GAINESVILLE -- The first half of Florida's 2008 season is complete and, above all, here's what the team seems to have learned: humility.

Instead of reveling in Saturday night's 51-21 victory against Louisiana State during his postgame press conference, Gators coach Urban Meyer recognized how quickly his Gators can go from a national title contender to a group of underachievers.

''I'm glad we have a bye week,'' Meyer said. ``It's coming at a good time. We've got to enjoy this victory tonight, bring them back and let's get ready for the next game because we all know what happens when you're not ready.''

Meyer learned that lesson the hard way this season. Ole Miss 31, Florida 30 is what happens when the Gators aren't ready. Florida hosts Kentucky in two weeks. The Gators did not practice Sunday and are scheduled to take Monday off as well.

More proof that UF's hubristic tendencies seem to be behind it: When asked to put his finger on what was missing during the Gators' first five games and, conversely, what was found Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, always ready with a canned response, instead addressed the question candidly.

''I think the team just came out here with a little chip on our shoulder and with a little passion and with a little enthusiasm and we played the way that we should every week,'' Tebow said.

BACK IN TITLE HUNT

Two weeks after losing to Ole Miss at home, Florida (5-1, 3-1 SEC) is right back in the national race for a spot in the BCS title game after clobbering LSU (4-1, 2-1 SEC). Florida jumped from No. 11 in the AP Top 25 last week to No. 5 in the latest poll, released Sunday. Florida is ranked 7th in the coaches' poll. On Saturday, Tebow said a week's worth of criticism -- from questioning UF's offensive coordinator to one writer calling out the team's manhood -- fueled the Gators' motivation against LSU.

''You try not to listen to stuff and what everybody says, but I think if you can use it as a good thing, you do and I think we did that,'' Tebow said. ``I think we used the criticism -- how we can't block [LSU's] front four and their defense is so good.''

LSU running back Charles Scott entered Saturday's game as the SEC's leading rusher with an average of 133.8 yards per game. Scott had 35 yards on 12 carries on Saturday.

STAYING CONSISTENT

Meyer said bottling that motivation and unleashing it on a weekly basis is now the challenge for the second half of the season.

''I think that's hard,'' Meyer said. ``I think that's the essence. First of all, I don't do it. Brandon Spikes, Percy Harvin, the Pouncey twins, Tim Tebow, Phil Trautwein, Jason Watkins, I think if they can keep the chip on their shoulder you're going to see a fine team.

``If you see them go out and lay the egg like we did at Arkansas a little bit and the week before, then you know . . . I put it on the leadership of the team. I know that's a [scapegoat] but that's the truth. Coaches can only do so much.''

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