MIAMI - Titletown is alive and well again.
It just took a little longer to realize this time.
This one was a far cry from the blowout two years again in Glendale, but the fireworks and confetti were just as sweet for the Gators.
Brandon Spikes knows that Gainesville now contains the best football program in America.
"If ya'll want us," Spikes said, "You gotta come get us."
Oklahoma will be left wondering yet again about its struggles in BCS contests as it lost its fifth straight BCS game and third straight national championship game Thursday night in Dolphin Stadium.
At the same time, Urban Meyer became the first coach to win two BCS national championships.
"It feels great," Meyer said. It is humbling when you consider all the great coaches and players who have and opportunity to do it. It only shows the professional way that our coaches and players prepare every week."
And a year after the Gators' defense was embarrassed by Michigan in the Capital One Bowl, it had its sweet revenge in front of 78,468 fans, the largest ever for a football game at the stadium.
While the majority of the defense is made up of the same players from a year ago, linebacker Ryan Stamper said the defense has come miles from the young squad that gave 41 points to Michigan in last year's Capital One Bowl.
UF held Oklahoma to a season-low in points and the Gators won 24-14, clinching their second national championship in three seasons.
This was a Sooners offense that had scored a NCAA-record 702 points this season and came into Thursday scoring 60 points in five straight games.
"In the off-season, we told our defense if they got stops this year, we would win a national championship," wide receiver Percy Harvin said. "We're No. 1 now."
This was a game where Tim Tebow wasn't at his best, at least early on. The Offensive MVP ended the game 18-of-30 passing for 231 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He added 109 yards on 22 carries on the ground. He told his teammates at halftime, when the score was tied at 7, that they were going to pull it out, according to safety Major Wright.
"Tebow's a man of his word," Wright said.
He had an uncharacteristic first half, throwing two interceptions, matching his entire season total to that point.
On UF's second drive of the second half, Tebow took over. He led the Gators 75 yards on 13 plays but did most of the heavy lifting himself. He ran six times for 48 yards and completed one pass for 11 yards.
"He's just one of those guys," Oklahoma defensive back Nic Harris said. "You give him your best shot, he's going to get back up."
Then the defense once again added a stop of its own. The Sooners moved their way down the field, but UF linebacker Ryan Stamper stopped Chris Brown on third-and-1 and forced Oklahoma to attempt a 49-yard field goal.
UF defensive end Carlos Dunlap once again showed his massive wingspan and blocked the kick, tying the school record for blocked kicks in a single season (9).
He also had some help from Harvin, who said after the game he felt about 90 percent. The junior playmaker finished with five catches for 49 yards and 122 yards rushing on nine carries along with one touchdown.
"There's no better feeling. Nobody gave us a chance to win the game," Harvin said. "They said weren't tough enough."
The Gators defense did allow Brown to gain 110 rushing yards on 22 carries but had big stops against the junior running back.
The Sooners seemed to be poised to score after taking over at the Gators' 26-yard line in the second quarter after a Tebow interception. Brown ran three straight times to take the ball to the UF 1-yard line. But the junior running back was stuffed two straight times for no gain by Cunningham on third-and-goal and Torrey Davis.
Both teams entered Thursday night's game averaging more than 45 points, but it was the defenses who looked good early. leading to a scoreless opening 15 minutes. Oklahoma was held scoreless in a quarter for only the sixth time this season and the first in the opening quarter of play.
UF free safety Major Wright upped the intensity early when he ran across the field to break up a pass intended for an open Manuel Johnson. The Oklahoma wide receiver had beaten Joe Haden down the left sideline after a pump fake until Wright did his best Reggie Nelson impression, laying Johnson out and leaving him dazed on the ground.
But in the end, Tebow came through, as he has ever since his promise after the Mississippi game. In the fourth quarter, after a key Ahmad Black interception, the junior quarterback led his team on an 11-play, 76-yard drive that ate up 6:52 off the clock and essentially sealed the victory. He completed 6-of-6 passes on the drive and rushed two times.
It was an old standby that would clinch the victory for UF. He ran to his left, jumped and hit a cutting David Nelson.
"I promised the guys that I would go out and play with all my heart," Tebow said. "I was so motivated tonight. Oklahoma's a great team and they came out and played hard. I'm so proud of my teammates right now. I can't put into words - it was just an incredible night."
