Florida State at Florida
(Saturday, November 28th)
Final Score: (1) Florida 37, Florida State 10
Gainesville, FL (Sports Network) - Tim Tebow accounted for five touchdowns in
his final home game, as No. 1 Florida rolled to a 37-10 drubbing of Florida
State to complete a flawless regular season.
The defending national champions are just one win away from another trip to
the title game. To do so, the Gators (12-0) must get by second-ranked Alabama
next week in a much-anticipated rematch of last year's SEC Championship game.
"We've been looking forward to this day since back in January, when we were
grinding it out," Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes said. "We wanted to be here
and are blessed to be 12-0. You can still see how hungry the guys are."
Tebow threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-21 efficiency, adding
90 yards and a pair of scores on 15 carries in Florida's sixth straight win
over its Sunshine State rival.
"The way they use [Tebow] is by using his physical strength. It's like playing
against 12 people. He presents so many problems. Tim Tebow is a great player,"
said legendary FSU head coach Bobby Bowden, who may have coached his last away
game in this series.
Aaron Hernandez caught two TDs and Riley Cooper also scored in the program's
22nd straight win, the longest current streak in the country. The win also
marked the first time the Gators have posted a 12-0 regular season record.
FSU freshman EJ Manuel was pressured throughout and finished with 186 yards
and two interceptions on 19-of-31 passes for the Seminoles (6-6), whose
victory over Maryland last week secured their bowl eligibility for an NCAA-
leading 28th straight season. Manuel's lone TD pass went to Jarmon Fortson.
The Gators, debuting new uniforms, used a short field to open the game's
scoring midway through the opening frame, as Tebow's shovel pass to Hernandez
turned into an 18-yard score with 6:48 left.
Caleb Sturgis' 37-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter made
it 10-0, and the next time the Gators got the ball they held it for nearly
eight minutes.
Tebow capped the 12-play, 80-yard march by turning an option upfield and going
in for an 18-yard score with four minutes to go until the break.
A quick three-and-out from the visitors gave Florida the ball back near
midfield, and after gaining a first down, Hernandez took a dump pass over the
middle and rumbled 37 yards for a 24-0 lead heading into the locker room.
Florida State failed to move the chains on its first touch of the second half,
and Cooper hauled in a 39-yard strike 3:33 in. The extra point was block,
though the 30-0 lead was never seriously threatened.
FSU's Dustin Hopkins missed a 41-yard field goal later in the frame but split
the uprights from 20 yards out on the final play of the third.
On the first play of the next possession, Jeffery Demps raced down the right
sideline 62 yards, and, following a incompletion on his patented jump-pass at
the one, Tebow took it himself through the right side of the line to put an
exclamation point on his superb career at the Swamp.
Fortson's acrobatic nine-yard TD reception with six minutes left accounted for
the final margin.
"I thought that was one of the best performances we've had here, and it's time
to get ready for the SEC Championship game, which is our goal every season,"
Florida head coach Urban Meyer said.
Game Notes
Florida leads the all-time series with FSU, 33-19-2...Florida's 47-6 record
the past four years ranks as the most wins for any senior class in SEC
history...Demps had 106 yards on seven carries...Hernandez caught five balls
for 83 yards, and Cooper had three grabs for 62 yards...Manuel also led FSU
in rushing with 27 yards on 11 carries...Fortson had a team-high 58 yards on
four receptions...The attendance of 90,907 was a Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
record.
11/28 20:36:59 ET