LEXINGTON, Ky. — Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators showed those upstarts from Kentucky they’re still the team to beat in the SEC East.
Tebow threw for 256 yards and a career-high four touchdown passes, and No. 14 Florida rebounded from back-to-back losses with a 45-37 victory over No. 8 Kentucky on Saturday.
A week after the Wildcats knocked off No. 1 LSU, they lost to Florida for the 21st consecutive time.
The victory puts the defending national champions back in the Southeastern Conference title hunt despite their recent losses to Auburn and LSU. The Gators (5-2, 3-2) are now tied with South Carolina and Georgia for first in the SEC East.
“I just think this league, it’s a mess right now,” Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said. “It’s competitive, and week to week, you’d better be ready to play or somebody’s going to jump up and spoil it.”
Kentucky (6-2, 2-2), which went to triple overtime for a 43-37 victory at home against LSU, came into the game concerned Tebow’s Gators presented a bigger threat because of the sophomore’s ability to run. The Wildcats held him to 78 rushing yards, but the junior’s left arm proved far more problematic.
“He’s one of the biggest guys we’ve faced,” Kentucky linebacker Braxton Kelley said. “He’s bigger than most fullbacks. It was kind of surprising. I thought he’d try more of a pound game.”
Tebow connected on 18 of 26 passes. His previous career-high of three TDs came earlier this year in games against Troy and Western Kentucky.
“He’s as competitive a human being as I’ve ever been around,” Florida coach Urban Meyer said. “He’s a great leader. He gives you a weapon on offense. Someone said, ‘Can he throw it?’ Sure, he can throw it very well.”
Florida led 21-10 at halftime, but the Wildcats made a comeback attempt behind their own Heisman candidate. Andre Woodson had his best game of the season with 415 yards and five TD passes.
“It’s difficult to swallow right now, but at the same point, we’re still in a really good situation,” Woodson said.
At the end of the first quarter, Tebow dissected Kentucky’s double-coverage of Louis Murphy, hitting him stride as he ran through the defenders and completed a 66-yard scoring play.
“It’s nice when you get ahead because you know as an offense that you can control everything,” Tebow said.
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