Picture courtesy of the AP
It was a night where everything went right for the Florida Gators. Remember the questions asked before the game?
Would Florida be able to contain Charles Scott?
Would Florida be physical enough to handle LSU?
Would Tim Tebow finally be able to lead his team to victory against a top ranked opponent?
The answer to all? A resounding "yes." And Florida got a lot of help from different players to do it. In fact, this is exactly why Florida was able to handle the Tigers: they got multiple players involved early and often. During the first quarter alone, Percy Harvin, Chris Rainey, Jeffrey Demps, Deonte Thompson, and Riley Cooper all got touches on offense. The ball distribution not only kept LSU's defense guessing, it made sure that they could not key in on one particular player. Tebow took advantage of this early, finding Harvin in single coverage for a 70 yard touchdown pass to begin Florida's scoring binge for the night. Defensive back Danny McCray almost intercepted the pass, but because he mistimed his jump, he only managed to tip it right into Harvin's hands. From there, the rout was on: three field goals by kicker Jonathan Phillips, an interception return for a touchdown by Brandon Spikes, another touchdown pass to Harvin, a 42 yard dash by Jeffrey Demps, a touchdown run by Tebow, and another by Kestahn Moore. LSU simply had no answer for the Gator offense on Saturday night, as they rolled up 475 yards of total offense, including 265 on the ground.
Also, Florida's found a new tailback: Jeff Demps. His 42 yard touchdown run aside, Demps broke arm tackles and consistently ran the ball between the tackles for big gains; in all, he racked up 129 rushing yards on just 10 carries. Chris Rainey chipped in as well, getting 65 yards on 11 carries before leaving the game with a dislocated shoulder. This freshman 1-2 punch paced the offense against Arkansas as well, and seems to be poised to take the reigns for the rest of the year. With the run game established, Tebow got to sit back and relax a little; after throwing the ball ten times in the first quarter alone, he threw it only 11 more times the entire game. He finished 14-21 passing for 210 yards and two touchdowns. More importantly for him, he stopped sitting in the pocket and ran for first downs when he got the chance. His rushing stats weren't gaudy--he only ran for 22 yards--but he used his legs enough to keep the chains moving and keep the ball in Florida's hands. His numbers aren't where they were a year ago, but he was composed, and was able to pick LSU's defense apart early.
Defensively, the Gators were even more impressive. Charles Scott, who had run for over 100 yards in each of his first four games, was held to 35 yards on 12 carries against Florida. LSU's offense never got into a rhythm because of this, and Jarrett Lee was forced to beat Florida's secondary. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful, throwing two picks--both to Brandon Spikes--and making bad throws throughout the night. Lawrence Marsh continued his string of good play at defensive tackle, and Terron Sanders helped him out as the two anchored the front four against LSU's running game. However, the MVP of the defense--outside of Spikes--was undoubtedly Janoris Jenkins. He was the best cornerback on the field last night, racking up 9 tackles, breaking up two passes, and picking up a sack. He has played beyond his years since taking the starting spot away from Wondy Pierre-Louis; in his three games starting, he already has 5 pass breakups and 22 tackles (17 in the games he's started). In short, Florida's defense played well on every level on Saturday: they controlled the line of scrimmage, they stopped the run, and the secondary tackled well and broke up passes.
Most importantly, though, Florida made a statement to the rest of the nation that they are still an elite team. After some questions about Tebow's ability to lead his team to victory against other elite competition, Tebow and the Gators responded loudly. They stopped LSU in its tracks and scored at will, and because of it they've vaulted all the way from 12th to 5th in the AP Poll. They're 7th in the Coaches' Poll. They also control their own destiny in the SEC East, which means that if they continue to win, they will be going to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game at the end of the year, with a BCS bowl at stake. It was a great win for the Gators, and a crushing blow for the defending BCS Champions.
Offensive Props:
- Tim Tebow, for going 14-21 for 210 yards and 2 TDs, as well was 12 carries, 22 yards, and a TD
- Percy Harvin, who recorded 112 yards receiving and 2 TDs on 6 receptions
- Jeffrey Demps, who ran for 129 yards and a TD on 10 carries
- Chris Rainey, who ran for 65 yards on 11 carries
- Florida's offensive line, for playing its best game of the year
Defensive Props:
- Janoris Jenkins, for racking up 9 tackles, a sack, and two passes deflections
- Brandon Spikes, who had 5 tackles and 2 INTs, one of which was returned for a TD
- Major Wright, for recording 7 tackles
- Florida's defensive line, for putting the clamps on Charles Scott
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