Heisman race hits stretch run

<p>While Florida awaits its fate in the SEC East division race, the Gators will be involved in another race — for the Heisman Trophy.</p><p> No. 14 Florida (7-3, 5-3 in SEC) needs a loss by both Georgia and Tennessee to force a three-way tie, which would put the Gators in the SEC title game. Georgia closes its SEC schedule Saturday against visiting Kentucky. Tennessee hosts Vanderbilt on Saturday before closing its regular season Nov. 24 at Kentucky.</p><p> "We're big Kentucky fans," Florida coach Urban Meyer said Sunday.</p><p> It may be simpler to figure out who is going to win the Heisman Trophy.</p><p> Florida sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow strengthened his Heisman candidacy in Saturday's 51-31 win at South Carolina by having a hand in all seven Gator touchdowns. He completed 22-of-32 passes for a career-high 304 yards and ran for 120 yards on 26 carries.</p><p> "I think that was a Heisman performance," Meyer said of Tebow after the game. "That was one of the finest performances I’ve ever seen."</p><p> Tebow was second in last week's Scripps Howard Heisman Trophy poll, with Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon the leader.</p><p> "That’s an honor any time you're named with that award," Tebow said. "But I’m not going to worry about that."</p><p> For the season, Tebow has completed 173 of 255 passes (68 percent) for 2,532 yards and 23 touchdowns. He has rushed for 718 yards and 19 touchdowns on 170 carries. Tebow is the second-highest rated passer in the nation.</p><p> Meyer, who is used to having Heisman candidates for quarterbacks (Josh Harris at Bowling Green, Alex Smith at Utah and Chris Leak at UF), doesn't plan to change the play-calling to enhance Tebow's statistics in the final two regular-season games at The Swamp against Florida Atlantic and Florida State on Nov. 24.</p><p> "That's the furthest thing from my mind," Meyer said Sunday. While Harris and Smith may have needed the exposure, Meyer said, a program of Florida's stature doesn't need to provide it for Tebow. "Tim’s performance, the defending national champs and a high profile place, I imagine a lot of people have seen him play."</p><p> Dixon, a senior, and No. 2 Oregon (8-1) did not play Saturday. Dixon, who has thrown for 2,074 yards and 20 TDs and has run for 549 yards and eight scores, will get a chance to show off his skills Thursday night against Arizona on ESPN.</p><p><B>Notes:</B> Meyer said receiver Percy Harvin, who missed practice time last week because of a sinus infection, "did not make the trip ... he was sick. It got real bad by the end of the week." Meyer expects Harvin to play Saturday.</p><p> Meanwhile, Meyer listed freshman offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey as doubtful with a high ankle sprain suffered early in the South Carolina game.</p>