SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 13, 2010
Amidst questions concerning his eligibility, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton passed for 147 yards and two scores and rushed for 151 yards and two more touchdowns, leading No. 2 Auburn to a 49-31 home victory against Georgia on Saturday.
The Tigers (11-0, 7-0 SEC) rolled up 465 yards of total offense en route to clinching the SEC Western Division title and maintaining their national title hopes. With 318 rushing yards, the Tigers topped 300 yards on the ground for the sixth consecutive SEC game.
The Bulldogs (5-6, 3-5 SEC) took a 21-7 lead in the first quarter, but Onterio McCalebb scored the first of his three rushing touchdowns to cut the lead in half and Newton threw the first of his two scoring tosses to Philip Lutzenkirchen to tie it with 56 seconds left in the half.
Georgia couldn't keep pace in the second half, as McCalebb added two more touchdown runs and Newton and Lutzenkirchen hooked up for another score before Newton put it away with a 1-yard plunge. McCalebb rushed for 73 yards on 12 carries.
Newton became the first SEC player and the seventh in NCAA history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. With 61 rushing yards, Michael Dyer passed Bo Jackson for Auburn's freshman rushing record.
Georgia's Aaron Murray threw for 273 yards on 15-of-28 passing with three touchdowns and no interceptions before leaving with an apparent knee injury on the Bulldogs' final drive. A.J. Green caught two of those touchdown passes, finishing with eight catches for 157 yards.
Auburn defensive end MIchael Goggans and defensive tackle Mike Blanc were ejected in the fourth quarter for throwing punches after consecutive plays. Both will have to sit out the first half of Auburn's regular-season finale at Alabama on Nov. 26.