Florida quarterback Tim Tebow shook off the effects of a concussion suffered against Kentucky two weeks ago and returned to lead the #1 ranked Gators to a hard fought 13-3 victory over #4 ranked LSU. Tebow got a good deal of help from a nasty Florida defense, and the largest crowd in LSU history (93,129) left disappointed as the Bayou Bengals offense was almost completely shut down. Florida improved to 5-0 while LSU dropped to 5-1.
College football betting enthusiasts who backed Florida as a -9 road favorite weren't able to breathe easy until the final whistle, but eventually enjoyed a payday with the narrowest of pointspread covers. The Gators improved their ATS record over the past three years to a glossy 22-7 and they've covered 8 of their last 9 on the road. The combined 16 points scored went well UNDER the posted total of 45.
After the game, Tebow explained that he tried to play smart but without fear:
"I tried to play smart. I told him, I said, when we were talking to Coach [Urban] Meyer, I said, 'I'm not going to go out there and play tentative or scared. That's not me.' I did try to play smart but I wasn't scared or timid at all."
Tebow was also not the least bit intimidated by the huge crowd of LSU partisans:
"This place is one of my favorite stadiums to play in. It just gets your adrenaline going, then to play against a great defense like that."
Tebow returned to practice earlier this week, but wasn't medically cleared to play until a few hours before gametime. Even then, he was listed as a game time decision. Coach Urban Meyer talked about the difficult decision he had to make:
"It was a tough deal and I kept saying, 'Would I play my son?' You know Tim," Meyer said. "It was, 'Let me play. Let me play.' Nonstop."
Gators safety Will Hill said that the defense knew that they'd have to play well:
We knew Tim would suit up but we didn't know if he would play, but we didn't care. The defense knew what we had to do to come out and win this game."
LSU receiver Brandon LaFell blamed his teams mistakes for the loss:
Those guys have a pretty good defense. We had a ton of chances, then we would get a mistake ... Too many mistakes."
Florida has now won 15 games dating back to last season. They'll try to keep that winning streak going next weekend as they host the University of Arkansas. They'll be on the road at Mississippi State the following weekend before they face Georgia in the game fondly known as The Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" on October 31. LSU will take a bye weekend before returning to action against Auburn on October 24.
Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and noted authority on World Cup betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
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