ton after going just 1-of-3 struggling with foul trouble at Ohio State.Stale

Those stories and rumors about Auburn coach Gus Malzahn being on the hot seat early in a season seem much more like hot air these days.Now, Malzahns name is on a list of 18 on the midseason watch list for the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award.Thats because the Tigers (6-2, 4-1 SEC) find themselves very much in contention in the SEC race and will take a five-game winning streak and No. 11 national ranking into their home game against Vanderbilt Saturday. Kickoff is at noon ET at Jordan-Hare Stadium with ESPN handling the broadcast.With only the Commodores (4-4, 1/3 SEC), struggling Georgia (4-4, 2-4 SEC) and FCS foe Alabama A&M the next three weeks, the Tigers look to be headed for a showdown with No. 1 unbeaten Alabama in an Iron Bowl tilt on Nov. 26. That contest could have a West Division title and berth in the SEC Championship game on the line, depending on how Texas A&M (7-1, 4-1 SEC) and LSU (5-2, 3-1) fare in their remaining games.A resurgent running game has been a big factor in Auburns rebound.Since managing to rush for only 154 yards in a win over LSU, Auburn has gone for 410 against Louisiana-Monroe, 228 against Mississippi State, 543 (yes, 543) against Arkansas, and 307 last week against Ole Miss.Thats despite the fact that sophomore running back Kerryon Johnson, the starter, was out for all of one game and most of another with an ankle issue. Sophomore Kamryn Pettway simply stepped up and more than filled the gap, rushing for 169 yards against Mississippi State, 192 against Arkansas and 236 against the Rebels.This stretch comes on the heels of going the previous season without a carry in an H-back role.With projected starter Jovon Robinson dismissed before the season, the Tigers needed someone to step in at running back and give Johnson some backup. Running backs coach Tim Horton told offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee he was confident Pettway was the one for the job. Pettway has more than exceeded expectations.I dont think Tim or any of us knew hed get on this tear, Lashlee said, but he just done a good job of going downhill.The success of the running game has kept the pressure off Auburn sophomore quarterback Sean White, and White has responded. He completed 15 of 22 passes for a season-high 247 yards against the Rebels.Sean White is coming into his own, Malzahn said. You can tell his confidence. He made some throws tonight under pressure, one to Stanton Truitt, I dont know how many people could have made. It was a great play.Vanderbilt, too, has experienced quite the resurgence recently.The Commodores have won their last two games (17-16 over Georgia, 35-17 over Tennessee State) and have put themselves in contention for a postseason spot, just two wins short of bowl eligibility. After the trip to Auburn, the Commodores finish at Missouri and at home against Ole Miss and Tennessee.I like where this team is, Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said as the Commodores headed into their bye last week.Even more encouraging: the Commodores showed some life in their offense in their most recent outing, rushing for 358 yards and passing for another 143 for a season-high 501 yards of total offense in the win over Tennessee State.It was only the second time this season that the Commodores have outgained an opponent, and they lost that other encounter, 13-6 to Florida.Running backs Ralph Webb (125 yards on nine carries) and Khari Blasingame (100 on 14 runs with three for touchdowns) had big days against Tennessee State.Those offensive linemen, they really did a good job moving people, Blasingame said. Those holes were huge. You could have put a truck through those things.Against Auburn, however, the Commodores will be up against one of the leagues top run defenses. Since giving up 231 yards to Texas A&M and 220 to LSU in back-to-back games, Auburn has yielded only 233 rushing yards total in its last three games.Cheap Custom Pelicans Jersey . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. Custom Pelicans T-shirts . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. http://www.custompelicansjersey.com/ . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. Pelicans Jerseys China . Kyle Denbrook, a soccer player from Saint Marys University, took the CIS male athlete of the week honour. Stanley, a fourth-year business administration student from Charlottetown, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Dalhousie on Friday and tallied again in a 1-0 win over Saint Marys on Sunday. Custom Pelicans Jerseys . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position.COLUMBIA, S.C. -- After two transfer newcomers help pull No. 4 South Carolina to an opening win, two returning veterans moved into the spotlight to lead the Gamecocks to a 92-38 win over Hampton on Sunday.Alaina Coates scored 28 points and had 16 rebounds and her fellow frontcourt player Aja Wilson added 20 as South Carolina (2-0) used a decided size advantage to breeze past the Pirates (0-4).In the opening win over Ohio State, all-Atlantic Coast Conference transfer Kaela Davis scored 37 points. The former Georgia Tech star had just three on Sunday. But with a solid roster, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley expects a different star most nights.If everybody wants to be in the spotlight -- theres not enough room, Staley said.Allisha Gray, the transfer from North Carolina who Staley calls her silent assassin, had 16 points after debuting for South Carolina with 24 against the Buckeyes.Hampton (0-4) trailed just 21-15 at the end of the first quarter and pulled down one rebound more than the Gamecocks. I thought that was disgraceful, Staley said.So Staley challenged her players to dominate inside. They were helped because two of the Pirates tallest players Kaylah Lupoe and Monnazjea Finney-Smith each ended the first quarter with three fouls. Coates had 14 points in the quarter, while Wilson made all eight of her free throws as South Carolina pulled away with a 32-11 run, outscoring Hampton 18-2 in the paint in the quarter.Theres really nothing you can do. It is what it is with the fouls, Hampton coach David Six said.Coates 28 points were one off her career high, and Wilson made all 14 of her free throws, setting a school record for most makes without a miss.Malia Tate-Defreitas, the reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the year the past two seasons, led Hampton with 10 points.BIG PICTUREHampton: Six seemed to acknowledge his teams size disadvantaage from the start, sending 5-foot-5 guard Georgianna Gilbeaux out for the opening tap, which she didnt even try to get against the 6-foot-5 Wilson.dddddddddddd Hampton has played a Power 5 team in each of its first four games, losing by an average of 33 points. The Pirates are trying to win the MEAC for the first time since 2014, when they capped a five-year NCAA Tournament run.South Carolina: All 11 South Carolina players played at least 10 minutes, a nice luxury with three games in three days. The Gamecocks forced 24 turnovers and held Hampton to 24 percent shooting. South Carolinas reserves played almost the entire fourth quarter, holding the Pirates to just four points on 2-of-15 shooting.AILING AJAWilsons 14-of-14 day from the foul line masked another quiet night from the field. The first-team All-American was 3-for-8 from the field against Hampton after going just 1-of-3 struggling with foul trouble at Ohio State.Staley said Wilson is rusty because she spent most of her summer resting her shins, which bothered her at the end of last season, instead of playing basketball.Shes kind of paying for it right now. But she will work things out, Staley said.Others are welcome to shoot as much as they want, Wilson said. If were winning, Aja is happy, the junior said.POLL IMPLICATIONSSouth Carolina could move up from No. 4 on Monday after No. 2 Baylor lost to third-ranked Connecticut. But it is very possible poll voters wont punish the Bears. The Gamecocks arent likely to fall either..UP NEXTHampton: The Pirates take on Saint Peters on Monday in the second game of the Basketball Hall of Fame Womens Challenge.South Carolina: The Gamecocks play Maine on Monday in the second game of the Basketball Hall of Fame Womens Challenge. ' ' '