GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Bryce Young's first collegiate road start was a rousing success, a three-touchdown performance that helped top-ranked Alabama hold off No. 11 Florida, 31-29, in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams Saturday.
The defending national champion Crimson Tide (3-0, 1-0) stopped a 2-point conversion with 3:10 left and extended its winning streak to 17, making it 32 in a row against teams from the SEC's Eastern Division.
The Gators (2-1, 0-1) have dropped eight straight in the series and fell to 0-5 against No. 1-ranked teams at Florida Field.
This one was closer than oddsmakers and just about everyone else expected, with 14 1/2-point underdog Florida having a chance to tie the game in the closing minutes despite playing without dynamic backup quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Coach Dan Mullen held Richardson out as a precaution because of a strained right hamstring and said he would only be available in case of an emergency.
That never became the case even though the Gators trailed 21-3 at the end of the first quarter. Young built the lead with TD passes to Jase McClellan, Jahleel Billingsley and Brian Johnson.
The Gators rallied and were in position to tie late. Dameon Pierce capped a 75-yard drive with a 17-yard run that made it 31-29. But fellow running back Malik Davis failed to get the 3 yards needed on the 2-point conversion.
Memphis 31,
Miss. State 29
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Calvin Austin scored three second-half touchdowns including a questionable 94-yard punt return in the fourth quarter as Memphis rallied past Mississippi State.
The victory and Austin's punt return culminated a wild final three-plus minutes that included onside kicks, penalties and reviews, such as whether Austin could return the punt on which he scored or if the ball was dead.
In the end, Memphis (3-0) escaped with the victory culminated by a 51-yard field goal from Tiger kicker Joe Doyle with 2:02 left. A two-play drive from Mississippi State (2-1) after the field goal was capped by a 36-yard touchdown from quarterback Will Rogers to Makai Polk. But Rogers run for the 2-point conversion failed, preserving the Memphis victory.
Austin scored on a pair of passes from Seth Henigan - of 21 and 25 yards - before his punt return with 5:36 left. On the play, a Mississippi State player knocked the ball back into the field of play at the goal line.
As the ball was lying on the turf, Austin picked up the ball and headed down the right sideline, the speedster outrunning the surprised Bulldog defenders. That gave Memphis a 28-17 lead.
Kentucky 28, Chattanooga 23
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Will Levis overcame two interceptions to throw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Izayah Cummings, safety Tyrell Ajian returned an interception 95 yards with 7:40 remaining, and Kentucky rallied past Chattanooga.
Considered overmatched in their first meeting against the Southeastern Conference school, the FCS Mocs (1-2) slowly turned a seven-point deficit into a 16-14 lead early in the fourth on Aaron Sears' 30-yard field goal. The Wildcats (3-0) awoke to drive 77 yards for the go-ahead TD, helped by Levis' 21-yard run and a defensive pass interference penalty before the QB hit Cummings with a 31-yard TD pass with 10:18 left.
Kentucky's TD was huge considering it had either turned it over or punted the six previous possessions. For a minute the Wildcats appeared on the brink of becoming this season's latest upset victim to an FCS school.
Chattanooga was on the Kentucky 35 when Cole Copeland, pressured by Wildcats defensive tackle Octavious Oxendine, threw down the middle to an open Ajian for an easy pick. The senior safety found a hole near the left sideline and was almost untouched to provide a needed cushion in a tighter-than-expected contest.
Missouri 59,
SE Missouri 28
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Connor Bazelak squeezed a full day of production into one half Saturday as he led Missouri to a lopsided victory over Southeast Missouri.
Bazelak completed 21 of 30 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers (2-1). He spread the ball to 10 receivers and connected on a 46-yard touchdown pass to D'onte Smith and a 52-yard TD pass to Chance Luper.
Missouri running back Tyler Badie entered the game as the national leader in yards from scrimmage with 392. He played sparingly Saturday against an overmatched FCS opponent, but he made the most of his limited chances, rushing nine times for 81 yards and two touchdowns and catching two passes for 14 yards and another score.
Missouri built a 38-0 halftime lead. In the second half, Brady Cook and Tyler Macon played quarterback for the Tigers. On his first career pass attempt, Macon connected with JJ Hester down the middle on a 65-yard touchdown.