Florida-LSU: Tebow, Spikes, and Demps Lead Gators to 51-21 Taming of Tigers

This time, there were no fourth down conversions to save LSU.

A year after storming back in Death Valley with five fourth down conversions to erase a 24-14 deficit, LSU couldn't muster any more magic and fell 51-21 in the Swamp.

The Gators, on the strength of a 70-yard TD pass from Tim Tebow to Percy Harvin on its first drive, torched the LSU secondary in the first quarter for 149 passing yards and built a 17-0 lead.

Even more impressive, the Gators outgained LSU in yards in that quarter 186 to four.

The Tigers, meanwhile, were hurt by early miscues.  Danny McCray had a chance to knock down the 70-yard TD pass but instead tipped the ball up and could only watch as Harvin collected it and scampered into the end zone.

LSU had even more difficulty creating any early momentum on offense after LB Brandon Spikes picked off QB Jarrett Lee. Then Andrew Hatch, the other QB in LSU coach Les Miles's scheme, was involved in a bad exchange with RB Charles Scott that led to a fumble.

The Gators actually didn't score off those two turnovers, but they used those plays and return man extraordinaire Brandon James to control field position.

Still, LSU put together two touchdown drives bookending halftime to make another impressive comeback seem possible as they only trailed 20-14.

But Tebow, Spikes, and the Gators were forced to watch key moments of last year's defeat all week on TV screens in the weight room, so they knew a knockout blow was necessary.

And they delivered.

Tebow immediately led the Gators on an eight-play, 67-yard drive highlighted by a 37-yard pass to Louis Murphy that set up a two-yard TD run by...you guessed it, Tim Tebow.

After LSU was forced to punt, the Gators turned to one of their new weapons this year, freshman running back Jeff Demps.

If Demps's 42-yard TD run off an option pitch by Tebow didn't end LSU's hopes, then Brandon Spikes' interception and touchdown runback at the beginning of the fourth quarter certainly did.

That made it 41-14.

Seemingly the only mistakes made by Florida all night were Spikes' unsportsmanlike punting of the football after his score and a later fumble by Tim Tebow that led to LSU's final touchdown, a six-yard pass from Jarrett Lee to Richard Dickson.

A late TD run by Florida RB Kestahn Moore concluded the scoring and made this contest the highest scoring game in the history of the series between the two teams at 72 points (Florida's 56-13 win in 1996 produced the old mark).

Also worth noting was the continued emergence of Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey.

The stat sheet will show you that Tebow accounted for three TDs and Harvin had two of them, but the contribution from Florida's young running backs was equally important.

Demps and Rainey combined for 195 of Florida's 265 rushing yards.

The 42-yard TD and an elusive 37-yard run by Demps showed that his performance in the Arkansas game was no fluke.

Florida now has a bye week to find more ways to incorporate their young stars into their attack.  They next face Kentucky in their homecoming game.

LSU will attempt to get back on track at South Carolina on Saturday.