2009 Florida Football Post-Game Notes Florida vs. Cincinnati – Allstate January 1, 2010

Team • Florida became the first program in FBS history to notch 13 wins in consecutive seasons. • UF finished 13-1 for the third time in four seasons. This is the first time in FBS college football history that this has happened. • The 13 victories equal the school record for single-season wins (2006, 2008, 2009) and enabled the Gators to join Nebraska as the only programs to post 13 victories in three different seasons. The Huskers accomplished the feat in 1971, 1994 and 1997. • The triumph over Cincinnati was Florida’s 100th win of the decade, as the Orange and Blue finished the 2000’s with a mark of 100-30 (.769). The Gators were 102-22-1 (.820) during the 1990’s.

• With tonight’s victory, Florida improved to 5-1 in BCS bowl games. The five BCS wins are tied for second with Ohio State, trailing only USC’s total of six. Date Opponent Bowl Result 1/2/99 Syracuse Orange W, 31-10 1/2/01 Miami (Fla.) Sugar L, 20-37 1/2/02 Maryland Orange W, 56-23 1/8/07 Ohio State BCS NCG W, 41-14 1/8/09 Oklahoma BCS NCG W, 24-14 1/1/10 Cincinnati Sugar W, 51-24

• Head Coach is now 6-1 in bowl games and a perfect 4-0 in BCS games. Meyer’s four BCS wins since 2005 are tied with USC’s Pete Carroll for the most by a head coach in that time frame. Date Matchup Bowl Result 12/31/03 Utah vs. Southern Miss Liberty W, 17-0 1/1/05 Utah vs. Pittsburgh Fiesta W, 35-7 1/2/06 Florida vs. Iowa Outback W, 31-24 1/8/07 Florida vs. Ohio State BCS NCG W, 41-14 1/1/08 Florida vs. Michigan Capital One L, 35-41 1/8/09 Florida vs. Oklahoma BCS NCG W, 24-14 1/1/10 Florida vs. Cincinnati Sugar W, 51-24

• Florida’s 25 seniors, the winningest class in SEC history, completed their careers with a 48-7 (.873) record in their time in the Orange and Blue. The group produced a 3-1 bowl record, claimed two National Championships, two SEC Championships, three SEC Eastern Division titles and registered a 15-4 (.789) record vs. ranked teams. • The Gators made their 19th-straight bowl appearance, the second-longest active streak in the nation, and are now 18-19 (.486) in bowl games. • UF captured consecutive bowl wins for the sixth time in school history (1960 Gator & 1962 Gator; 1967 Orange & 1969 Gator; 1992 Gator & 1994 Sugar; 1997 Sugar, 1998 Citrus & 1999 Orange; 2006 Outback & 2007 BCS National Championship Game; 2009 BCS National Championship Game & 2010 Sugar Bowl). • With the triumph over Cincinnati, Florida has put together a 12-3 (.800) mark against AP top-10 opponents under Urban Meyer. This is highlighted by an 8-2 (.800) record versus AP top-5 foes. • The defeat of Cincinnati raised Florida’s record to 8-3-2 all-time against teams from the , including 3-1 in bowl games, with other wins over Syracuse (31-10 in 1999 Orange Bowl) and West Virginia (41-7 in 1994 Sugar Bowl) and a loss to West Virginia (26-6 in 1981 Peach Bowl). • Urban Meyer improved to 30-3 (.909) when having more than a week to prepare for a game (season openers, bowl games and coming off a bye week).

Individual Player • Senior finished his Gator career with a 35-6 (.854) record as a starting .

2009 Florida Football Halftime Notes Florida vs. Cincinnati – Allstate Sugar Bowl January 1, 2010

Team • The 23 straight points scored to begin the game by Florida was its third-biggest run in a bowl game; 28 versus Florida State in the 1997 Sugar Bowl and 27 versus West Virginia in the 1994 Sugar Bowl. • UF posted a score on its opening drive for the eighth time this season: Charleston Southern (TD), Tennessee (FG), Kentucky (FG), LSU (FG), Georgia (TD), South Carolina (TD), FIU (TD) and Cincinnati (TD). That is the second-best mark in the SEC (Ole Miss, 9). • The 84-yard scoring drive took 6:39 and was the Gators’ sixth drive of over 81 yards this season. • Florida limited Cincinnati to 19 yards of total offense in the first quarter, including -11 yards rushing. Meanwhile, the Gators totaled 152 yards (124 yards passing, 28 yards rushing) in the initial period. • UF scored on its first five possessions of the game (TD, FG, TD, TD, TD) before missing a field goal near the end of the half. • The Gator defense limited the Bearcats to 55 total yards (60 passing, -5 rushing) on 28 yards, while rolling up 383 yards of offense (320 passing, 63 rushing). • Florida had 18 first downs, compared to five for Cincinnati. • UF’s defense forced the Bearcats into an 0-for-7 performance on third-down conversions and totaled four sacks.

Individual Player • Senior Tim Tebow was a perfect 7-for-7 on the Gators’ opening drive for 61 yards and fired his 19th TD pass of the year, his first of three on the night. • Tebow established a Sugar Bowl record by completing his first 12 passes of the night for 142 yards and one touchdown before an incomplete pass in the second quarter. • Tebow was 20-for-23 in the first half for a season-high 320 yards – 18 shy of his career best of 338 yards set against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 17, 2007. • Junior tight end caught a seven-yard pass from Tebow to open the scoring. It was his fifth touchdown reception of the season. • Hernandez caught a team-high seven passes for 85 yards, two receptions shy of the single-game record by a Gator tight end. • Sophomore increased Florida’s lead to 9-0 with a 40-yard field goal with 1:20 left in the first quarter. He improved to 22-of-29 for the season and is now a perfect 4-for-4 from between 40-49 yards. • Redshirt sophomore caught a seven-yard touchdown pass with 9:07 left in the second quarter for his fourth score of the campaign. It was Thompson’s first TD catch since the 23-20 win over Arkansas on Oct. 17. • Tebow threw multiple touchdown passes for the fifth time this season (Troy, Georgia, FIU, Florida State, Cincinnati), the 30th time in his career and now has a TD pass in 39 of his 41 career starts at Florida. • It was Tebow’s 14th time with three or more TD passes in a game, third time this year (Troy, Florida State, Cincinnati). • Redshirt junior scored his second rushing touchdown of the season from six yards in the second quarter and the successful point-after resulted in a 23-0 lead. • Senior hauled in an 80-yard touchdown pass from Tebow with 3:02 left in the second quarter for his team-leading ninth TD catch of the year. • It was the longest pass play by Florida since Chad Jackson caught an 80-yard pass from against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 10, 2005. • It was the second-longest pass play in the BCS Bowl History. • Cooper had three catches for 107 yards in the first half, his third time this season over 100 yards receiving (Charleston Southern, South Carolina, Cincinnati) and the fourth time in his career.

Other • Game Captains: Redshirt senior wide receiver Joey Sorrentino and redshirt senior linebacker Ryan Stamper, Florida won the toss and deferred its choice until the second half. • Senior Tim Tebow was announced as the Lowe’s Senior CLASS award-winner for football before the game. He joins Gator student-athletes Brandon McArthur (baseball) and Stacey Nelson (softball) as winners of the award. January 1, 2010

Florida – 51 Q. Urban, would you talk about the Cincinnati – 24 mood in the locker room before the game. Did you kind of feel there was going to be this kind An interview with: of performance? You've had a pretty good feel for the team throughout the year. And did you FLORIDA kind of feel a performance like this coming on? COACH MEYER: The way to judge a COACH URBAN MEYER football team is not in the locker room; it's to judge TIM TEBOW it on a Tuesday-Wednesday practice. I had a great feel for this team, even back at home. When we practiced like we did, that's a hard team to beat. And to come back and get that bad taste out of our mouth after our one loss we had. I saw that on the early -- earlier this week at practice out some of THE MODERATOR: Coach Meyer will our coaches and out of our leaders on the team. It make an opening statement, and then we'll open wasn't the locker room; it was the preparation to the floor to questions. the game. COACH MEYER: A special thanks to the Allstate Sugar Bowl for having us, and I can't even Q. Both Coach and Tim. Tim, how begin to tell you how gracious your hospitality was much do you feel a game like this validates and the city of . My first visit to the your ability to play on the next level? Sugar Bowl, and it was even more than I would TIM TEBOW: I don't know. Right now I'm expect. not really even thinking about that. You know, I mentioned earlier that one of the that's something that will start tomorrow. And I'll negatives of the current BCS system, which I'm not try to get ready for that, that new chapter, new trying to say what right or wrong is, but when you challenge in my life. But right now I'm not really separate the national championship game from the focused on the NFL. I'm trying to enjoy this with a other ones, that it's like a let-down. It shouldn't be. coach I love and a lot of players I adore. This is one of the great bowls of all time. A great COACH MEYER: I'll help you answer that tradition, and our players really bought into. I'm so question (laughter). 31 of 35, 482 yards, three proud of the fact we actually took time to explain , one of the most efficient the history of the Sugar Bowl to our players and ever to play the game. A part of two national they obviously bought in and practiced real hard championships. He's a winner, and unless the job and they wanted to win this game. description changes at some other level of football, I'd also like to take my hat off to the most he's a winner and he'll win at the next level, too successful senior class in the history, some would (applause). That's the way I feel about it. argue, in college football, but most successful senior class in the SEC in this era of obviously the Q. Urban and Tim, as sweet as this strength of the conference. So the guy sitting next night was -- and I understand you're the only to me, he's joined by a bunch of great seniors that BCS team to win 13 games back to back now, submitted their legacy as one of the great teams of two seasons. As sweet as this was tonight for all time, and I'm proud to be their coach. all of you to go out, do you allow yourself to THE MODERATOR: Questions. think about what might have been? Because if

POST-GAME PRESS 1 CONFERENCE QUOTES visit our archives at asapsports.com FLORIDA.doc you played this well 27 days ago, maybe things It was like a family away from home, and I could have been different. How do you feel loved it. That's why my time at Florida was about that? successful. TIM TEBOW: Nice question. Well, yes, we could have played better against Alabama. It Q. The next chapter? was an extremely tough loss. It was something TIM TEBOW: And I'm looking forward to that will always be with you because it was a big the next chapter. I feel like I have a lot of things to win to win the SEC and have a shot at the national improve on. I'll go out there and work extremely championship. hard and give my best. And I just hope I get an Yeah, we would have liked to win that opportunity to go do that. game, but we lost. You've got to move on and bounce back. I think we did. I think we got Q. Urban, this team has had to deal refocused. We had a lot of adversity. We had a lot with so much stuff all year, not just this past of things that weren't going our way as far as a week. Could you talk about how they were able team that could get rattled or just kind of be selfish to get through all that and how they were able or do their own thing. to kind of just not even let that affect them for But you know what? We weren't. We the most part? stuck together. We cared about each other. We COACH MEYER: You'd have to go back, came out here and we played hard and we're and to sit here and worry about all the adversity going to be excited about this win and go that we face, we played 14 games and won 13. celebrate. But we did every week seem to be some kind of something happen. And I think these guys have Q. Things changed so quickly last been trained. I think they're quality people to begin week. I'm just wondering if this result changes with, from quality families, which usually is a good anything now, if it's still indefinite and how correlation how you pull through stuff. long is indefinite. Do you still in your gut feel But they've been trained to be like a family. like you'll be back in the fall? And our message in the locker room before the COACH MEYER: In my gut I feel like I'll game was -- I keep hearing this for the past two be back. I just want to make sure my family and years that we love each other, care for each other. health are number one. And I've just got to get We fight for each other, we play for each other. that right. Let's go do it one more time. And that's a special group. They came in, Q. Tim, you've been a college football I think it was -- you guys are '06, right? The '06 player for a pretty long time now. I just wonder class, and they made a statement. They made a if you can kind of reflect on what you've statement as freshmen that we want to go down as accomplished in your time here and one of the best ever and let's put a little plan Gainesville, I should say, and are you ready for together and you guys stick together and follow the that next chapter in your life? plan and let's see what happens. And they TIM TEBOW: Well, my time at Florida has followed the plan. been extremely special. And some people might think it's because of, you know, we've been able to Q. Tim, I want to say you've inspired a win two national championships or I've won a few lot of people. People follow you, wear the individual awards or we've had some success. bracelets, that's inspiring. What kind of That really doesn't have that much to do with it. I message do you have that you want to last for mean, I know in a lot of people's eyes it does. But you as your last kind of message going on? not in my eyes and not the people I'm around. TIM TEBOW: That's a really good It's the people that I'm with, the players question. Thank you. I think as the last message that I'm with, the coaches that I'm with, that's the that I would want to leave is that I love what I did. I reason I chose to come to the . loved who I was around. I love the coaches. I That's the reason my time at the University of loved the players. I always tried my best to Florida was successful, is because I enjoy going to encourage them on and off the field, to make their practice every day. I enjoyed the people I was lives better, to be someone that they wanted to be around.

POST-GAME PRESS 2 CONFERENCE QUOTES visit our archives at asapsports.com FLORIDA.doc around, and someone that uplifted people's lives picked off the best quarterback ever. That's on and off the field, from fans to players on the always a good thing to do. And just hanging out team. with just the players. The relationships that we've And I just want my lasting message is built. Nothing really on the field is going to stick when people think of me to think that I'm someone with me as much as stuff off the field. who loved the Lord, I'm someone who loved other people, and I did my best to make other people Q. This game in itself? have better lives. JOE HADEN: This game especially we felt we needed to give Coach Strong a good going-out Q. I know you're not too big on stats, party. Alabama game, we didn't do too good for Tim, 482 passing yards tonight, setting all him, so we just knew that that wasn't Gator kinds of BCS and Sugar Bowl records. How defense. We wanted to come out and show that special is that for you? Could you have ever we just had -- it was a bump in the road and we still seen this coming, especially given some of the got it. criticism that you do face as a passer, you know? Q. Urban, when you think about the TIM TEBOW: I didn't see this coming as last four years and how quickly it goes and far as that many yards and everything. I knew we how special it is, 48 wins in four years, things had a good game plan. I knew we were going to like that, does it seem like it just could have try to spread it out a little bit. We felt like that happened that fast? How do you react after would be successful. And just coming into the this happens and you start looking, you're game, we just were hitting and clicking so we kept going to be saying good-bye to these guys? going with it and ended up obviously throwing for a COACH MEYER: I might reflect a little bit. lot of yards. I've never had a chance to do that after some of But it really wasn't that much of me. It was these great wins we've had. I remember the two a lot of receivers who were getting open. Guys just national championship games we played in, school beating them. Guys making people miss and started four days prior to the actual game so we making plays. The offensive line did a great job were worried about getting guys back into class and receivers stepped up made big plays over and and getting going, and then the next thing, the next over. I was truly blessed. thing, the next thing. So I am going to force myself to sit back Q. Urban, you go home tomorrow, you and reflect on coaching these past five years and wake up, Shelley just said you've never not certainly these last four years with this group of coached. Do you have any inkling of what the kids that won so many games. days, weeks, months are going to be like? COACH MEYER: No, I don't. I know I'm Q. Tim, did you feel especially dialed in anxious to get home. We'll address -- I'd rather with your throwing tonight? And Urban, I know this be about the players. We'll address the future the game plan is to win, but did you want to when it's the appropriate time. give him an opportunity what he could do in TIM TEBOW: Better be looking forward to terms of throwing the ball tonight? getting beat at some golf. Throw down. TIM TEBOW: I did feel good out there just (Laughter). in warm-ups and playing and throwing around. But it really wasn't too much different than most of the Q. Joe, being there's a lot of juniors time. I just feel that our receivers, offensive line who are disputing whether or not they're going did a great job today and they just made me look a to come and go, stay, whatever, if you do leave, lot better than I am. awful good way to leave, isn't it? It would be a COACH MEYER: Usually what happens great memory for you. For the guys that are during the course of a game is the first two series leaving, it's going to be a good memory for you get a feel how they're going to defend you and you? how they're going to defend our formations. And I JOE HADEN: What's going to be a good thought and did a memory for me if I leave? Probably just hanging great job, and obviously Tim had a lot of input in out with the boys all the time, practice, messing with Tebow, trying to pick off his passes, saying I

POST-GAME PRESS 3 CONFERENCE QUOTES visit our archives at asapsports.com FLORIDA.doc every sideline. Every series basically was scripted, let's Q. Tim, we were excited to see you too. say let's do this, this, because this is how we're So I'm glad you came. Can you talk a little bit playing it. We've got a good bead on how they're about the emotion of it all, your career ending, playing and you say our receivers did a great job. this tumultuous week for the program and They don't play a lot of man coverage, but our coming out and culminating in that tonight? guys got by them in zone coverage and Tim TIM TEBOW: It was a big week for the obviously threw the ball as well as he's ever program and just my time at the University of thrown. Florida coming to an end, seemed like a little bit of But it's more how they play in the first a roller coaster. But it was special. It was a lot of couple of series to get a feel for what you're going fun. Just everything that's happened. The to call. relationships that were built, everything that we've done. My time at Florida was special. It was Q. Urban, why does the devastation of better than a dream. a defeat outweigh the joy of a win? Honestly, I dreamed of being a Gator since COACH MEYER: I'm sorry? I was six years old and it was better than I could have dreamed. And just the people I was around, Q. Why does the devastation of a and coaches and families and everything, it was defeat outweigh the joy of a win? amazing. COACH MEYER: The devastation of a And this last week was tough, just dealing defeat outweigh the -- with everything and just worried about others around you and stuff. But, you know, it still was Q. You guys are 26-2 over the last two special. To finish it off like this was special. years. COACH MEYER: That's a great question. Q. Joe, this Cincinnati offense came in That's one I've got to figure out, I guess (laughter). with a reputation, so to speak, for scoring That's kind of -- the way you said it, makes you points. And you guys set the tone early and think. really shut them down. Why do you think you were able to do that so well? Q. Also, over the next month, what's JOE HADEN: One thing that we really your role going to be as a recruiter? worked on was getting pressure on the COACH MEYER: I'm sorry? quarterback. The D line did a great job. As far as receivers, me and Janoris and Markice, we just Q. Over the next month, what's your wanted to be real physical with them, throw them role going to be as a recruiter? off the timing. Because one thing Pike does, he COACH MEYER: I'm going to do throws a lot of passing routes on timing. So if you everything I can to keep this train going in the right get up there and get your hands on him, you throw direction. And that all will be discussed in the next that off him as the offense. few days. Q. Coach Meyer, at SEC Media Days Q. Tim, you said this week the hardest somebody asked you what you thought about thing about this game might be taking off that Tim Tebow and the history of college football. jersey for the last time. I don't think you're And if he's the greatest player and where he wearing it. I can't really see. But what was that fits into that whole scheme. You said you'd moment like for you just now? answer it at the appropriate time. I assume that TIM TEBOW: Well, it was actually rushed to mean when his career was over. Now that it a lot. I was trying to get in here to see you all, I is, can you talk about how he fits in with the was so excited about it (laughter). Actually, history of the game? needed some help to take it off, too. It was really COACH MEYER: Well, I'm not a historian tight (laughter). But it's just the ending of the game of the game. I love college football and I have and how special it was, just everything, just studied it. It would be in poor taste for me to put celebrating it with just the families and everybody. him just start ranking him above other people I That's what it's about. That's what I really meant by that.

POST-GAME PRESS 4 CONFERENCE QUOTES visit our archives at asapsports.com FLORIDA.doc never saw play, because that's not fair. that when you do your curtain call, when you've I can just give you my personal earned that right, I certainly think Riley Cooper with perspective on him as an athlete, a player, a his performance today. David Nelson with what quarterback, a leader and a winner. And I can't he's meant for Florida football, and then the imagine there's ever been another one better. I'm obvious is Tim, to have him go in there and exit the not saying he's better, because, once again, I field the right way. A big fan of tradition and a big know 1920s, '30s, '40s there's been some great fan of pageantry, especially when it's earned. football players, all the way through the '80s and TIM TEBOW: For me I was a little '90s. So it's not fair to those other great players. bummed Gosely (phonetic) didn't take that to the However, one's man opinion is if there's one better house. That's what I was thinking. Looked like he than him, I'd love to shake his hand, because in my was going to break it. It's an emotional moment, opinion he's the best. last play as a Gator and that's something special. And to give Coach Meyer a hug and just see the Q. Tim a lot of people have been saying rest of the coaches and the guys was extremely good-bye to you in the last week, but how do special, and it's something that you'll always you want to say good-bye to all this, the Gator remember. Nation and the whole deal? THE MODERATOR: Thank you very TIM TEBOW: Honestly just by saying much. thank you. Thank you for all the memories. FastScripts by ASAP Sports Everything that has happened, just sticking by us, by Coach, by me, by all the players, and just all the memories that I'll have. And that just because I'm graduating the University of Florida doesn't mean I'm still not a Gator. I've been a Gator my whole life and always will be a Gator. So it's not really saying good-bye, it's just moving on to a new chapter, but I'll still always be a Gator.

Q. Urban, several times during the game fans were chanting your name. Did you hear them, and if so what did you think? If you didn't hear them, what do you think about hearing about it now? COACH MEYER: I did not hear that. And I'm very appreciative of our fans showing support for my family and we've got great -- we've got the best fans in college football. And I love them to death. And I did not hear that, but I appreciate that.

Q. Urban and Tim, too, you sent Tim in for one last play. Then brought him off and what goes through your mind when you know he comes off and it's kind of like it really is over, you know? And, Tim, talk about also follow up with him, how you felt when you got to go out there for that one last play and then come off? COACH MEYER: Well, we tried to do that. We've done that before with seniors. And Riley Cooper, David Nelson, Tim, was that it? The three seniors? We had the three seniors, and I just think that's one of the great traditions of college football,

POST-GAME PRESS 5 CONFERENCE QUOTES visit our archives at asapsports.com FLORIDA.doc Florida – 51 Cincinnati – 24

An interview with:

CINCINNATI INTERIM HEAD COACH JEFF QUINN TONY PIKE ANDRE REVELS

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the official post-game press conference for the 2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl. We'll begin with Coach Quinn, and we have Tony Pike and Andre Revels. Coach Quinn will make an opening statement and then we'll open the floor to questions. COACH QUINN: Obviously, coming into this football game with this football team being 12-0, you know, and then the outcome of tonight's contest certainly wasn't the way we expected it to go. And I give credit to Coach Meyer and the Florida Gators and their ball club. Tremendous football team. Defending national champs, and certainly tonight they displayed why they're a great football team. And I couldn't be more proud of our young men battling the way they did all year long, as I've said. And really as one of the most huge things I like to say is nothing is good as it seems, nothing is bad as it seems, but somewhere in between reality falls. And we're going to get better from it and stronger from this. And certainly our seniors have just given us a lot, and our fans coming down here have been tremendously supportive of this football team. So I couldn't be more proud of the way these young men battled all year to get down here to this point. But it is disappointing. And I know it's going to hurt for a bit. And hopefully our seniors will be able to take a lot of great memories. But they're the greatest class that's been through the University of Cincinnati football. It's the best football team we've seen here. In three short years they've overcome a lot. We appreciate all these things these young men have been able to do for us and the great city of Cincinnati. THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Jeff, were they just too good or what went wrong? Was there something they did that you didn't expect or was Tebow just too good? COACH QUINN: Really, if you look at the two halves, early on in the game, we just -- you know, we had some key penalties early on. We had some missed blocks. You know, those things will beat you. And we keep telling our kids, you can't start winning until you stop beating yourself. And tonight we saw them first half, we just missed some plays. Guys -- and again give credit to Florida. Absolutely. They're a great football team. And certainly they challenged us every single snap. So the combination really was the thing that really got to us. But I really like the way our kids came out in the second half. They rallied around the challenge in terms of being down, and I really like the way they competed in the second half and made some plays in some key situations for us.

Q. Tony and Andre, you both talked in the week about wanting to erase the taste from last year. How does it feel having this happen when you were so determined to do better this time? TONY PIKE: It's never easy to go through a loss, especially one like this. But really after a game like this and as a senior class, it's harder to look back and say okay, we're going to fix that and do that, because our college careers are done. So this is more about just getting with your friends and getting with your guys in the journey you've made with them and just enjoying it. I wouldn't trade playing at Cincinnati with these guys for anything in the world. And I've loved every minute of it, and I've loved just the support we've got from fans and family and just being teammates with each other. Something that special about college football and something I'd never give up. ANDRE REVELS: I feel the same way he does. You never want to finish a season this way, but the guys inside that locker room, they battled to the very end and the coaching staff did a great job. And that's basically it.

Q. Tony, why do you think you guys weren't able to move the ball early in this game? TONY PIKE: I think Coach Quinn hit it on the head. You know, you look at the first drive when we come out and we're moving the ball like we have all year, and we hit a few drive-stopping penalties and the next drive we have a sack and maybe a dropped pass. And that stuff adds up. Against a team like Florida you've got to play your very best. We knew that, like Coach Quinn said, we made the mistakes that we couldn't make. We knew we had to play our best. We didn't do that tonight. But at the same time, you know, when we got it going and we got it moving, we can move the ball. Like I've said all year, I'm confident of our offense against anyone in the country. And when our offense is going, it can go against anyone. There were spurts of that tonight, but at the same time we had too many mistakes.

Q. Jeff, you said yesterday at the coach's news conference that playing these games isn't enough. Winning these games is what matters. That's what brings the credibility if you win a game like this. That said, with the result tonight, what does this do, if anything, to Cincinnati's credibility and also the credibility of the Big East? COACH QUINN: You know, there's a lot to be said about getting here. And to be able to be in this situation, this is why we do it. Obviously Florida is a great football team. They've got a great coaching staff, and certainly you've got to play your A game against a great football team. And that's the way it went down tonight. You know, you certainly don't gain the credibility by losing a game 51-24, from that standpoint. But, you know, I can't tell you anything more than our kids have came down here, being undefeated, running through the schedule we've been through, certainly I didn't expect that many points and certainly not be able to move the ball the first half to put points on to keep things in a closer matchup. But they're a great team. And you've got to give credit to Florida. They've been the national champs two times. We're working towards that. They've set the bar. This is where this program needs to go, and our young men are challenged to know that our seniors in this team set the bar. So they've got a lot of work to do to get back here and certainly win a BCS football game against a great team like Florida.

Q. Do you think the game would have been any different at all without all the coaching distractions that went into it? How much did it play into the team not giving its best effort tonight? COACH QUINN: It has nothing to do with our team's effort. But it doesn't help, you know? It's never easy to have coaching changes right before your season ends. It's hard to do. You go through this thing all together. And it's just like a player not being there that's a key guy. Just like your head coach, Brian Kelly. To lose him at this point was not an easy thing to do. But at the same time, you know, we made the best of it. I'm proud of it, the work our kids put in to get ready for this game. And certainly we're not going to hang our heads. There's just no way. These kids have worked too hard and we've been through too much in a short period of time. So with that, hopefully our kids will learn and hopefully this won't happen again. TONY PIKE: I also think as a group of players, you know, with the situation we were thrown into, we as a group wish Coach Kelly nothing but the best. We knew it was a decision he had to make. But at the same time the coaching staff and Coach Quinn, you know, it wasn't easy being thrown into something like that. But from a player's standpoint and what goes on in the locker room, we couldn't thank them more for the job that they did. They've got a lot of stuff going on, and at times they didn't know where they were going to be next year and if they were going to have a job. But you could never tell that at practice or at any time. So the job that they did just putting us first, because they have lives and they have families, but they showed that this team was first during this bowl preparation, and we want to thank them for that.

Q. I just wonder what it was like playing against Tebow tonight. Have you ever seen a quarterback like that before? ANDRE REVELS: As I said before the game, and in all these interviews, is that Tim Tebow is a great leader, and he leads his troops into battle, and they succeed. I know this, though: No coaching change is easy. But Coach Quinn and his staff made it the easiest transition that it could possibly be, because of how they stuck with us, you know. And then reversing back to the credibility question, the Cincinnati Bearcats this year have been counted out 13 times. 12 times in a row we came away with a victory. One time, one time you guys got it right, and that's today. But don't take anything away from our credibility. Our record speaks for itself. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts by ASAP Sports