NEW ORLEANS — Tim Tebow rose above all the distractions caused by coach Urban Meyer’s uncertain future and capped a storied college career with his finest performance.
It was the best in BCS history too.
Tebow threw for a career-high 482 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 51 yards and another score, and fifth-ranked Florida overwhelmed No. 4 Cincinnati 51-24 on Friday night in the Sugar Bowl.
“Tim Tebow will go down as one of the great players, if not the greatest player, in college football,” Meyer said.
For Tebow and the Gators (13-1), this certainly was The Big Easy.
Florida’s most-anticipated season ever ended in New Orleans instead of Pasadena. It came against Cincinnati (12-1) instead of Texas. It was about redemption instead of perfection.
None of that mattered asTebow completed his first 12 passes, led the Gators to scores on their first five possessions and finished with 533 yards — more than anyone in Bowl Championship Series history. He passed former Texas star Vince Young’s record of 467 yards set against Southern California in the 2005 Rose Bowl.
The Bearcats lost their bid for a perfect season and surely will spend the next year listening to questions about whether they belong in the big games against the biggest boys.
Florida, meanwhile, became the first school in the Football Bowl Subdivision to win 13 games in consecutive seasons.
Tebow and his teammates had hoped to repeat as national champions, but a 32-13 loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game knocked them out of the title picture. The Gators spent the last four weeks regrouping from the disheartening loss.
Things got worse when Meyer announced his resignation last Saturday, three weeks after being rushed to the hospital because of chest pain. Meyer changed his mind the following day, and instead said he would take an indefinite leave of absence.
No one knows how long he will be away or whether he will return at all.
Tebow & Co. made this a stress-free game for every Gator.
Cincinnati stacked the line of scrimmage, essentially forcing Tebow to beat them through the air. That worked for the Crimson Tide. It backfired for the Bearcats.
The bulky left-hander had all kinds of time to pass and picked apart Cincinnati’s sketchy defense. He nearly had a career game in the first half alone completing 20-of-23 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns.
Tebow completed 31-of-35 passes, and Florida finished with a Sugar Bowl-record 659 yards.
Florida 9 21 14 7 — 51
Cincinnati 0 3 7 14 — 24
First quarter: Fla — Hernandez 7 pass from Tebow (kick failed), 6:13. Fla — FG Sturgis 40, 1:20. Second quarter: Fla — Thompson 7 pass from Tebow (Sturgis kick), 9:07. Fla — Moody 6 run (Sturgis kick), 7:05. Cin — FG Rogers 47, 3:11. Fla — Cooper 80 pass from Tebow (Sturgis kick), 3:02. Third quarter: Fla — Moody 2 run (Sturgis kick), 11:13. Cin — Waugh 2 pass from T.Pike (Rogers kick), 4:46. Fla — Tebow 4 run (Sturgis kick), 2:06. Fourth quarter: Cin — Binns 3 pass from T.Pike (Rogers kick), 10:07. Fla — Rainey 6 run (Sturgis kick), 7:06. Cin — Alli 6 pass from T.Pike (Rogers kick), 3:43. A — 65,207. Fla Cin
First downs 28 19
Rushes-yards 34-177 23-76
Passing 482 170
Comp-att-int 31-36-0 27-45-0
Return yards 10 0
Punts-avg. 1-44.0 6-42.2
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0
Penalties-yards 12-90 3-40
Time of possession 32:20 27:40
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Florida, Gillislee 5-78, Tebow 14-51, Rainey 4-27, Moody 8-14, Demps 3-7. Cincinnati, Pead 7-48, T.Kelce 1-19, Ramsey 6-18, Goebel 1-8, D.Williams 1-(minus 5), T.Pike 7-(minus 12).
PASSING — Florida, Tebow 31-35-0-482, Team 0-1-0-0. Cincinnati, T.Pike 27-45-0-170.
RECEIVING — Florida, Hernandez 9-111, Cooper 7-181, Thompson 5-63, Rainey 4-71, Moody 4-19, Nelson 2-37. Cincinnati, Gilyard 7-41. Binns 5-29, Guidugli 5-22, Woods 4-46, Ramsey 2-16, Pead 1-7, Alli 1-6. Waugh 1-2, Goebel 1-1.
