Chomp-ionship: Gators pull past Sooners, 24-14

Chicago Tribune

MIAMI — One by one, the Florida players posed next to the crystal football they hoped to claim three days later in the BCS title game.

When a photographer asked what the trophy would say if it could talk, cornerback Janoris Jenkins replied: “I want to go to The Swamp!”

Told that the Oklahoma players had all but smooched the trophy during their time with it, Gators offensive lineman Kyle Newell quipped: “That’s the closest they’re gonna get to it.”

Jenkins’ words proved prophetic Thursday night, as the Florida beat Oklahoma, 24-14, at Dolphin Stadium to send the jewel to Gainesville for the second time in three years.

Sooners coach Bob Stoops, a Cardinal Mooney High graduate, lost his fifth consecutive BCS bowl game.

The Gators iced the game with a 4-yard touchdown — a jump pass from Tim Tebow to David Nelson — that capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive with 3 minutes 7 seconds to play for a 10-point lead.

The game was tied 7-7 until 4:21 remained in third quarter, when Percy Harvin took a direct snap, followed a wall of blockers to his right and flew into the end zone from two yards out.

Tebow dominated the 75-yard drive, carrying six times and firing up Gators fans by pumping his fist and gesturing for more noise.

On a third-and-10 from the Oklahoma 31, Tebow dropped back, surveyed the field and then took off. The 240-pound quarterback bulled over linebacker Travis Lewis for a 12-yard gain.

Tebow then pitched to Jeff Demps to get the Gators within one yard of a touchdown.

On third down, Harvin struck gold, scoring a touchdown in his 15th consecutive game.

Oklahoma came back to tie it 14-14 at 12:13 of the fourth when Bradford hit Jermaine Gresham for an 11-yard-touchdown pass to complete an eight-play, 77-yard drive.

But the Gators regained the lead 17-14 on the next possession when Harvin rushed for 52 and 12 yards to the Sooners 14 on successive plays and Jonathan Phillips subsequently kicked a 28-yard field goal with 10:45 to play.