JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Wearing black helmets and black pants for the first time in program history, the Georgia Bulldogs showed up Saturday looking more like something out of "The Longest Yard."
What transpired was another long day against the Florida Gators.
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow tallied two passing touchdowns and two rushing scores as the No. 1 Gators routed the new-look Bulldogs 41-17. The Gators have won 17 of the past 20 series meetings and have piled up 90 points in the past two.
"I saw that they had those black helmets right before the game and thought, 'Who cares?'" Tebow said after completing 15 of 21 passes for 164 yards and rushing 18 times for 85 yards.
Florida improved to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in Southeastern Conference play, and the Gators clinched a third SEC East title in four years by virtue of Tennessee's victory Saturday night over South Carolina. Georgia dropped to 4-4, its worst record entering November since 1996.
The Bulldogs have played in 12 consecutive bowl games, but a 13th is no guarantee with a closing stretch of Tennessee Tech, Auburn, Kentucky and Georgia Tech.
"I don't think it's an indictment on the program," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "I just think it's an indictment on how we've done this year, really. The more you win, the better you feel about your overall direction, but if there was chaos and things were really getting messy in your locker room or your staff room, I'd have a very large concern right now.
"I'm very concerned about the fact that we're 4-4, but I'm not concerned about the stability of the program."
Georgia had posted three double-digit wins over defending national champions, having whipped LSU in 2004 (45-16), Florida in '07 (42-30) and LSU last year (52-38). A gargantuan difference in quarterback play put a halt to that streak.
While Tebow was tantalizing, Georgia counterpart Joe Cox was crumbling, throwing three interceptions to Florida linebackers. He was replaced by Logan Gray, whose first attempt was returned 5 yards for a touchdown by Gators middle linebacker Brandon Spikes to cap the scoring with 6:24 remaining.
The Bulldogs did not gain a turnover and had their miserable turnover ratio this season sink to minus-15.
"We have not won the turnover ratio this season," Richt said. "That's not very good. As a matter of fact, that's very bad. It's very frustrating, and there are only four regular-season games left."
Said Cox: "I lost the game. Three picks. That score does not reflect how we played and how we moved the ball."
Georgia wore black pants in the Outback Bowl win over Wisconsin that culminated a 10-2 season in 1997 and again in a 38-7 loss to Florida in '98 but wore red helmets both times. The black helmets quickly took a back seat to Florida's productivity, as the Gators went 172 yards on their first 17 plays to take a 14-0 lead.
Every play on Florida's opening possession gained at least 5 yards, and its second drive covered 92 yards, marking the longest for the Gators all year. Tebow culminated those drives with touchdown tosses to roommate Riley Cooper, who made a one-handed grab on his second score.
"They gave us some different formations and mixed it up," Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said. "All these offenses will do that early on because they're on script, and that first drive we blew the coverage on the touchdown and made it very easy for them. The second one down the field, Cooper just made a great play."
Georgia got within 14-10 early in the second quarter and had Florida facing a third-and-16 from its 30, but Tebow connected with tight end Aaron Hernandez for 17 yards to extend the drive. Florida capped that march with a 56-yard Caleb Sturgis field goal and went up 24-10 just before the half on a 23-yard run by Tebow.
On the first play of the second half, Florida linebacker A.J. Jones intercepted Cox and the onslaught was under way.
"That's one of the best team wins we've had at Florida," Meyer said.
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That black crap reeked of desperation.