As much as I was against sending out against LSU, I nor anyone else was the least bit surprised that he started for #1 Florida. Nor was I surprised that he was in the game the entire way.

Given the short and long term risks of sending him out if he was anything less than 100 percent, it’s safe to assume that he wouldn’t have been medically cleared if he wasn’t actually ready to play, and Meyer wouldn’t have given him the go-ahead to start if it wasn’t safe to.

In the end, he delivered a far from flawless performance, but it was more than enough to deliver a 13-3 win for Florida.

But though the return of Tebow gets the lion’s share of the headlines, as expected, the real key to what amounted to a veritable stroll for Florida lies on the other side of the ball.

Some may forget that Florida’s defense held Sam Bradford and Oklahoma’s Playstation-prolific offense to all of 14 points in last year’s BCS National Championship Game, but given the exploits of Tebow and Percy Harvin, was for the most part an afterthought. But if there was still a question Gators boast one of the best defensive units in the country, I know of a certain bunch of Tigers that can vouch for their abilities now.

LSU’s offense hasn’t exactly been lighting it up this season, but with the talent they boast at receiver and running back, big plays are a possibility on any given play.

However, LSU didn’t have a chance to make any big offensive plays, and that height advantage of LSU’s receivers over Florida’s corners that was trumpeted about on College Gameday was rendered absolutely meaningless.

After LSU gave up six sacks to Georgia in Athens, I knew that Florida could make things pretty difficult for , and that’s exactly what happened. Jefferson was sacked five times, 2.5 of those being credited to linebacker , and Jefferson finished only 11 of 17 for 96 yards and an interception.

If you don’t have much time to throw, you’re going to have to have something to compensate for it, otherwise it won’t matter how tall, fast, or athletic your receivers are, and in the end, Brandon Lafell caught only four passes for 44 yards (with 26 of those coming on one catch – LSU’s longest play of any sort on the night), Terrance Toliver caught only three passes for 29 yards, and highly-regarded freshman Reuben Randle was held without a catch.

LSU’s rushing attack hasn’t been as successful thus far as it was expected to or should be, and with the Gators’ D limiting the Tigers to only 66 net rushing yards total, it all added up to a long nght on offense for the home team, especially after bending but not breaking in the second quarter on what proved to be LSU’s lone productive possession of the game – and a major turning point in the game.

LSU looked to seize the momentum after the defense stopped Florida on a 4th down and 2 from the LSU 21, and the Tigers promptly drove deep into Gator territory, thanks to the 26-yard completion to Lafell and the aid of two personal fouls on Florida. But instead of letting the Tigers go in for the score and a 7-3 lead, Florida got the stop on a 3rd and goal from the 2, and LSU had to settle for a field goal and a 3-3 tie. From there, LSU would only pick up 58 yards of total offense on their final five possessions after picking up 104 yards on their first three.

With the defense taking care of business time and time again, it eased the pressure on Tebow to have to do too much more than run the game and keep LSU’s defense on the field as much as possible, which they did very, very successfully.

Last night marked the first time Florida had been held under 14 points since a 31-3 loss at Alabama on October 1, 2005, but the only touchdown Florida needed was the one that immediately followed the above defensive stop and completely turned the tide in their favor.

There were missed opportunities, and the playcalling and execution wasn’t what you’ll likely see when the Gators host Arkansas next week, but the end result was 22 first downs, 193 yards rushing, and 36 and a half minutes of possession.

The combination of suffocating defense and clock draining took LSU’s crowd out of the game, and that’s an area where many opponents – including Florida in the past – have faltered.

The final score might have indicated an ugly, hard-fought 10-point win for the Gators, and though it was anything but pretty, this is a case where the score doesn’t tell the full story.

Offense has been a hallmark of Florida’s success over the past couple of decades, and you can expect Tebow and Co. to light up a few scoreboards before the season is done.

But their showing at LSU showed that this is a complete team that can, when need be, grind it out and break your will that way.

Florida is on course for an Championship Game rematch against Alabama, who had their own dominant defensive road performance yesterday in a dismantling of Ole Miss.

That potential meeting is looking increasingly to have the same implications as last year’s showdown in Atlanta did, and though it’s the Tide who have the defensive reputation, Florida proved last night that their defense, not their offense, could well be what drives them to another national championship.

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