AUBURN, Ala. -- Walk-on halfback Kyle Collins scored on touchdown runs of 2, 19 and 9 yards Saturday to lead the 19th-ranked AuburnTigers to a 29-10 Southeastern Conference victory over the previously-unbeaten Tennessee Volunteers.
Collins' first score put the Tigers up 7-0 in the first quarter and his final two came in the second half to put the lid on the game for Auburn, 2-2.
A stingy Tiger defense held the Volunteers, 2-1-1, to only 88 yards total offense in the first half, but the Vols took advantage of Auburn turnovers to keep the game close.
The Vols cut the score to 16-10 on a 14-yard pass from Tony Robinson to Joey Clinkscales midway through the third quarter, but Collins answered for Auburn with his 19-yard run late in the period to cap a 56-yard, 6-play drive.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound junior, who finished the day with 77 yards in 10 carries, sealed Tennessee's fate with his 9-yard run in the fourth quarter, six plays after an interception of a Daryl Dickey pass by Alvin Briggs at the Vol 23.
The Tigers took the opening kickoff and drove to the Vol one, but Brent Fullwood fumbled on a third-down dive and Terry Brown recovered for the Vols. The Tigers had five turnovers, two interceptions and three fumbles, in the game while Tennessee suffered three interceptions.
Collins scored Auburn's first touchdown in the closing minute of the first quarter on a 2-yard run after taking a pitchout from quarterback Pat Washington. The short burst capped a 39-yard, 13-play drive -- kept alive by a fourth-and-1 vault by Fullwood to the Vols' 4.
Auburn picked up two more points early in the second quarter when Gerald Robinson blindsided Vol quarterback Tony Robinson while he was trying to pass inside his 10-yard line. The ball was knocked loose and rolled out of the end zone for a safety.
Faud Reveiz cut the score to 9-3 on a 40-yard field goal midway through the second quarter, but freshman fullback Reggie Ware put the Tigers up 16-3 at the half on a 1-yard run to cap an 89-yard, 12-play drive.
Tennessee drove to the shadow of the Auburn goal late in the first half after Reggie McKenzie intercepted a Washington pass at the Auburn 30. The Vols moved to within inches of the end zone with five seconds left in the half, but Robinson was dropped for a loss by Arthur Johnson and Briggs as time expired.
'It's just too much to believe what happened today,' Collins said. 'I think it's a credit to the offense. It's easy to score when everybody does their job. I just praise God for today.'
Auburn coach Pat Dye described Collins as 'always steady,' adding, 'We should have played him last year more than we did.'
Despite Collins' performance, both Dye and Vol Coach Johnny Majors said the Tigers' kicking game, which kept the Tigers backed up all day, and defense were the keys to the win.
'We are still trying to grow up and find our identity,' Dye said. 'We handicapped ourselves today with mistakes and turnovers. I couldn't be prouder of our defense.'
'One important factor for us was our kicking game. Lewis Colbert never let them get breathing room,' Dye said.
'Field position played a part early in the game as we were backed up by punts and short returns,' Majors said. 'But our defense played hard, considering it is such a down and bruised-up group.
'Auburn is a very physical team, but our defense gave us some chances by creating turnovers. The Auburn defense, on the other hand, was very strong and aggressive. They played quite well.'
The Tigers held Johnnie Jones, the nation's second leading rusher going into the game, to 67 yards in 14 carries before a second-half shoulder injury forced him out of the game. Jones hurt the same shoulder in last week's 24-24 tie with Army.
Majors, whose team also lost linebacker Alvin Toles with an ankle injury early in the game, said the Vols were the 'worst bruised-up team I've had at this stage of the season. We definitely need the open date to get some people on the mend.'
Tennessee is idle next week and will face Florida Oct. 13. Auburn travels to Ole Miss.
