Florida back in SEC hunt after beating Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators showed those upstarts from Kentucky they’re still the team to beat in the SEC East.

Tebow threw for 256 yards and a career-high four touchdown passes, and No. 14 Florida rebounded from consecutive losses with a 45-37 victory over No. 8 Kentucky on Saturday.

A week after the Wildcats knocked off No. 1 Louisiana State, they lost to Florida for the 21st consecutive time.

The victory puts the defending national champions back in the Southeastern Conference title hunt despite their recent losses to Auburn and LSU. The Gators (5-2, 3-2) are tied with South Carolina and Georgia for first in the SEC East.

“This league, it’s a mess right now,” Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks said. “It’s competitive, and week to week, you’d better be ready to play or somebody’s going to jump up and spoil it.”

Kentucky (6-2, 2-2), which went to triple overtime for a 43-37 victory at home against LSU, came into the game concerned that Tebow’s Gators presented a bigger threat because of the sophomore’s ability to run. The Wildcats held him to 78 yards rushing, but the junior’s left arm proved far more problematic.

Tebow completed 18 of 26 passes. His previous high of three touchdowns came this year against Troy and Western Kentucky.

“He’s as competitive a human being as I’ve ever been around,” Florida Coach Urban Meyer said.