Gators take BCS crown

Posted: 01.09.2009 at 9:01 AM

MIAMI (AP) -- The Florida Gators are the kings of college football.

Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin and the Gators' defense led the way in a 24-14 win over Oklahoma at the BCS championship game in Miami.

Tebow overcame a pair of first-half interceptions to finish 18-of-30 for 231 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-clinching score in the closing minutes. He also had 109 rushing yards and came away with the game's Most Outstanding Player trophy.

The game was tied at 14 in the fourth quarter until Harvin ripped off runs of 52 and 12 yards on consecutive plays to set up a tiebreaking, 27-yard field goal by Jonathan Phillips with 10:45 remaining. Harvin had 122 yards on one touchdown on only nine carries while playing through an ankle injury.

Tebow iced the game by hitting David Nelson for a four-yard TD with 3:07 left after the Gators picked off Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford for the second time.

Florida shut down an Oklahoma offense that had scored at least 60 points in each of its previous five games. The Sooners got within the Gators' 10-yard line three times in the first half but came away with just seven points. Bradford was picked off near the goal line with two seconds left in the half, one series after the Gators stopped Oklahoma on downs at the Florida three-yard line.

Bradford tossed a pair of scoring strikes to Germaine Gresham and finished with 256 yards but two interceptions. Bradford's second TD pass knotted the score with 12:13 remaining.

Florida finishes the season 13-and-1 after holding the high-octane Sooners to 363 total yards. Oklahoma settles for a 12-and-2 record.