SOUTHEASTERN ROUNDUP : Tennessee Stopped Short by South Carolina

Walk-on linebacker Hank Campbell of South Carolina wrapped his arms around James Stewart, who had no place to run.

Campbell tackled Stewart two yards short of the goal line on a two-point conversion pass play with 1:28 left Saturday and the Gamecocks held on to upset No. 16 Tennessee, 24-23, in a Southeastern Conference game at Columbia, S.C.

“As soon as he caught the ball, I was right there,” Campbell said. “All I had to do was hold on.”

South Carolina, 3-5 overall and 3-4 in the SEC, beat Tennessee (5-3, 3-3) for only the second time in 11 games and the first time since 1903. The Gamecocks have won three consecutive games since the players boycotted practice earlier this month and asked Coach Sparky Woods to quit, but later returned after a series of meetings.

The Volunteers, who have lost three games in a row, pulled to within one point when Mose Phillips took a short pass from Heath Shuler and ran through eight defenders for a 39-yard touchdown.

“On that last touchdown, I thought they weren’t going to be denied,” Woods said. “But on the two-point conversion, I felt our team wasn’t going to be denied.”

The Gamecocks grabbed a 24-17 lead when freshman Steve Taneyhill hit Toby Cates on a three-yard scoring pass with 6:15 left. It was the third long scoring march for the Gamecocks, who also went 90 and 80 yards for scores to take a 14-10 halftime lead.

Tennessee failed to score after driving to the Gamecock 19 on its first possession of the game and to the 10 with 3:25 left. Those were the first times in 25 opportunities this season that the Volunteers failed to score from inside the 20.

Shuler ran 15 yards for a touchdown to give the Volunteers a 17-14 lead with 7:02 left in the third quarter. But South Carolina tied the score on Marty Simpson’s 38-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Arkansas 24, Auburn 24--Scott Etheridge kicked a 27-yard field goal with 3:12 left to give the Tigers a tie with the Razorbacks in an SEC game at Auburn, Ala.

Todd Wright kicked field goals of 47, 42, 48 and 44 yards for Arkansas (2-5-1, 2-3-1), setting a school record of 56 field goals. Steve Little had the mark of 53.

Etheridge, who also kicked field goals of 24 and 45 yards, has 82 points this season, the most by an Auburn kicker.

James Bostic of Auburn (5-3-1, 2-3-1) rushed for high 211 yards and two touchdowns.

Gary Adams’ 85-yard return of an interception for a touchdown on the last play of the first half gave Arkansas an 18-13 lead.

After Wright’s third field goal, Auburn tied it on Bostic’s three-yard scoring run and White’s two-point conversion pass.

Wright put Arkansas back ahead, 24-21, with 9:18 to play.

Mississippi 32, Louisiana State 0--Cory Philpot rushed for 103 yards at Jackson, Miss., and the Rebels (5-3, 4-3) handed the Tigers (1-7, 1-6) a record sixth consecutive setback.