scored 2 touchdowns on special teams as in a victory over the Tigers at Jackson, Miss.

The Rebels got their touchdowns on Mickles’ 13-yard run, a 17-yard blocked punt return by Stevon Moore and an 83-yard punt return by Pat Coleman. Mississippi State also set up Bryan Owen’s 34-yard field goal by blocking a punt.

Mississippi State 21, Louisiana Tech 14--Tailback Hank Phillips made two short touchdown runs and the Bulldogs got past the Bulldogs at Hattiesburg, Miss.

Phillips’ second scoring run broke a 14-14 tie midway through the final period after a 19-yard pass from sophomore Eric Underwood to tight end Sam Wright.