COLUMBIA, S.C. — For the second time in four years, a UF defensive lineman made a game-saving play against South Carolina.
In 2006, Florida needed a Jarvis Moss field-goal block to seal a victory. Saturday night, it was Justin Trattou who made the play of the day.
Trattou's interception and 53-yard return on the first play of the fourth quarter led to a Tim Tebow touchdown three plays later, and Florida held on to defeat South Carolina 24-14.
The Gators (10-0, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) have now won 20 straight games, good for sixth in conference history, and handed the Gamecocks (6-5, 3-5 SEC) their first home loss of the season.
"(That was) huge. The whole field was tilting," UF coach Urban Meyer said of Trattou's pick. "The field shifted back. Momentum completely swung. You felt it in the stadium. That'll go down in history as one of the great plays."
The interception defensive line coach called possibly the best defensive play of the year came on the first play of the fourth quarter with South Carolina trailing by 3 and facing third and 3 on the UF 22-yard-line.
Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia dropped back and threw a pass intended for Moe Brown, but the ball bounced off Brown's facemask straight up in the air and into a waiting Trattou's arms.
With nearly his entire team blocking ahead of him, the 6-foot-3, 264-pound Trattou rumbled all the way to the South Carolina 26-yard-line.
The Gators offense, which started five of second second-half drives past midfield, put the game away four plays later as Tebow ran it in from 1 yard out with 13:25 left in the game.
"I knew the game was over from there," linebacker Ryan Stamper said.
The Florida defense seemed to even kick up a notch after Trattou's interception. On South Carolina's final three drives, it ran 11 plays for -20 yards, including four UF sacks.
"The defense in the first half — we weren't playing like we should," Trattou said. "In the second half, we started to have fun. When our defense is having fun, that's when we're at our best."
Florida's offense clicked early, scoring 17 points on its first three drives, but miscues ruined other scoring opportunities.
Senior wide receiver Riley Cooper had two would-be touchdowns go off his fingertips, and sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis missed three of four field goals, including a 29-yarder with just more than four minutes left in the game.
Still, UF became the first SEC East team to finish undefeated in conference play since Tennessee did in 1998.
Now Florida has two more nonconference games against Florida International and Florida State before heading to the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 5 against Alabama.
