SteveWebel [dot] Com

Well, that old saying “You better get them this year …” — forget about it. The Gators are already better on offense because they have a more talented quarterback and what seems like an endless supply of offensive weapons. And if the defense grows up in a hurry, Florida might even have a shot at defending its SEC championship, maybe even its national title.

The fifth-ranked Gators grew up in a hurry Saturday, dismantling No. 22 Tennessee 59-20 in front of a sold-out crowd of 90,707 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Gators dominated the Volunteers in every facet of the game. Quarterback Tim Tebow threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more in his first SEC start. Running back Brandon James ran back the Volunteers’ first punt 83 yards for a touchdown, and linebacker Dustin Doe returned an interception 18 yards for a backbreaking score.

“I didn’t see this one at all,” said Urban Meyer, who is 9-3 against ranked teams as Florida’s coach. “I didn’t see it coming until the whistle at the end, when I said, ‘My goodness.’”

That’s probably also what 10 other SEC coaches said when they saw the score of the Gators’ lopsided victory. Florida wasn’t supposed to be this good this fast. The Gators have only 10 seniors and 11 juniors. They’ve played 27 freshmen in their first three games. More than 70 percent of Florida’s roster is composed of freshmen and sophomores.

Wow, the “Gator Haters” are NOT happy right now! Goooo Gators!