Tebow, Gators swamp Sooners

MIAMI - Tim Tebow gave Florida the jolt it needed to become a national champion.

But all his efforts in a sloppy, choppy BCS championship game likely did little to quiet fans of Utah, Southern California and Texas, all of whom already claimed the top spot.

“I’ll tell you, we’re going to enjoy a big win, we’re going to enjoy the national championship,” coach Urban Meyer said after the Gators beat No. 2 Oklahoma 24-14 on Thursday night. “Let someone else worry about that. Gators are No. 1.”

The high-scoring shootout between Heisman Trophy winners Sam Bradford and Tebow never materialized.

Tebow, however, shook off a career-high two interceptions to rescue the top-ranked Gators (13-1). He drove them to the clinching score — he took two hard steps toward the line, jumped and zipped a 4-yard touchdown pass to David Nelson with 3:07 left to make it 24-14.

Percy Harvin returned from an ankle injury and dashed for 122 yards on only nine carries for the Gators. His 52-yard gallop set up Jonathan Phillips’ 27-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter for a 17-14 lead.

Tebow added to the title he helped the Gators win in 2006 with a rout of Ohio State and, one season after winning the Heisman, brought home another trophy.

“Tebow, just call him Superman,” Harvin said.

Tebow was picked the game’s most outstanding player, running for 109 yards. His passing wasn’t so precise — 18-for-30 — yet it was his sheer will that kept the Gators going.

“I was already motivated for a national championship game. But you know, there was some trash talking going on, and it just gets me going during the game,” Tebow said.

It was Florida’s third national title overall, and the third straight for a team from the Southeastern Conference. It was the Sooners’ fifth straight loss in a BCS game.

Oklahoma (12-2) set a modern record for scoring with 702 points this season and put up at least 60 points in its last five games, yet never found its rhythm.

“In the end, I’ll be glad to try again next year,” Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. “If that’s the biggest burden I have to bear in my life, I’m a pretty lucky guy.”

Bradford, who beat out Tebow for the Heisman, was a disappointing 26-for-41 with two interceptions.

Like Tebow, he’s going to explore his potential for the NFL draft — not exactly the performance he wanted.

“Obviously, they’re a great defense. I think just a couple times we got ourselves in trouble,” Bradford said.

These teams totaled an average of 99 points per game, but wound up with a scoreless first quarter. In the second quarter, Florida’s defense made a pair of goal-line stands that left it 7-all at halftime.

By then, college football fans around the country were certainly wondering whether these were indeed the two best teams.

And it surely gave steam to the suggestion by President-elect Barack Obama and others that a playoff system is needed.