JACKSONVILLE - It took three years, but Mark Richt finally found the formula for beating Urban Meyer.
Run it down the Gators? throats, and stop Tim Tebow.
That?s a simple plan, but not usually an easy one.
On Saturday, Georgia made it look simple and easy.
The Bulldogs upset UF 42-30 at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, topping the Gators for just the third time in the last 18 years.
BI saw it in (Richt?s) eyes,C Georgia cornerback Thomas Flowers said. BI could see it in everybody?s eyes from the training staff to the equipment managers, you could just see they were fired up because everybody wanted to get rid of this streak of Florida winning.C
Georgia redshirt freshman running back Knowshon Moreno took over the game, rushing 33 times for 188 yards and three scores against a normally stout Florida run defense.
Many expected Georgia, playing without senior running backs Kregg Lumpkin and Thomas Brown, to test UF?s Southeastern Conference-worst pass defense.
But Moreno?s ability to shift around linemen and bowl over defensive backs changed everything.
Richt put it in simple terms.
BKnowshon was awesome tonight,C he said.
Moreno punched in the game?s first and last touchdowns, perhaps the two biggest statement plays of the game, and ran wild in between.
The first score, which broke open a scoreless game midway through the first quarter, caused a bench-clearing celebration.
The Bulldogs rushed the field like crazed pee-wee leaguers as penalty flags flew through the air.
BI told them if they didn?t get a celebration penalty after our first score, all of them would be doing early-morning runs,C Richt said. BI wanted to make sure we left this game with our hearts on the field.C
The teams traded personal foul penalties and scores until the fourth quarter, when Moreno helped put the game away.
Moreno?s third touchdown, a 3-yard run with 3:54 left, capped the scoring and clinched the win.
His running also set up quarterback Matthew Stafford for a solid day as the sophomore tallied 84- and 53-yard touchdown passes while UF was still dizzy from chasing Moreno.
BEvery time we were in the red zone, we were scoring touchdowns tonight,C Richt said. BI think we had a great plan by our staff, especially Coach (Mike) Bobo, but the players are the ones who really did a great job out there.C
While Georgia moved at will, UF just tried to keep up.
With a bruised right shoulder, sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow could not match the Bulldogs strike for strike.
Meyer said Tebow?s injury affected the game plan as fewer Tebow runs were called.
BIt bothered me a little bit, but that?s what off-season training is for œ toughness,C said Tebow, who first suffered the injury at Kentucky on Oct. 20. BYou?re going to have bumps and bruises throughout the course of the year.C
Georgia picked up on Tebow?s new one-dimensional arsenal and blitzed at will and with little regard for his ability to scramble.
That kept Tebow from hitting speedy receivers Percy Harvin (two catches for 41 yards) and Andre Caldwell (four catches for 56 yards) for big-yardage, game-changing plays.
BWe battled hard and played well at times,C Meyer said. BIt was a great game to watch, but a hard game to lose.C
