Tebow, Florida deliver a knockout

. -- Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews walked into the interview room, said he was embarrassed and then left without taking questions.

Coach, you’re not alone. Tim Tebow and No. 2 Florida have left many others feeling the same way the last two months.

Tebow threw three touchdown passes, ran for 80 yards and another score, and the Gators thumped No. 23 Florida State, 45-15, in sloppy conditions Saturday. It was the most points Florida has ever scored at Doak Campbell Stadium.

“It was a good tail-whipping,” Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden said. “I didn’t think they would beat us like that here. The last time we had a beating like that was last year against them.”

Florida (11-1) extended its winning streak to eight games, continued its dominance in the intrastate rivalry and set up a 1-2 showdown with Alabama in next weekend’s Southeastern Conference title game.

The Gators have won five in a row against Bowden’s team, and this one was nearly as big a laugher as last season’s 45-12 victory in Gainesville.

Florida scored on five of its first seven possessions, held the Seminoles (8-4) without a touchdown for the first 2 1/2 quarters and again proved that the gap between the two programs is as wide as ever.

“They score so many points so fast that everybody gets out of their game plan,” said Bowden, whose team gave up 28 first-half points for the first time since 1989. “You’re trying to catch up and you start doing things you shouldn’t be doing.”

Tebow and Co. pretty much ruined Florida State’s day. Boston College piled on, beating Maryland and knocking the Seminoles out of the hunt for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.