GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Florida’s turning point came just after a 31-30 home loss to Mississippi in September.
Quarterback Tim Tebow stood behind a podium, choked back tears and promised something good would come from the setback. Coaches demanded more in an emotional team meeting a day later.
The Gators responded better than anyone, even Tebow, expected.
No. 4 Florida has won its last four games, outscoring Arkansas, LSU, Kentucky and Georgia 201-43 and putting itself on the verge of the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title.
“I don’t know if it was something that finally clicked,” Tebow said. “It’s a different mentality. It’s almost playing with anger, somewhat, playing with intensity, playing with passion.
“You can only go so far with natural ability. Intensity and passion and love of the game, that’s what takes you to the next level. We’ve kind of gotten to that next level.”
, 3-2), which has lost three in a row this season and 17 straight in this series. They also might want to thank the Rebels for helping them get in this position.
“Ole Miss was a great thing that happened to us, because now we’re refocused and not overlooking anybody,” receiver Louis Murphy said.
In the four-game winning streak, the Gators averaged 50 points and 452 yards of offense. In the first four games (Hawaii, Miami, Tennessee and Ole Miss), Florida averaged 35.5 points and 359 yards and rarely looked like the juggernaut everyone expected heading into the season.
Coach Urban Meyer credits the turnaround to maturity. He believes talent can get you seven wins. Talent and discipline can get you eight. But for one of those really special seasons, you need something more.
“If you start getting a little leadership, good things will happen,” Meyer said.
Tebow showed plenty of that following Florida’s loss, putting it all on his shoulders and vowing that he and his teammates would play harder than anyone in the country the rest of the season.
The coaching staff delivered a more stern message the next day, calling out players for not doing their part and letting everyone around them down.
he whole team was being let down by some guys who just weren’t preparing and playing as hard as they possibly could. I think they started reading the clippings about how good they were and bad things happened.”
Only good things have happened since.
Tebow, who had several poor passes and a costly fumble against Ole Miss, has completed 69 percent of his passes for 761 yards and eight touchdowns in the four wins. He also has 141 yards rushing and six scores.
The offensive line, which allowed three sacks against the Rebels and got blown off the ball on Tebow’s failed fourth-down run in the closing seconds, has dominated the line of scrimmage.
“I think the nation is looking at us as a totally different team than a few weeks ago,” left tackle Phil Trautwein said. “We’re playing with a chip on our shoulder. The Ole Miss loss … was a slap in the face, an understanding that any day or any game you can lose.”
The defense, burned by four big plays that included an 86-yard TD pass late in the fourth quarter that put Ole Miss ahead for good, has been considerably better. Although the unit has given up 337 yards a game in the four wins, it has forced 10 turnovers and allowed opponents to score just seven times on 13 trips inside the 20-yard line.
orida has been as solid as ever, even blocking two punts and a field goal against Kentucky.
“The Ole Miss letdown kind of opened our eyes,” linebacker Brandon Spikes said. “We can be beat if we come out loafing and stuff. We’ve just grown up from that. We’re playing great right now.”
The Gators feel like they’ve been through this before, too.
Remember 2006? Florida regrouped following a loss at Auburn, closed the regular season with five straight wins, beat Arkansas in the conference championship game and then thumped Ohio State for the national title.
“That’s kind of what’s happening now,” Trautwein said. “That’s what it looks like to me.”
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