Travis Kelce recalls only memory of facing Tim Tebow

Travis Kelce faced Tim Tebow once, but it was back in college when Cincinnati took on Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

Safe to say, it’s a memory Kelce would rather forget to this day. Tebow and the Gators dominated the Bearcats 51-24 in Tebow’s final college game.

Kelce joined Pardon My Take and detailed what he remembered about that loss.

“My only memory of Tim Tebow on the football field was him just throwing us a shellacking in the Sugar Bowl,” Kelce said. “We go undefeated, Brian Kelly goes to Notre Dame right after the season. We’re playing with a bunch of like dads and like, administrative guys from the University of Cincinnati.

“And we go in and play arguably one of the best football teams in college football ever in the Florida Gators that year. And that was fun. That was fun to go to. They said Tebow couldn’t throw well, he threw for like 500 yards.”

Tebow finished the game 31-of-35 passing for 482 yards, three touchdowns and added 14 carries for 51 yards and a rushing touchdown. Over 500 total yards of offense and four touchdowns will definitely help you win.

There was nothing Kelce could do in that game. Heck, he didn’t even log a catch in the game and had just one carry for 19 yards.

Urban Meyer recalls Tim Tebow recruiting story

Former Florida coach Urban Meyer was on his way to visit Tebow in person, being a standard recruiting visit. However, Florida was thought to be playing catch up, with Alabama being considered the favorite to land Tebow. 

Meyer was ready to concede in the battle and was beginning to draw up a backup plan.

Thankfully for Meyer, Greg Madison was there to save the day. Meyer’s former right-hand man laid out how big of a loss Tebow would be for the program. The Gators had to land the quarterback. Otherwise, things may have gone south quickly.

“Greg Madison and I are on the plane,” Meyer said. “I remember, already in my mind convinced myself if we lost Tim. And there was a junior college quarterback, I was already set with Doc Holliday, we were set to go see this player because in my mind, we lost Tim to Alabama. I’m getting on the plane with Greg Madison… I looked at him and said ‘We’re going to be okay. I have a plan in case Tim goes to Alabama.’

“I started explaining this plan, he puts his hand up, and said ‘Coach, if we lose Tim Tebow to Alabama, that will set the program back 10 years.’ I got so pissed because I knew he was right.”