In the two years immediately after Tim Tebow‘s departure, Florida had gone from a team that won two BcS titles under Saint Timothy to one wandering aimlessly through a 15-11 desert.
This season, though, the Gators have climbed their way back onto the national stage at 6-0, thanks in large part to a stifling defense and the running of Mike Gillislee, and in no small part to the ever-improving play of Jeff Driskel. Saturday, the sophomore in his first season as a full-time starter erased Tebow’s name from one small portion of UF’s record books.
In the No. 4 Gators’ 31-17 win over Vanderbilt, Driskel rushed for a career-high 177 yards on just 11 carries, scoring three touchdowns on runs that totaled 120 yards. Not only was the total a career-high for Driskel, it also broke Tebow’s single-game school record of 166 yards rushing by a quarterback.
While Driskel passed for just 77 yards, he did not throw an interception for the fifth time in six games. In fact, he’s thrown just one pick in his 111 attempts this season.
Combine the efficient play/running ability from the QB position with that defense and Gillislee’s legs, and is it any wonder that the computers will likely ***heart*** the Gators more than any other team in the nation when the first BcS rankings of the 2012 season are released Sunday evening?