o, you know, kick a field goal thats a makeable one, Payton said

AUBURN, Ala. -- Sean White gave Auburn fans something to cheer about when he trotted onto the field, then Josh Holsey helped make sure they had something even bigger to celebrate.The ninth-ranked Tigers survived a 23-16 scare Saturday against Vanderbilt that left them with a clear path to the Southeastern Conference championship game, as long as they keep winning.An injured White came off the bench to loud applause opening the second half with his team down 13-10 and quickly delivered a 21-yard touchdown pass to Darius Slayton.Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said White was banged up and didnt take a snap in practice leading up to the game.Sean threw some in warmups, moved around, and it was kind of one of those deals he thought he could go, Malzahn said. And at halftime we just made the move.Holsey sealed the win with a last-minute interception deep in Auburn territory.The Tigers (7-2, 5-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 11 AP) sputtered after starting John Franklin III in place of White, who also led two field goal drives.The win, coupled with Mississippi States upset of No. 4 Texas A&M, means Auburn can win the SEC West outright with victories over Georgia and No. 1 Alabama. That game was airing on Auburns huge video board in the minutes after this one ended, setting off another celebration for fans after the Tigers sixth straight win.Vandy (4-5, 1-4) stayed alive into the final minute against the 26-point favorites thanks to Caleb Scotts 29-yard catch of a tipped ball on fourth and 18. The Commodores moved to Auburns 30 before Holseys interception put it away.I saw my guy go to the flats and I saw (quarterback Kyle Shurmur) pat the ball one too many times, and I just felt something was going to be behind me, said Holsey, whose pick set up the final touchdown against Mississippi. My instincts took me to the ball.The drive was set up when Daniel Carlsons attempt at his fourth field goal was blocked. Alabama native Zach Cunningham leapt over the line at the snap and knocked it down. Cunningham said he had figured out the snappers cadence and linebacker coach Chris Marve instructions were jump over him, but you arent allowed to touch him or anyone else.Carlson set Auburns career mark for field goals with three in the game.White completed 10 of 13 passes for 106 yards and Kamryn Pettway topped 160 rushing yards for the fourth straight game. Pettway ran 25 times for 173 yards, but came up limping at the end of a 60-yard run to set up the decisive score after appearing on his way to the end zone. He was clutching his left leg on the ground.Malzahn said he pulled something obviously.Vandy coach Derek Mason said he didnt know Franklin would start.I thought our guys handled it and adapted because when he is in the game, it is more wildcat than anything else, Mason said.Shurmur completed 24 of 36 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 21-yarder on the final drive before the pick.We had a great opponent, and we were not going to cower in fear, Shurmur said. We were going to go right after them.THE TAKEAWAYAuburn: The Tigers showed they can survive a down-to-the-wire game and imperfect performance, but perhaps not an SEC game without White. They still looked vulnerable to the pass after Mississippis Chad Kelly had a school-record performance. Auburn was especially thin at linebacker with Deshaun Daviss first half ejection for targeting. Starter Tre Williams was out with an injury.Vanderbilt: The Commodores were one big play from winning a third straight game for the first time since 2013. They couldnt get the running game going; the SECs No. 2 rusher Ralph Webb gained 46 yards on 13 carries.POLL IMPLICATIONSAuburn didnt earn style points for the win, but still could move into the Top 10 and possibly move up a spot or two in the playoff rankings.UP NEXTVanderbilt visits Missouri in a potential battle for last in the SEC East.Auburn visits traditional rival Georgia likely needing a win to remain in SEC West contention.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 Ben Banogu Colts Jersey . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Johnny Unitas Youth Jersey . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. http://www.officialindianapoliscoltspro.com/Kenny-moore-colts-jersey/ . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Darius Leonard Jersey . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. Quenton Nelson Jersey . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When Luke Kuechly was carted off the field with a concussion, the tears streaming down his face as he left, it appeared the Carolina Panthers might be ready for another collapse.Their defensive leader was gone and another big fourth-quarter lead was crumbling.Instead, the Panthers did just enough to hold on and beat the New Orleans Saints 23-20 on Thursday night in a game marred by injuries to key players.When Kuechly went down the lead was at 10, and players gathered around him as he was put on a cart near midfield. Carolina would give up another score, but hold on for itsr third win in four games.We rally behind that guy, defensive end Charles Johnson said about Kuechly. Hes our leader. When you see a leader go down like that, we just rally behind him. Im keeping Luke in my prayers.The Panthers, who surrendered a 17-point lead and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs last week, entered the fourth quarter with a 23-3 lead before injuries began to take their toll. Along with Kuechly, the Panthers lost two-time All-Pro center Ryan Kalil (shoulder), top pass rusher Mario Addison (foot) and cornerback Leonard Johnson (chest) to injuries. The Saints lost running back Mark Ingram to a head injury in the third quarter.It was the Grim Reaper walking around out there, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said.Saints quarterback Drew Brees seemed to seize the momentum.Brees, who had been held to 171 yards and no touchdowns in the first three quarters, rallied the Saints back to 23-20 with touchdown passes to Brandon Coleman and Coby Fleener.But an 18-yard reception by Kelvin Benjamin on a third-and-10 with 2:39 left in the game proved pivotal, taking enough time off the clock where Brees only had 14 seconds to work with on his final drive. He couldnt manage to get his team into field goal range.Newton finished 14 of 33 for 192 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr. as the Panthers (4-6) pulled even with the Saints for third place in the NFC South.Our mantra is to Keep Pounding and it speaks volumes in situations like this, Newton said. I will take an ugly win over a pretty loss.Jonathan Stewart also ran for a touchdown and Graham Gano had three field goals.Carolinas next two games are on the West Coast -- at Oakland and Seattle.Hopefully, the time off will give us enough time to heal up for thiss long road trip, safety Kurt Coleman said.ddddddddddddAnd also you wonder if it wasnt a Thursday game and it was a Sunday game, would there be these type of injuries? You never know. ... Im just going to pray for everybody. Not only our team but their team.BETTER DEFENSEBrees finished with 285 yards passing.That was a dramatic difference from the last time the two teams met on Oct. 16 when Brees threw for 465 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-38 win over the Panthers.They did exactly what we hoped and that was keep the ball it in front of them, Rivera said of his young secondary. You cant ask for the guys to do a better job.KICKING WOESSaints coach Sean Payton was upset after the game about the teams continuing struggles on special teams, including a blocked field goal that was returned 73 yards by Kuechly before the half to set up Ginns touchdown catch.Last week the Saints lost to Denver when a potential game-tying extra point was blocked and returned for a 2-point defensive conversion.Fundamentally weve got to be able to kick an extra point. ... Weve got to be able to, you know, kick a field goal thats a makeable one, Payton said. Weve just struggled in that area. It cost us at New York, it cost us last weekend (against) Denver and it cost us again tonight. And weve got to be smart enough in the game early to understand that the turnovers arent good.LOSE SOME, WIN SOMEMaybe Ginn is just too fast for officials.In the first quarter Ginn appeared to score on a 14-yard run, but officials reviewed the play and ruled his knee was down at the 1-yard line taking away a touchdown. Then, in the closing seconds of the second quarter, officials ruled Ginn was out of bounds on a pass from Cam Newton. But after instant replay officials overturned the ruling and gave Ginn a 40-yard touchdown catch.UNDER PRESSURENewton was under heavy pressure for most of the first half, taking a sack on third down that took his team out of field goal range -- the second time he has done that in as many weeks.A COOL BREESBrees eclipsed 3,000 yards passing for the 13th consecutive season, tying Peyton Manning for the second-longest streak in NFL history.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '