MOBILE, Ala.
Mardy Gilyard had 103 yards receiving and caught a 32-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to help the North race to a 31-13 victory over the South in yesterday's Senior Bowl.
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow had a shaky outing running a pro-style offense against a sturdy defense.
He fumbled twice and finished 8 of 12 passing for 50 yards in the showcase for senior NFL prospects. Tebow's longest completion was 11 yards and he netted 4 yards on four rushes, but was never turned loose as a power runner as he often was with the Gators. He battled strep throat early but didn't miss any practice time during a week when he was trying to prove to skeptical NFL teams and draft analysts that he could be a starting pro quarterback.
Cincinnati's Gilyard, one of the nation's top all-purpose threats, also set up a third-quarter touchdown with a 43-yard catch down the right sideline and had five catches. That pass and the touchdown came from Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour.
Defensive lineman Brandon Graham of Michigan had two sacks and a forced fumble and was chosen the game's most valuable player.
Gilyard returned two kicks for 52 yards and gained 24 on two punt returns. He was named offensive player of the game while Mississippi State's Jamar Chaney got the defensive honors.
Tulane receiver Jeremy Williams had six catches for 82 yards and added a 27-yard run on an end around, and was chosen the South's most outstanding player. Central Michigan's LeFevour won that honor for the North. He was 5 of 10 passing for 97 yards and added a 1-yard touchdown run on a sneak, once again outdistancing Tebow.
LeFevour had more total touchdowns (150) than any other player in Football Bowl Subdivision. Tebow had 145.
Zac Robinson had the game's best passing numbers, passing for 176 yards and a touchdown before a late interception.
Tebow played 11 snaps in the first half, and the South trailed by two scores by the time he re-entered the game to applause late in the third.
Dexter McCluster fumbled two plays into his first drive of the half, and his second began at the South's 1-yard line.
Tebow led the South to a couple of first downs before Koa Misi stripped him of the ball. Tebow fumbled again on the next drive, but lineman Jeff Byers fell on the ball.
Gilyard's teammate, Tony Pike, is considered the top-rated NFL prospect among the participating quarterbacks and he looked solid in a brief outing. He was 5 of 12 for 45 yards all in the first half. Gilyard caught two of those passes for 21 yards.
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