For Florida, Fun Is Back and So Is Gun

The Fun ‘N’ Gun offense of No. 2 Florida isn’t dead yet.

Doug Johnson tied a school record with seven touchdown passes in the first half, and the Gators set a school mark with nine overall in an 82-6 victory over Central Michigan Saturday at Gainesville, Fla.

Florida (2-0) set a modern school record for points and put on the kind of offensive display it needed going into a Sept. 20 showdown with No. 3 Tennessee.

The Gators got little resistance from the Chippewas (1-1), who couldn’t put any pressure on Johnson or keep up with the receivers and backs.

Freshman Bo Carroll rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns in only seven carries and Fred Taylor had nine carries for 106 yards.

Johnson, who threw three interceptions in his first start last week, threw three touchdown passes to fullback Terry Jackson, two to Jamie Richardson and one each to Jacquez Green and fullback Rod Frazier.

His seven touchdowns tied the record set by Terry Dean in a 70-21 victory over New Mexico State in 1994. Dean threw all of his touchdowns in the first half, too.

Noah Brindise threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Erron Kinney and Canadian freshman Jesse Palmer threw an eight-yard score to Ian Skinner to give the Gators the school record for touchdown passes in a game. The previous record was eight, also against New Mexico State. The 82 points were the second-most ever for Florida, which beat Southern, 114-0, in 1913.

The offensive burst came a week after a 21-6 victory over Southern Mississippi, in which the offense had only 357 yards to rank last among Southeastern Conference teams.

Florida’s speed was simply too much for the Chippewas and Johnson used it every chance he could. None of his seven touchdown passes were contested, and only three of them were actually thrown into the end zone.

By the middle of the second quarter, fans were waving orange signs that read, “Bring on the Vols,” and a dozen reporters turned their backs on a Florida scoring drive to watch the outcome of Tennessee’s 30-24 victory over UCLA on television.

No. 10 Louisiana State 55, Texas El Paso 3--Kevin Faulk scored three touchdowns in the first half as the Tigers overcame numerous penalties and mistakes to rout the Miners at Baton Rouge, La.

Faulk, who gained 84 yards in 12 carries, left the game two minutes into the third quarter after pulling his left hamstring on a 40-yard run.

It was the most points scored by LSU in a season opener since 1930. Texas El Paso (0-1) lost its eighth consecutive game, going back to last year’s 2-9 season.

Mississippi State 35, Kentucky 27--The Bulldogs won this SEC game at Starksville, Miss., despite Kentucky sophomore quarterback Tim Couch tying a Southeastern Conference record with 39 completions.

The key was Mississippi State’s pressure defense recording five sacks.

Brian Hazelwood’s third field goal, a 32-yarder with 7:14 left, put the Bulldogs (2-0, 1-0) ahead for good at 28-27.

Couch completed 39 of 61 passes, both Kentucky records, for 349 yards and four touchdowns. It was his second 300-yard game in as many games as Kentucky’s starter. He set a school record of 36 completions in 50 attempts last week against Louisville.

The Wildcats dropped to 1-1, 0-1.

Mississippi 23, Southern Methodist 15--Freshman Duece McAllister rushed for 92 yards to lead the Rebels past the Mustangs at Oxford, Miss.

SMU, which lost its debut under Coach Mike Cavan, wasn’t out of contention until a onside kick failed after a last-minute touchdown.

Steve Lindsey made a 20-yard field goal with 1:50 left that extended the Mississippi’s lead to 23-7.

SMU backup quarterback Chris Sanders directed a seven-play, 81-yard scoring drive that ended on his one-yard touchdown pass to Jack Brewer with 17 seconds left. After converting the two-point conversion with a pass, the Mustangs failed on an onside kick and Mississippi (2-0) ran out the clock.

South Carolina 33, Central Florida 31--Anthony Wright threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score, helping the Gamecocks earn the victory in their season-opener at Columbia, S.C.

Wright connected with Kerry Hood for two touchdown passes in the first half, then teamed with Jermale Kelly for a six-yard scoring play in the fourth quarter as the Gamecocks scored 20 consecutive points to survive a tough opening test from the Golden Knights (0-2).

Arkansas 28, Northeast Louisiana 16--Chrys Chukwuma scored his third touchdown early in the second half and linebacker Harry Wilson followed moments later with a 52-yard interception return for a touchdowns as the Hogs opened their season with a victory at Fayetteville, Ark.

Northeast Louisiana (1-1) made only four first downs and 52 yards, including a net eight rushing, in the first half. Arkansas charged to a 28-3 lead before Northeast scored two touchdowns in the final eight minutes.