but still lost the title by six points to Austin Dillon.?H

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara wants to carry the momentum of a career-best performance into Saturdays showdown with his former team.Kamara gained a school-record 312 all-purpose yards -- the second-highest total by a Football Bowl Subdivision player all season -- in a 45-38 overtime loss last week at No. 6 Texas A&M, which was ranked eighth at the time.I feel like I could have done more, but I feel like it was a pretty good statement game, Kamara said.Tennessee would love to see Kamara make a similar statement Saturday when the ninth-ranked Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 SEC) host No. 1 Alabama (6-0, 3-0).Kamara began his college career at Alabama, though he never played a down for the Crimson Tide. After redshirting in 2013, Kamara transferred and spent the 2014 season at Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College before arriving at Tennessee last year.This marks the second time Kamara has faced his former team. He had five carries for 21 yards and four catches for 44 yards in a 19-14 loss at Alabama last season.I do still have friends at Alabama, Kamara said. We talk and just pray for each others safety every game and just keep up with each other. Its another game. I was at Alabama a couple of years ago. Im at Tennessee now, loving my teammates, loving where Im at right now. Thats all Im focused on.Kamara was suspended twice and struggled with injuries during his brief stint at Alabama, yet the junior from Norcross, Georgia, has developed into a leader at Tennessee.His emergence has caught the attention of his former coach.Alvin, to me, is an outstanding player, Alabama coach Nick Saban said. I think hes got great speed. Hes very instinctive. Hes a very good receiver, very good at running the ball inside or out, and (he) uses his speed to his advantages on the perimeter.Kamara commands such respect from his teammates that he was the only non-senior chosen as one of four team captains this season.When he speaks, guys listen, quarterback Joshua Dobbs said.Kamara has shown his leadership in the way hes handled his situation as part of a running-back tandem with Jalen Hurd. Through Tennessees first five games, Hurd had 101 carries and seven catches while Kamara had 38 rushes and 12 receptions.With an unspecified injury sidelining Hurd last week, Tennessee needed a big performance from Kamara. He responded by rushing for 127 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries while also catching eight passes for 161 yards and one score.His 18-yard touchdown reception with 41 seconds left helped force overtime as Tennessee erased a 28-7 deficit. Kamara also returned three punts for eight yards and had a 16-yard kickoff return.I dont think Ive been around a performance like that in a long time, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said.Kamaras 312 all-purpose yards broke the school record of 294 set by Chuck Webb against Mississippi in 1989. The only Football Bowl Subdivision player to have more all-purpose yards in a game this season is Florida States Dalvin Cook with 329 against South Florida.His performance was so noteworthy that even Los Angeles Rams running back and former Georgia star Todd Gurley tweeted Stop being so good bro (at)A-kamara6, a reference to Kamaras Twitter handle. Kamara said he has spoken with Gurley since the game.He was just (saying to) keep working hard and youre going to receive everything youre looking for, Kamara said.Kamaras big game may give him a bigger role, even whenever Hurd returns.Jones hasnt updated Hurds injury status and potential availability this week, though Hurd was at Tuesdays practice in a green non-contact jersey. Kamara says he hasnt gotten frustrated about his lack of carries in certain games, but his performance last week spoke volumes about his capabilities.I just do whats asked of me, Kamara said. Good things come when you do what youre supposed to do.---AP college website: collegefootball.ap.org---AP Sports Writer John Zenor in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, contributed to this report. Matt Milano Youth Jersey . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Zay Jones Bills Jersey . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. http://www.authenticbillsfanaticfootball.com/customized/ . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Devin Singletary Womens Jersey . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. Bruce Smith Jersey .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Joe Gibbs Racing placed three of its drivers in the top five Sunday in the Goodys Fast Relief 500.So why wasnt anybody smiling?One week after teaming up to run at the back of the pack at Talladega, the JGR Toyotas ran up front at Martinsville Speedway, as Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch combined to lead 227 of 500 laps.But this week, there was very little teamwork.Independently, each of the JGR pilots thought they could have won, or at least challenged Jimmie Johnson for the win. Instead, they were beaten not only by Johnsons Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, but by the Ford of Chase outsider Brad Keselowski of Team Penske.And they pretty much blamed each other.Busch, who finished fifth, believed if he just could have gotten past Kenseth, he would easily have moved by Hamlin to take the attack to Johnson.Kenseth led 176 laps and thought he had a car that could fight with the Hendrick Chevy, but he was frustrated by the difficulty he encountered trying to pass his teammate Hamlin.I was way quicker than Denny, but Denny is just so good here, Kenseth said after finishing fourth. He knows how to take your line away and put his car right where it made my car the worst. I just burned off my front tires trying to pass him and just kind of got stuck behind him and couldnt get around him.That left Kenseth fending off Busch, who believed he was faster than both of his teammates.The defending Sprint Cup Series champion was indignant after finishing fifth.You cant wreck each other and thats all there is to it, I guess, Busch told reporters. We worked so good together that we gave the 48 [Johnson] the win today -- thats how good JGR is.We could have been a little farther up front, but we were held up there and we couldnt pass, he added. If I did try to make moves or try to make a pass, I got cut off. But we came through it with a top-5, though we probably could have been about second.Hamlin not only came in for criticism from his teammates, but from race winner Johnson. At one point early in the race, Hamlin and Johnson raced hard in the top 10 for several laps before Hamlin put the bumper to Johnson and moved him up the track.Much later, Johnson tracked down Hamlins Toyota and executed a clean pass for a lead he would not relinquish.Hamlin later claimed he was upset with Johnson for the way the six-time Cup Series champion raced him earlier in the Chase, in races at New Hampshire and Charlotte.He was also unrepentant about fiercely defending his position from his JGR teammates.I had no idea why anyone was mad at me, to be honest with you, he said. None of us were going to get the 48. Thats real talk there. Nobody was on my rear bumper at the end of the race. I think I had six car lengths to the 20 [Kenseth] and more back to the 18 [Busch].If someones upset, I think its just because we all had a top?three car during the end of the race and we ended up three, four, five, he added. Thats never happy.Hamlin admitted that being a good teammate will be even tougher over the next two weeks as the Gibbs drivers vie to join Johnson in the championshhips Final Four at Homestead-Miami Speedway.ddddddddddddThats the tough part of it, for sure, Hamlin said.?Were in a team business, but were also in a business to win for our sponsors and ourselves.I think at the end, you have to do whats best for yourself.Aside from Johnson, who is locked into the Final Four, Hamlin, Kenseth and Busch are currently the three top drivers in the Chase points battle. Teammate Carl Edwards had a tough day at Martinsville with a tire problem relegating him to a 36th-place finish, last among the Chase contenders.While the Gibbs team was lamenting a lost win that might have been, Stewart-Haas Racing was left contemplating a much less successful weekend.After a strong qualifying performance by team owner Tony Stewart, none of the SHR Chevrolets were remotely competitive on Sunday. Kevin Harvick, master of the elimination-format Chase, was the teams leading runner with a dismal 20th-place finish. And even that was in dispute, with Harvick one of several drivers who may have benefited from a timing and scoring mix-up.We were slow all weekend, Harvick said. We could just never get the handle on it.Kurt Busch finished 22nd, with Danica Patrick 24th and Stewart 26th. Harvick and Busch rank sixth and seventh in points among Chase-eligible drivers, 16 and 18 points behind Kyle Busch in fourth.We picked a bad day to miss it, Busch said.Camping World Truck Series: Sauter the first to earn a finale berth?Johnny Sauter told his team after winning the Camping World Truck Series race Saturday at Martinsville that he drove the smartest race of his career.?Sauter saved his brakes enough to win the opening race of the truck semifinal round, earning a spot among the four drivers who will vie for the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway.?He now needs one more smart race -- the season finale. He finished second in the standings in 2011, a year when he won at Homestead but still lost the title by six points to Austin Dillon.?Having been there and lost the championship by six points was a bummer. ... I want to win a championship, said the 37-year-old Sauter, who has 12 career wins in 195 career series starts. A championship was something that has eluded me. I came close once or twice but were going to have to get it done this time.?Sauter said Martinsville and Homestead have something in common -- he likes both those tracks and has won at both of them. That puts a pep in the GMS Racing drivers step. He also believes the team has saved some of its best trucks for the end and the team can focus on its Homestead truck the next few weeks.?I can tell you some race tracks that Im not particularly fond of, Sauter said with a laugh. Nobody was happier than the Chase format than me. ... Theyre all tremendous race tracks [for me]. We had won at five of the last seven race tracks.?Theyre just great race tracks, very racy places. I just feel comfortable and confident of where we are as a team right now.-- Bob Pockrass ' ' '