AP News, January 9th, 2007
Quarterback Chris Leak looked like the Heisman Trophy winner, and backup Tim Tebow had a 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down with just under 11 minutes left to hand second-ranked Florida a commanding 41-14 lead in the fourth quarter of the BCS championship game Monday night.
Leak completed his first nine passes, and outplayed Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, who won the Heisman. Leak was 22-of-32 for 187 yards and one touchdown through three quarters.
The Buckeyes had never trailed after three quarters in rolling to a 12-0 regular-season record.
After combining for 48 points in the first half _ and tying the record for first-half points in a BCS title game _ neither team scored in the third quarter.
Smith had a poor first half, with an interception and a fumble. He continued to struggle when play resumed, and through three quarters he was 4-for-12 for 35 yards, far off his average of 208.9 yards per game.
The Buckeyes stunned the Gators when speedster Ted Ginn Jr. returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, a first in the BCS title game. But Ginn wasn't a factor the rest of the game, leaving with an apparent injury.
Florida answered with 21 straight points, led by the dart-throwing Leak.
The Gators took a 21-7 lead on the first play of the second quarter on tailback DeShawn Wynn's 2-yard run. The Buckeyes needed only four plays to drive 64 yards to cut the deficit in half, scoring on Antonio Pittman's 18-yard run around left end.
The Gators made it 24-14 on Chris Hetland's 42-yard field goal with 6 minutes to go in the first half. Hetland was 4-for-13 on field goal tries during the regular season and missed all three of his kicks from the 40-yard line and beyond.
After Smith was stopped for no gain on a quarterback sneak late in the half, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel gambled and went for it on fourth-and-1 at his own 29. Backup tailback Chris Wells was stopped short of the marker, and four plays later Hetland hit a 40-yard field goal to make it 27-14.
On Ohio State's next possession, defensive end Jarvis Moss sacked Smith, who fumbled. Florida's Derrick Harvey recovered it at the Buckeyes' 14 and returned it 9 yards.
Three plays later, Tebow hit Andre Caldwell with a 1-yard touchdown pass to make it 34-14 with 23 seconds to go in the half.
The Buckeyes came in yielding 10.4 points per game, best in the nation.
Ginn took the opening kick in the middle of the field, cut to his right and raced untouched down the sideline in front of the Florida bench. Sixteen seconds into the game, the Buckeyes led 7-0.
It was Ginn's second career kickoff return for a touchdown. Later in the opening quarter, he left the game with an apparent injury and was walking gingerly on the sideline.
Florida needed little time to answer. Aided by an Ohio State personal foul on the ensuing kickoff, the Gators took over at the Buckeyes' 46-yard line.
Connecting on all five of his passes, Leak found receiver Dallas Baker alone on the left side for a 14-yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7 with 10:31 to go in the quarter.
The Gators forced Ohio State's powerful offense to punt after three plays. On the punt return, the Buckeyes committed their second personal foul of the game, giving the Gators the ball at the Ohio State 34.
Five plays later, Percy Harvin scored on a 4-yard option carry to make it 14-7.
