GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Tim Tebow jumped around and waved his arms high above his head as he jogged off the field late in the fourth quarter.

Florida fans responded with chants of "Tebow, Tebow, Tebow."

Tebow vowed to play harder following his last home game, a humbling loss to Mississippi two weeks ago. The Heisman Trophy winner backed up that promise with his best game of the season last night.

Tebow threw two touchdown passes to Percy Harvin and ran for a score, and No. 11 Florida thumped defending national champion LSU, 51-21, at Florida Field.

"I think we had a little chip on our shoulder going into the game," Tebow said.

The fourth-ranked Tigers (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) had won six consecutive games, 19 in a row at night and 23 straight in regulation. Florida (5-1, 3-1) ended all those streaks with a fast start and some huge plays from Tebow, Harvin, Jeff Demps and Brandon Spikes.

The Gators also may have put to rest all those uneasy feelings about an inconsistent offense and a suspect defense. They enjoyed their best game of the season — maybe their best game since beating Ohio State, 41-14, in Arizona for the 2006 national title.

LSU, meanwhile, lost for the first time in regulation since falling 23-10 two years ago in Gainesville — taking the worst beating of coach Les Miles' four-year career with the Tigers. They had three turnovers, a near interception that went for a touchdown and a costly face-mask penalty.

It was the most-lopsided loss for LSU since a 31-0 beating at home by Alabama in 2002, when Nick Saban was leading the Tigers. The last time LSU gave up more points, Steve Spurrier's Gators beat the Tigers, 56-13, in 1996.

"That might be one of our best defensive performances in recent history," Gators coach Urban Meyer said. "Our defense really answered the bell against the run."

NO. 6 PENN STATE 48, WISCONSIN 7

MADISON, Wis. — With coach Joe Paterno perched in the press box for the second straight week because of a sore hip, Daryll Clark threw for a touchdown and ran for two more as the Nittany Lions (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) dismantled the Badgers (3-3, 0-3).

It is Penn State's 11th 7-0 start under Paterno and first since 1999. The Nittany Lions also won back-to-back Big Ten road games for the first time since '99.

NO. 7 TEXAS TECH 37, NEBRASKA 31

LUBBOCK, Texas — Eric Morris scooted 1 yard around right end for a touchdown in overtime and Jamar Wall made that score stand up with an interception as the Red Raiders (6-0, 2-0 Big 12) held off the Cornhuskers (3-3, 0-2).

Texas Tech left the door open for the Cornhuskers to win it with a touchdown and extra point, when the Red Raiders botched the PAT after Morris' score.

NO. 8 USC 28, ARIZONA STATE 0

LOS ANGELES — Mark Sanchez passed for one touchdown and ran for another, and Kevin Thomas returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown as the Trojans (4-1, 2-1 Pac-10) dominated the Sun Devils (2-4, 1-2).

Joe McKnight ran for a career-high 143 yards on 11 carries for the Trojans, who extended their winning streak over the Sun Devils to nine games, winning by an average of 20.1 points. USC is 74-9 since the beginning of the 2002 season and has won 41 of its last 42 home games.

NO. 9 BYU 21, NEW MEXICO 3

PROVO, Utah — Max Hall completed ed 22 of 34 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns as the Cougars (6-0, 2-0 Mountain West) survived their lowest scoring game of the season by beating the Lobos (3-5, 1-2) to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 16.

New Mexico held the Cougars scoreless in the opening quarter and scored before BYU, both firsts for the season. The Lobos also saw a touchdown called back on a penalty midway through the fourth quarter when BYU was up only 14-3.

NO. 10 GEORGIA 26, TENNESSEE 14

ATHENS, Ga. — Matthew Stafford passed for a career-best 310 yards, Knowshon Moreno ran for 101 yards and freshman Blair Walsh kicked four field goals as the Bulldogs (5-1, 2-1) left the Volunteers (2-4) 0-3 in the Southeastern Conference for the first time in 20 years.

Tennessee netted only 1 yard on the ground, but the Vols capitalized on two interceptions thrown by Stafford for their touchdowns. Nick Stephens, in his second career start, threw two touchdown passes.

NO. 12 OHIO STATE 16, PURDUE 3

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Malcolm Jenkins blocked a punt and Etienne Sabino returned it 20 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and the Buckeyes (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) made it stand in beating the Boilermakers (2-4, 0-2).

Curtis Painter threw for 228 yards for Purdue, becoming just the fourth Big Ten quarterback to surpass 10,000 passing yards. He was 23-of-51 with one interception. The Boilermakers didn't get inside the Ohio State 30 until the final 30 seconds.

MISSISSIPPI STATE 17, NO. 13 VANDERBILT 14

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Anthony Dixon rushed for 107 yards and De'Mon Glanton's interception set up Christian Ducre's 3-yard touchdown run for a 17-7 lead with 8:16 left as the Bulldogs (2-4, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) upset the Commodores (5-1, 3-1).

The Commodores were looking to go 6-0 for the first time since 1928. Instead, the Bulldogs played good defense holding Vandy to just 45 yards rushing and 62 yards passing.

NO. 14 UTAH 40, WYOMING 7

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Matt Asiata ran for a touchdown and caught another, and Sean Smith intercepted two passes, returning one for a TD, to spark the Utes (7-0, 3-0 Mountain West). The Cowboys (2-5, 0-4) have lost four straight, but managed to avoid being shutout for the third time this season.

Wyoming's offensive woes continued as it turned the ball over five times, gained 252 total yards and converted 2-for-13 on third down.

NO. 16 KANSAS 30, COLORADO 14

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Jake Sharp rushed for 118 yards and scored three touchdowns, and Todd Reesing threw for 256 yards and another score, leading the Jayhawks (5-1, 2-0 Big 12) past the Buffaloes (3-3, 2-2).

The Jayhawks led only 16-14 after Colorado's Cody Hawkins scored on a 1-yard run at the end of the third period. But Reesing quickly engineered two scoring drives, capped by TD runs of 8 and 7 yards by Sharp to seal Kansas' 13th straight home victory.

ARKANSAS 25, NO. 20 AUBURN 22

AUBURN, Ala. — Michael Smith rushed for 176 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 63-yard run in the fourth quarter, and the Razorbacks (3-3, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) had two late defensive stands to upset the Tigers (4-3, 2-3).

The Razorbacks forced Auburn's Kodi Burns into three straight incompletions from their 5-yard line to halt one drive. Then Matt Harris made a diving interception with 29 seconds left on the Tigers' last chance.

NO. 22 N. CAROLINA 29, NOTRE DAME 24

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Cameron Sexton scored on a leaping 4-yard keeper to start the fourth quarter, Quan Sturdivant returned an interception for a touchdown and the Tar Heels (5-1) rallied to beat the Fighting Irish (4-2).

Ryan Houston scored on a short run for the Tar Heels, who rallied from an 11-point first-half deficit and beat the Fighting Irish for just the second time in 18 meetings.

NO. 23 MICHIGAN STATE 37, NORTHWESTERN 20

EVANSTON, Ill. — Javon Ringer ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Brian Hoyer added two short touchdown passes as the Spartans (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) never trailed in handing the Wildcats (5-1, 1-1) their first loss.

Michigan State scored 17 straight points in the first quarter with the help of a pair of Northwestern turnovers.

NO. 25 BALL STATE 24, WESTERN KENTUCKY 7

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Nate Davis threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns, and MiQuale Lewis ran for 112 yards and a score as the Cardinals (7-0) overcame a slow start in their first-ever game as a ranked team to beat the Hilltoppers (2-5).

The Hilltoppers piled up 352 yards of offense but turned the ball over three times and continually self-destructed in Ball State territory.