COL FB: Florida 24, Oklahoma 14

MIAMI, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Tim Tebow threw two touchdown passes Thursday and Florida made a series of huge defensive plays to win the national title with a 24-14 victory over Oklahoma.

It was Florida's second national championship in three years. The Sooners have reached the season's final game three times in the last six seasons and lost each one.

Oklahoma (12-2) had scored at least 60 points in its last six games, but twice reached the brink of the goal line against Florida without producing points.

The Sooners, however, twice responded to Florida touchdowns and tied it at 14-14 late in the third quarter on the second scoring pass by Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford.

After the ensuing kickoff, Florida drove from its own 22-yard line to the Oklahoma 11 -- a march highlighted by Percy Harvin's 52-yard run. That led to a field goal of 28 yards by Jonathan Phillips that put the Gators in front for good with 10:45 to play.

Four plays later, Florida's Ahmad Black made a spectacular interception at his own 24 and Tebow marched Florida 76 yards in 11 plays to the clinching touchdown. That came on a 9-yard pass to Aaron Hernandez with 4:25 remaining.

Florida's defense produced a goal-line stand in the first half when the score stood 7-7 and also recorded an interception at its own 6-yard line just seconds before intermission when it appeared the Sooners would take the halftime lead.

The Gators blocked a field goal in the third to protect a 14-7 advantage.

Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner whose first scoring pass went 20 yards to Louis Murphy in the second quarter, completed 18-of-30 passes for 232 yards. He was intercepted twice and also gained 108 yards on 22 carries.