Florida blows out LSU

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Tim Tebow jumped around and waved his arms high above his head as he jogged off the field late in the fourth quarter.

Florida fans responded with chants of “Tebow, Tebow, Tebow.”

Tebow vowed to play harder after his last home game, a humbling home loss to Mississippi two weeks ago. The Heisman Trophy winner backed up that promise with his best game of the season Saturday.

Tebow threw two touchdown passes to Percy Harvin and ran for a score, and No. 11 Florida thumped defending national champion Louisiana State, 51-21, in a Southeastern Conference game at Florida Field.

“I think we had a little chip on our shoulder going into the game,” Tebow said.

The fourth-ranked Tigers (4-1, 2-1) had won six consecutive games, 19 in a row at night and 23 straight in regulation. Florida (5-1, 3-1) ended all those streaks with a fast start and some huge plays from Tebow, Harvin, Jeff Demps and Brandon Spikes.

The Gators also may have put to rest all those uneasy feelings about an inconsistent offense and a suspect defense. They enjoyed their best game of the season -- maybe their best game since beating Ohio State, 41-14, for the 2006 national title.

LSU, meanwhile, lost for the first time in regulation since falling, 23-10, two years ago in Gainesville -- taking the worst beating of Coach Les Miles’ four-year career with the Tigers. They had three turnovers, a near interception that went for a touchdown and a costly face-mask penalty.

It was the most-lopsided loss for LSU since a 31-0 beating at home by Alabama in 2002, when Nick Saban was leading the Tigers. The last time LSU gave up more points, Steve Spurrier’s Gators beat the Tigers, 56-13, in 1996.

LSU trailed, 20-0, late in the first half Saturday but scored touchdowns going into the locker room and coming out to make it a game and put all the pressure on Florida.

The Gators folded in a similar position in Baton Rouge last year and lost, 28-24.

Tebow finished 14 of 21 passing for 210 yards. He also ran 12 times for 22 yards. Harvin had six catches for 112 yards.