ATLANTA — Auburn is halfway to the BCS championship game in Glendale.

The No. 1 Tigers lead No. 19 South Carolina 28-14 at halftime of the SEC championship in the Georgia Dome.

Auburn scored 21 first quarter points, setting a title game record, then completed a 51-yard Hail Mary to Darvin Adams as the halftime clock ran out to take a 14-point lead into the locker room.

Quarterback Cam Newton has accounted for all four of Auburn's touchdowns. He has 281 passing yards and three touchdowns, plus 37 yards and a score on the ground.

Adams has already set a SEC title game record for receiving yards. He has seven catches for 217 yards, crushing Florida receiver Reidel Anthony's 1996 record of 171.

Auburn scored its three touchdowns in the first quarter on a 12-yard catch by Onterio McCalebb, a 5-yard run by Newton and a 54-yard catch by Adams to go ahead 21-7.

South Carolina appeared to seize all momentum back by halftime. After Wes Byrum missed a 36-yard field goal, the Gamecocks drove the length of the field in less than two minutes, getting a 1-yard touchdown pass from Stephen Garcia to Alshon Jeffery with 16 seconds left.

Garcia has 140 passing yards and two touchdowns.

But Auburn answered with a miracle pass. On the half's final play, Newton rolled to his right and fired a pass downfield. South Carolina's DeVonte Holloman tipped it in the end zone, right into the arms of Adams for 51-yard touchdown.

The Tigers have 348 yards at the break. They are 5-for-8 on third-down conversions.