OXFORD, Miss. -- Junior Derrick Harvey and sophomore Jermaine Cunningham, both defensive ends, each sacked Ole Miss senior quarterback Seth Adams, but he had too much time in the pocket for most of the game and coach Urban Meyer said the pass rush remains a concern.
"We're hitting game five now and that will cost us a game," Meyer said after third-ranked Florida defeated Ole Miss, 30-24, Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Adams, whose status was questionable because of a sprained shoulder he sustained last week in a 14-point loss to Vanderbilt, finished 18 of 31 passing for 302 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Both TDs came in the third quarter.
Adams hit Shay Hodge for a 19-yard touchdown pass with 2:47 left in the third to cut Florida's lead to 27-16. With seven seconds left in the quarter, he hit a streaking Mike Wallace down the sideline for a 77-yard score to make it 27-24. Depth at cornerback is also a concern. Sophomore Markihe Anderson (knee) did not make the trip.
"There's no choice right now," Meyer said. "You have what you have. We have to get Markihe back."
Freshman cornerback Joe Haden, who was beaten by Wallace on his touchdown catch, and sophomore linebacker Brandon Spikes each had seven tackles. Haden had three pass deflections. Senior safety Tony Joiner intercepted Adams in the fourth. On Florida's next drive, senior kicker Joey Ijjas booted a 25-yard field goal for the final margin.
Tebow his own worst enemy?
Quarterback Tim Tebow means well when he's shouting things to Meyer but sometimes the sophomore needs to be protected and not take so many shots. He carried it 27 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns.
Especially down the stretch, he kept the ball in his hands, gained valuable yards and kept it away from Ole Miss. Meyer said he wants Tebow to carry it about 10 times per game.
"Tim is his worst enemy," Meyer said. "He's always in my ear shouting, 'let me win the game.' In the past, that's been an issue, not being able to close out games. We were able to close the game. That last drive instead of kicking that field goal, it would have been nice to knock it in there. That would have been a big boost. When it comes to it, go to the guy who got you there, Tebow."
Tebow also completed 20 of 34 passes for 261 yards and two scores. Sophomore wide receiver Percy Harvin caught a career-high 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown.
Hotel was a circus
The wake-up call at the team hotel in Tupelo was scheduled for 6:30 a.m. Pretty early for a circus-like atmosphere, but that's how Meyer described the scene after Florida's win Saturday.
"Our coaches did a great job," he said. "It was a circus at the hotel this morning. It was loud. Our coaches were cheerleaders for our guys, trying to get them going."
Meyer almost played Thompson
Sophomore wide receiver Riley Cooper's injury held him out and Meyer said he almost played freshman Deonte Thompson, who has not seen the field this season. Rumors have circulated recently Thompson was looking to transfer to Miami. Meyer dismissed those rumors this week.
"I almost played Deonte," Meyer said. "We have to get those guys back."
Other News & Notes
Tebow's 19-yard touchdown pass to Harvin was Harvin's third TD catch this season. He had two touchdown catches all of last year...Harvin had nine catches for 104 yards in the first half. He finished with nine receptions against Ohio State in the BCS title game...Freshman punter Chas Henry had two punts of 50 yards... Joiner's interception was the fourth of his career.