2009
January 8, 2009 – Dolphin Stadium
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Gators Ride Tebow, Defense to Title
In a game that featured two of the country’s most dynamic offenses and two Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks, it was the defensive grudge match between the second-ranked Florida Gators and top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners that dominated the 2009 BCS National Championship.
The high-scoring shootout between Heisman Trophy winners Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford never materialized.
Tebow shook off a career-high two interceptions to rescue the Gators, driving them to the clinching score with his notorious jump pass to David Nelson with 3:07 left to make it 24-14.
Percy Harvin returned from an ankle injury and dashed for 122 yards on only nine carries for the Gators. His 52-yard gallop set up Jonathan Phillips' 27-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter for a 17-14 lead.
It was Florida's third national title overall, the third straight for a team from the Southeastern Conference, and it was the Sooners' fifth straight loss in a BCS game. Oklahoma set a modern record for scoring with 702 points this season and put up at least 60 points in each of its last five games, yet never found its rhythm.
|
|
Florida |
OU |
|
First Downs |
24 |
25 |
|
Rushing Attempts |
44 |
29 |
|
Rushing Yards |
249 |
107 |
|
Passes Attempted |
30 |
41 |
|
Passes Completed |
18 |
26 |
|
Had Intercepted |
2 |
2 |
|
Passing Yards |
231 |
256 |
|
Total Offense |
480 |
363 |
|
Punts/Avg. |
3/51.7 |
3/38.7 |
|
Fumbles/Lost |
0/0 |
0/0 |
|
Penalties/Yards |
8/81 |
4/31 |
|
SCORE BY QUARTERS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Florida |
0 |
7 |
7 |
10 |
- |
24 |
|
Oklahoma |
0 |
7 |
0 |
7 |
- |
14 |
SCORING SUMMARY
FLA: Murphy 20-yard pass from Tebow (Phillips kick); OKLA: Gresham 6-yard pass from Bradford (Stevens kick); FLA: Harvin 2-yard run (Phillips kick); OKLA: Gresham 11-yard pass from Bradford (Stevens kick); FLA: Phillips 27-yard kick; FLA: Nelson 4-yard pass from Tebow (Phillips kick) MOP: Tim Tebow (Florida), Carlos Dunlap (Florida)
Florida Head Coach: Urban Meyer
Oklahoma Head Coach: Bob Stoops