TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews walked into the interview room, said he was embarrassed and then left without taking questions.

Coach, you're not alone. Tim Tebow and No. 2 Florida have left many others feeling the same way the past two months.

Tebow threw three touchdown passes, ran for 80 yards and another score, and the Gators thumped No. 23 Florida State, 45-15, in sloppy conditions yesterday. It was the most points Florida has ever scored at Doak Campbell Stadium.

"It was a good tail-whipping," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. "I didn't think they would beat us like that here. The last time we had a beating like that was last year against them."

Florida (11-1) extended its winning streak to eight games, continued its dominance in the intrastate rivalry and set up a 1-2 showdown with Alabama in Saturday's Southeastern Conference title game.

The Gators have won five in a row against Bowden's team, and this one was nearly as big a laugher as last season's 45-12 victory in Gainesville.

Florida scored on five of its first seven possessions, held the Seminoles (8-4) without a touchdown for the first 2 1/2 quarters and again proved that the gap between the two programs is as wide as ever.

"They score so many points so fast that everybody gets out of their game plan," said Bowden, whose team allowed 28 first-half points for the first time since 1989. "You're trying to catch up and you start doing things you shouldn't be doing."

Tebow and Co. pretty much ruined Florida State's day. Boston College piled on, beating Maryland and knocking the Seminoles out of the hunt for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

FSU likely will have to settle for a spot in the Gator Bowl against Nebraska. Florida's postseason outlook is much brighter. If the Gators can beat Alabama in Atlanta, they would lock up a spot in the Bowl Championship Series national title game in Miami.

The Gators looked capable of winning it all, too.

They ran for 317 yards — the most against the Seminoles since Clemson had 321 on the ground in 1995 — and dominated just about every aspect of the game.