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Moreno powers Georgia past Florida

Oct 28, 2007 - 1:40 AM JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Ticker) -- Knowshon Moreno shredded Florida's suddenly suspect defense.

Moreno rushed for 188 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries Saturday as 20th-ranked Georgia defeated No. 9 Florida, 42-30, on Saturday in a Southeastern Conference contest.

Moreno scored on TDs runs of 1, 10 and 3 yards as the Bulldogs (6-2, 4-2 SEC East) defeated the defending national champions for just the third time since 1990. Florida had won 15 of the previous 17 meetings between the rivals, losing only in 1997 and 2004.

In his last two games, Moreno has rushed for 345 yards. The freshman ran for 157 yards two weeks ago in a 20-17 victory at Vanderbilt.

"Every time we were in the red zone, we were scoring touchdowns," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "I think we had a great plan by our staff."

Moreno said he does not mind the heavy workload.

"As long as it is working out," he said. "Whatever works, I think we are going to do. We ran the ball well and when we had to throw the ball, we threw the ball well."

Matthew Stafford tossed three touchdowns passes for Georgia, which likely ended Florida's SEC title hopes. Stafford only completed 11-of-18 passes for 217 yards, but his 53-yard TD strike to Mikey Henderson gave Georgia a 35-24 lead with 11:03 remaining.

"We had a good game and everybody played tough," Stafford said. "It was a good win for us."

And a bad loss for the Gators (5-3, 3-3 SEC East), who suffered their third defeat in conference play. Only two teams have reached the SEC championship game with three defeats - Louisiana State in 2001 and Arkansas in 2002.

"Our goal remains the same - to compete, go as far as we can and to get better as the season goes on," Florida coach Urban Meyer said.

But Florida has yielded 79 points in its last two games, holding on for a 45-37 victory over Kentucky last week.

The 42 points today were the most given up by the Florida defense in a regulation game under Meyer, who is in his third season. The Gators also gave up 42 points to Vanderbilt in 2005, but that game extended to two overtimes.

"It was a great game to watch, but a hard game to lose," Meyer added.

The Gators closed to 35-30 with 9:40 remaining on a 3-yard TD run by quarterback Tim Tebow, who played with a bruised shoulder and was sacked six times.

"It hurts," Tebow said of his shoulder. "There's some pain. But I wanted to do whatever the coaches wanted me to do."

But Florida could not stop Moreno and Georgia's ground game when it mattered the most.

The Bulldogs put away the contest with an 11-play, 68-yard march that consumed nearly six minutes. Moreno's third score staked Georgia to a 42-30 lead with 3:54 remaining.

"Knowshon was awesome, but it wasn't just Knowshon," Richt said. "I can't tell you how much fun it was in the clubhouse and I wish everybody could have seen it."

Despite the sore shoulder and intense pressure, Tebow kept the Gators in the game, completing 14-of-22 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown.

"He was not as mobile," Meyer said. "But it's only a bruise and he's such a tough guy he wouldn't tell us if it was hurting him."

The sophomore rushed two for two touchdowns, giving him an NCAA-leading 12 among quarterbacks.

Each of Tebow's touchdowns came after the Bulldogs had opened 11-point leads in the second half - 28-17 and 35-24. But the Gators answered with scoring drives of their own after each of Tebow's TDs.

Florida's hopes ended when the Gators fumbled at the Bulldogs' 11-yard line with 2:23 remaining.

The Gators grabbed their only lead at 17-14 on Joey Ijjas' 43-yard field goal with 7:11 remaining in the first half.

But the Bulldogs took a 21-17 halftime lead on Moreno's 10-yard TD scamper with 1:48 left in the half.