SEC report

LITTLE ROCK — Spurrier gives nod to defense

South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier is known as an offensive genius, but he appreciates defense, too.

That's why Spurrier gave a game ball to defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson after the Gamecocks beat North Carolina State 34-0 in their season opener last Thursday.

Johnson, who was defensive coordinator at Arkansas for one month last winter after being at Mississippi State for four years, helped lead South Carolina to its first shutout in two years, since an 18-0 victory over Georgia in 2006.

The Gamecocks allowed just 138 total yards, the fewest in Spurrier's four seasons at South Carolina.

"For the most part, the things that we've been really harping on and trying to emphasize, the kids are buying into it," Johnson said. "It looked like the effort and intensity and everything was there."

South Carolina forced four turnovers and did not allow the Wolfpack to cross midfield in the second half. North Carolina State's deepest drive, to the South Carolina 32 in the first half, resulted in a missed field goal.

"Coach Johnson ... he's old school, and I guess that's what we need around here," South Carolina junior cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said.

"When you get all 11 to the ball, anything can happen." ALABAMA Cautious Saban

Expectations always are high at Alabama, but might be out of control after the Crimson Tide pounded Clemson 34-0 to open the season.

So Tide Coach Nick Saban made sure his postgame comments included a lecture on keeping things in perspective.

"What our players need to understand, what our fans need to understand, what everybody needs to understand - it's one game," Saban said. "It's one game. All right?

"We need to keep playing better, and we need to improve, and our players need to have the focus to improve, and remember how they got where they got." Franchione on radio

Dennis Franchione is out of coaching for this season, at least, after resigning under pressure at Texas A&M. He's working this season as a color analyst for ESPN Radio and called the Alabama-Clemsongame.

As Franchione noted in a pregame interview with the Birmingham News, he did know a little about Alabama, a team he coached in 2001 and 2002 before bolting for Texas A&M.

"We all make mistakes," Franchione said of his departure from Alabama. "I certainly wish that that hadn't turned out that way. I regret that.

"Sometimes it's late in the season, you're so tired and worn down, you don't think as well as you should have.

There's no doubt there's a lot of things about that I could've done differently." GEORGIA Owens out

Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the first quarter of Georgia's 45-21 victory over Georgia Southern. He'll undergo reconstructive knee surgery and is expected to return for his fifth year of eligibility next season.

During preseason practice, the Bulldogs lost starting offensive tackle Trinton Sturdivant to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"At this rate, we won't last very long," Georgia Coach Mark Richt said. "We can'tafford much more there.

"I think we've got pretty good depth still at both spots if you're thinking about trying to finish out the season. But much more trouble there and we might really get thin."

Walsh impressive

One weakness for Georgia going into this season was breaking in true freshman place-kicker Blair Walsh.

But Walsh looked pretty sharp in his first game, hitting a 52-yard field goal and all six of his extra-point attempts against Georgia Southern and handled kickoffs.

"I'm on cloud nine," Walsh said. "The fact we won and the fact that I performed the way I wanted to perform, I couldn't be happier." Great Scott

The impending arrival of Hurricane Gustav last weekend forced LSU to have a 10 a.m.

kickoff against Appalachian State, earliest in school history.

But it didn't seem to bother the Tigers, especially tailback Charles Scott, who rushed 16 times for a career-high 160 yards in LSU's 41-13 victory.

"I like to get up and go play early anyway," Scott said.

"When you have a 7 p.m. game or a game late in the day, it gets to dragging and it's a long day. I liked getting out there."

Scott ran 56 yards on the Tigers' first play.

"I almost didn't know what to do, the hole was so big," Scott said. "Everybody was blocked."

LSU postponed Saturday's game with Troy because of damage to Tiger Stadium and power outages caused by Hurricane Gustav.

MISSISSIPPI WildRebel

Ole Miss receiver Dexter McCluster did well in his debut taking direct snaps at quarterback in the WildRebel package.

The Rebels used the formation 10 times for 163 yards in their 41-24 victory over Memphis, including a play on which McCluster handed off to tailback Brandon Bolden, who then passed to quarterback Jevan Snead for a 37-yard gain.

Powe plays

After a two-year wait to become academically eligible at Ole Miss, defensive tackle Jerrell Powe finally made his college debut against Memphis.

Powe played sparingly off the bench, but made a tackle.

He figures to play more as the season goes on, but has to knock off some rust.

"It was a lot better than sitting in the stands the last couple years," Powe said. "I was real nervous. I just kept trying to think about making plays out there." TENNESSEE

Foster's fumbles

After making a 41-yard run to put Tennessee in scoring position against UCLA in the third quarter, senior tailback Arian Foster lost a fumble on a drive that could have put the Volunteers ahead 21-7 in a game they eventually lost 27-24 in overtime.

It was the latest of several costly fumbles for Foster. He also lost the ball at the goal line in the final minute of a loss to South Carolina in 2005, lost a fumble that Penn State returned 88 yards for a touchdown in the 2007 Outback Bowl and lost a fumble against Florida last season that was returned 18 yards for a touchdown.

FLORIDA Bring on the 'Canes

Florida receiver Louis Murphy has some extra incentive for Saturday's game against Miami. The senior from St. Petersburg, Fla., wanted to play for the Hurricanes, but wasn't recruited by Miami.

"[Miami] was my top school because at the time I was coming out they were loaded," Murphy said. "They were actually good then. I wanted to go there and be a part of that receiving crew. They didn't recruit me. They didn't want me.

"Right now, it's fueling me inside."

Florida and Miami are playing for the first time since the 2004 Peach Bowl, which the Hurricanes won 27-10 for their sixth consecutive victory in the series.

AUBURN Todd to start

Junior Chris Todd will start at quarterback for Auburn in Saturday's game against Southern Mississippi.

Tigers Coach Tommy Tuberville already had decided to start Todd before Kodi Burns sustained a deep cut on his left leg in last week's 34-0 victory over Louisiana-Monroe.

Burns, a sophomore from Fort Smith Northside, started the opener, and Tuberville said the plan was to let Todd start the second game.

Burns likely will play off the bench if he's healthy enough.

After Todd and Burns alternated series last week, Tuberville said he wants one quarterback to emerge to lead to the offense.

"You've got to have a guy who you know can go out there and be your starter, and I've said that all along," Tuberville said. "There's going to be a battle all year long, and, hopefully, they'll stay close because it'll make them and the team better."

Two-minute drill

Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith remains questionable for Saturday's game against Tulane because ofsprained knee.

Florida like will have receiver Percy Harvin (heel) and middle linebacker Brandon Spikes (foot) back for the Miami game.

Auburn freshman receiver Philip Pierre-Louis injured his knee on the opening kickoff against Louisiana-Monroe and is out for the season.

Georgia has a new Bulldog mascot this season, Uga VII, after the death of Uga VI. There was video tribute to Uga VI on the Sanford Stadium scoreboard before the Bulldogs' opener against Georgia Southern.

Tommy Beecher will be South Carolina's starting quarterback at Vanderbilt tonight after playing well off the bench against North Carolina State last week, when he threw three touchdown passes.

Information for this report was contributed by SEC beat writers.