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Florida's Road To The BCS Title Game

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By MICK ELLIOTT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 5, 2009

Game-by-game:

Aug. 30: Florida 56, Hawaii 10

Brandon James scored two touchdowns, one a 74-yard punt return. Freshman Jeffrey Demps took a handoff and went 62 yards for a touchdown, and freshman Chris Rainey had a 33-yard scoring run. Quarterback Tim Tebow completed nine of 14 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. For the first time in 14 games he did not have a scoring run.

Sept. 6: Florida 26, Miami 3

The Gators gave early indication that defense was as much of their makeup as hyperactive offense. With UM freshman quarterback and Plant graduate Robert Marve making his first college appearance, the Gators allowed the Hurricanes just 140 total offensive yards on 59 plays. After carrying a precarious 9-3 lead into the fourth quarter, Florida finally found its offense, dropping 17 on the 'Canes in the final 15 minutes.

Sept. 20: Florida 30, Tennessee 6

Florida's fourth consecutive win over Tennessee - and 12th in 16 years - was decided quickly. Brandon James set the tone on the game's first play with a 52-yard kickoff return that started an eight-play, 44-yard touchdown drive. On Florida's next possession, James took a punt and sliced through Volunteers defenders for a 78-yard score that pushed Florida to a 17-0 lead with 4:42 left in the first quarter.

Sept. 27: Ole Miss 31, Florida 30

With the game on the line and the ball in Tim Tebow's hands - just the way the Gators would have wanted it – everything went haywire. On fourth-and-less-than-a-yard - just one first down away from what Coach Urban Meyer considered game-winning field goal range - Tebow was stopped running up the middle. About an hour later, he made the promise that has become Gator lore.

Oct. 4: Florida 38, Arkansas 7

The 12th-ranked Gators went on the road after an upset loss at home and won a Southeastern Conference game.

Florida produced a pair of 100-yard rushers - Jeffrey Demps (scoring runs of 36 and 48 yards) and Chris Rainey (75-yard touchdown) - each finished with 103. Tim Tebow threw for two touchdowns, a 2-yard shovel pass to Brandon James and a 21-yard strike to Percy Harvin.

Oct. 11: Florida 51, LSU 21

In front of a live-wired home crowd of 90,684, the Gators dished out a quick-handed, hard-hitting smackdown of the No. 4-ranked Tigers. Tim Tebow completed 14 of 21 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score. Playmaker Percy Harvin caught six passes for 112 yards and both Tebow TDs. Linebacker Brandon Spikes intercepted two passes and returned the second 52 yards for a score. Against a defense that was allowing 69 yards rushing a game, the Gators ran up 265.

Oct. 25: Florida 65, Kentucky 5

Kentucky's opening two possessions ended with blocked punts. First, Florida freshman reserve defensive end William Green broke through the middle to block Tim Masthay's kick with his chest. The ball was recovered at the 3 by Chris Rainey, and one play later quarterback Tim Tebow scored. On the next possession, Jeff Demps broke through the middle, blocked the kick and recovered at the 1. Brandon James scored.

Nov. 1: Florida 49, Georgia 10

A year after the Georgia Bulldogs danced in the end zone on their way to an upset victory, Florida returned to Jacksonville Municipal Stadium to do a boogie-woogie on the Bulldogs' self-esteem. With almost half the crowd of 84,649 already on its way out, Florida called timeouts with 44 and 30 seconds to play, breaks that quarterback Tim Tebow used to race up and down the sideline waving a towel and bringing Gators fans to a standing roar.

Nov. 8: Florida 42, Vanderbilt 14

With the victory against the Commodores, the fifth-ranked Gators clinched the SEC Eastern Division's spot in the conference championship game. The Gators outgained the Commodores 422-264 in yardage despite gaining only 15 in the final quarter after emptying the bench. Tim Tebow accounted for five touchdowns -- all in the first half.

Nov. 15: Florida 56, South Carolina 6

No. 3 Florida's thrashing of the 24th-ranked Gamecocks was the worst beating in former coach Steve Spurrier's long and lustrous career. Against the top-rated defense in the SEC, Florida gained 519 yards, more than double the average South Carolina was previously allowing. The Gators rushed for 346 yards - Percy Havin getting 176 and two touchdowns on eight carries. Florida's

Nov. 22: Florida 70, The Citadel 19

The Gators scored touchdowns on their opening seven possessions, two of the scores set up by interceptions. Florida had 512 yards of offense by halftime. It was 42-0 with 9:46 remaining in the second quarter.

Nov. 29: Florida 45, Florida State 15

Do-everything quarterback Tim Tebow was not a player as much as a force. He threw for three touchdowns - strikes of 7 and 24 yards to tight end Aaron Hernandez and 23 to wideout Louis Murphy. He carried 4 yards for a score. When it was over, the Gators had piled up 502 yards - 317 rushing and 185 passing - in bad conditions to win their fifth in a row against the No. 23 Seminoles.

Dec. 6: Florida 31, Alabama 20

Florida took down the No. 1 –ranked Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game and earned a spot in the BCS Championship game. The Gators scored 14 straight points in the fourth quarter for the come-from-behind victory. The stake through Alabama's previously undefeated heart came with 2:50 left to play, a 5-yard touchdown pass from Tim Tebow to Riley Cooper. It capped an eight-play, 65-yard drive that chewed up almost five minutes.

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