Top-ranked Florida returns to struggling ways, stays unbeaten with 27-3 win over Vandy

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Gators struggle on offense again, beat Vandy 27-3

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — No. 1 Florida didn’t do much to erase all the negative vibes from a rough week for the defending national champions.

Tim Tebow accounted for two touchdowns, Caleb Sturgis kicked two field goals and the Gators beat Vanderbilt 27-3 in a lackluster effort Saturday night at The Swamp.

Florida fans looking for something positive following linebacker Brandon Spikes’ one-game suspension for dirty play and coach Urban Meyer’s hefty fine for criticizing officials may have been disappointed.

The Gators (9-0, 7-0 Southeastern Conference) extended their winning streak to 19 games overall — and their streak against Vandy (2-8, 0-6) to 19 games, too — but struggled on offense for the fifth time in seven league games.

The solution was standing on the sideline in street clothes. Percy Harvin, a first-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings, attended the game along with former teammate and current Oakland Raiders receiver Louis Murphy.

A week after finding some offensive rhythm in a 41-17 victory over Georgia and clinching a spot in the SEC title game, Florida looked more like the team that eked out close games against Tennessee, LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi State.

Tebow completed 15 of 20 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown, but a big chunk of his yardage came on a 64-yard run-and-catch by Aaron Hernandez late in the fourth quarter. Tebow also ran 16 times for 27 yards and a score.

Vanderbilt, coming off a 56-31 loss to Georgia Tech in which it allowed 497 yards rushing, returned to its usually stout defensive ways. The Commodores, who have lost six in a row, sacked Tebow four times.

Florida finished with 375 yards, but about a third of them came late in the game — well after some fans headed for the exits.

Maybe the most telling sign of Florida’s problems: Tebow’s TD pass to David Nelson in the fourth quarter came on a pass that slipped through Riley Cooper’s fingers near the goal line. Nelson just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Jeff Demps ran seven times for 57 yards and a touchdown. Hernandez finished with seven catches for 120 yards. Florida’s defense was stingy as usual, giving up 199 yards.

Spikes was hardly missed. He watched the game from the sideline in a warmup suit and with a freshly shaved face — maybe an attempt to change his image following his eye-gouging incident against the Bulldogs.

Spikes will return next week at South Carolina, and the Gators can only hope their offense does, too.

The Commodores played conservatively most of the night, not taking too many chances with quarterback Mackenzi Adams making his first start of the season.

Adams was 13 of 29 for 100 yards, with an interception. He used a lot of quick passes to avoid Florida’s pass rush. It worked. The Gators failed to sack him. Vandy’s running game helped, too.

Warren Norman gained 65 yards, Zac Stacy added 32 and the five-touchdown underdogs trailed just 20-3 entering the fourth quarter.