Urban Meyer makes UGA suffer with late timeouts

Florida never whipped out any stunts or grandiose celebrations to retaliate against Georgia for its end zone celebration last season. But coach Urban Meyer did raise a few eyebrows with a couple of timeouts in the game’s final minute even though the Gators led by 39 points at the time.

After third-string tailback Emmanuel Moody carried the ball for 14 yards, Meyer signaled for a timeout with 44 seconds remaining. Another 17-yard carry by Moody and Meyer called the third and final timeout with 30 seconds to go.

“What was the deal?,” Meyer said, repeating the question. “Moody was running the ball real hard and I wanted to get him a couple of more carries. He deserved it.”

The Florida media laughed in scoff.

“It seemed like you might have been trying to rub it in there,” one reporter said.

“No,” Meyer replied. “Just trying to win the game.”

Richt wouldn’t let on if he was miffed, though the coaches’ postgame handshake would have needed to be measured in nanoseconds.

“Well, the rules say you can have three timeouts in a half. Right?,” Richt said when asked about it after the game. “And he used them. Right? Well that was legal to do. I don’t have a problem with it.”

Richt didn’t think Georgia’s celebration last year had any impact on Saturday’s game.

“The celebration wasn’t why we won last year. We played well enough to win,” he said. “This year we didn’t. Did it motivate them? I don’t know. I’m not a psychologist.”

Said Meyer: “Everybody talked about last year, last year, last year. What happened last year wasn’t why we got beat. “

So they did agree on something.

— Chip Towers

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TEBOW’S PLAY DOES TALKING

Tim Tebow didn’t do much talking before Saturday’s game against Georgia and, frankly, he didn’t say much after the Gators’ 49-10 victory. But his actions during and immediately afterward told you all you needed to know.

Tebow ran back and forth behind the Florida bench and in front of the Gators’ fans, jumping up and down, doing the Gator chomp and waving to the crowd.

He had a lot to be excited about. He played a near-perfect game against the Bulldogs with three rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, no interceptions and one big victory.

“He played relaxed,” Florida coach Urban Meyer said. “He’s playing well and he’s having a lot of fun. Tim Tebow loves the game of football and he loves the University of Florida. He’s contagious. When he plays well the whole offense plays well.”

Tebow wasn’t as eloquent as he was effective.

“It was a great win for us,” he said. “We knew we needed this one and we were focused all week. The defense made plays and the offense finished drives.”

While Georgia’s Matthew Stafford has the reputation for the strong arm, Tebow had two particularly good throws for scores. He hit Louis Murphy in stride for a 44-yard TD over Asher Allen down the Florida sideline early late in the third quarter. A 25-yard strike to Percy Harvin over the middle sealed the game early in the fourth.

|— Chip Towers

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PENALTIES, CALLS GO AGAINST BULLDOGS

You are not likely ever to see Georgia coach Mark Richt madder than he was late in the first quarter when his challenge was overruled by replay officials.

There still was no score about 11 minutes into the game when Florida’s Tim Tebow ran for yard on third and one at the Gators’ 29. First down, the referees ruled.

But after watching the replay on the Jumbotron, Richt thought Tebow’s knee was down well before reaching the first-down marker. Richt challenged and the play was reviewed.

Replay officials stuck with the original call.

“I was just shocked it didn’t get reversed,” Richt said. “I would’ve never asked for it if I hadn’t seen it on the Jumbotron. If we’re right there, it’s fourth-and-one. They could have gone for it but it possibly could have been a drive stopper. I felt like it was worth it.”

Another judgment call hurt the Bulldogs later in the drive. Prince Miller picked off a pass after Georgia brought heavy pressure. But defensive end Jarius Wynn was flagged for hitting an offensive lineman in the head. Instead of Georgia’s ball it was first-and-10 Gators at the Bulldogs’ 13. They scored two plays later to go ahead 7-0.

“Well I did see our player have his hand in their face. Whether it was in the facemask or just on the chin I don’t know,” Richt said. “I could see where the official would call that.”

Georgia was penalized eight times for 49 yards in the game. Florida was flagged eight for 60.

— Chip Towers