BO NIX

John Metchie caught a scoring pass from Bryce Young in the fourth overtime to give No. 3 Alabama a 24-22 comeback victory over rival Auburn on Saturday, rescuing the Crimson Tide’s national title hopes.

Georgia and Alabama could be heading for another showdown in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Bo Nix threw for 292 yards and a pair of touchdowns and ran for score to lead Auburn to a 38-23 win over No. 17 Arkansas, the Tigers' sixth straight in the series.

Stetson Bennett passed for 231 yards and two touchdowns and led No. 2 Georgia past No. 18 Auburn for the second straight year in a 34-10 victory Saturday.

For about 45 minutes late Saturday afternoon, college football was on overload.

Jaquan Brisker broke up a last pass toward the end zone by Auburn’s Bo Nix as time expired and No. 10 Penn State held on to beat No. 22 Auburn 28-20.

15 Northwestern’s defense made it stand up in a 35-19 victory over Auburn in the Citrus Bowl on Friday. Ramsey, a graduate transfer, totaled 291 yards passing and 50 yards rushing for Northwestern (7-2), which won its fourth straight bowl game. Auburn was led by interim coach Kevin Steele following the Dec. 13 firing of Gus Malzahn and was missing several key players. The Tigers got within 14-13 when Nix hit Elijah Canion for a 57-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter. Ramsey put Northwestern ahead 14-0 on first-quarter TD passes of 35 yards to Chiaokhiao-Brown and 6 yards to Raine.

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn listens to an official's call during the second half of the team's NCAA college football game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)Auburn has fired coach Gus Malzahn, who led the Tigers to the national championship game in his first season but could never replicate that success. “After evaluating the state of the Auburn football program, we’ve decided that it was time to make a change in leadership," Greene said in a statement. We will begin a search immediately for a coach that can help the Auburn program consistently compete at the highest level.””Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will be interim coach. Auburn will owe Malzahn a $21.45 million buyout for the remaining four years of a seven-year, $49 million deal.

Kellen Mond passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third and the fifth-ranked Aggies scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of a come-from-behind 31-20 victory over Auburn on Saturday. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher wasn't interested in speculating on how the win might affect his team's playoff chances. He completed 18 of 23 for 196 yards, highlighted by two TDs to Jalen Wydermyer, and ran for 60 yards. The Aggies ran for a season-high 313 yards and held a 16-minute advantage in time of possession. Auburn: Was outgained 168-21 in the fourth quarter.

Auburn wide receivers Anthony Schwartz (1) and Ze'Vian Capers (80) both reach for an errant pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

“Bo (Nix) and Seth (Williams) have a special bond,” Auburn coach GusMalzahn said. “It was down to the end and that’s the way this series hasgone.”Auburn (3-2 Southeastern) rallied from a 28-27 deficit on its finaloffensive series, covering 80 yards in six plays. Nix finished 23 of 30 passing for 238 yards, with thebiggest plays reserved for Williams. Jerrion Ealyhad a 5-yard touchdown run to give Ole Miss a 28-27 lead with 5:43 left,setting up Auburns game-winning drive. Nix directed touchdown drives of 95, 79, 88, 80 and 80 yards and did nothave a turnover after coming off a loss to South Carolina with threeinterceptions.

Smith had eight catches including his score midway through the third quarter that put South Carolina ahead for good, 20-19. Auburn got the ball back once more with 2:15 left and drove to the South Carolina 13. South Carolina had not won back-to-back games since defeating Kentucky and then-No. Morris lost twice at South Carolina while he held the same job at Clemson, then was defeated in this one. South Carolina goes to LSU on Saturday night.

Stetson Bennett threw for 240 yards and a touchdown, solidifying his hold on the quarterback job as No. Postal Service cap in an effort to get noticed, Bennett was never viewed as a starting candidate for the Bulldogs. No matter the time of year, Georgia kept the upper hand with a fourth straight victory over Auburn. Georgia star Richard LeCounte got the boot in the second period for a helmet-to-helmet collision with Auburn receiver Shedrick Jackson. His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, left, talks with quarterback Kellen Mond (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

including the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, highlights the fifth week of the college football season. 4 Georgia on Saturday night as the second month of the season starts, but only the second week of SEC play. The first of three games that decide the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy might have sneaked up on college football fans. The Falcons will play six conference games to go along with Navy and Army. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

8 Auburn scored twice in the fourth quarter to pull away from No. 23 Kentucky for a 29-13 victory Saturday in the season opener. Nix delivered some big plays to start an encore to a promising freshman season, especially to Williams. He completed 24 of 37 passes for 239 yards and ran for 42 yards. Auburn: Has to get better on third-down defense, giving up eight first downs on 10 Wildcats attempts in the first half.

Before Miami won easily last year, the ‘Canes and ’Noles played five straight games decided by five points or fewer. A pandemic-altered college football season has helped put FSU-Miami in the spotlight again this weekend. The Big Ten and Pac-12 are still at least a month away, but the college football menu is starting to fill up. 7-6 — Lane Kiffin's record in his one SEC season as coach at Tennessee. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25