LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was taken to the UK Medical Center by ambulance after taking a shot to the head while being sacked in the third quarter of the No. 1 Gators' game against Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday night.
"We're going to find out more about Tim. We believe it is a concussion. He got hit pretty good, but that's one tough cat. Our team will pray for him and he'll be fine," coach Urban Meyer said during his postgame press conference.
Tebow's parents joined him at the hospital, and the team was unsure if he was going to be kept overnight.
Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, was sacked by Wildcats defensive end Taylor Wyndham on a third-and-6 play from the Kentucky 9. Tebow didn't appear to see Wyndham, who hit him squarely in the chest. As Tebow fell to the ground, the back of his head hit Gators tackle Marcus Gilbert's knee.
Tebow, a senior from Jacksonville, Fla., lay motionless on the turf for several seconds. He was eventually able to sit up, and was then helped to the Florida sideline by trainers and coaches, where his parents came down from the stands to join him. At one point, the entire Florida team was on the field to check on their star quarterback. Kentucky officials had a motorized cart and backboard in place to remove Tebow from the field.
With 12:41 left in the game, Tebow was taken off the field on a motorized cart. He appeared to vomit in a bag while he was being driven to the Gators' locker room.
Before he was hurt, Tebow completed 5 of 10 passes for 103 yards with one touchdown. He ran 16 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
The Gators kicked a 32-yard field goal after Tebow left the game, giving them a 34-7 lead with 3:45 to go in the third quarter. He was replaced by sophomore John Brantley, who has attempted 24 passes in two games.
A Florida official confirmed Saturday night that Tebow was one of four players who flew to Lexington, Ky., on one of three planes.
A charter plane carried most of the players to Lexington, Ky., on Friday afternoon. Tebow, defensive backs Joe Haden and Major Wright and receiver Riley Cooper, who were all suffering from respiratory illness, took a second plane later in the day. Five other players, including starting guard James Wilson and starting linebacker A.J. Jones, took a third plane. The Florida official said the five players were suffering from gastrointestinal illness.
Florida has an open date next week before facing No. 7 LSU on Oct. 10 in Baton Rouge.
Mark Schlabach, the author of this article, covers college football and men's college basketball for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press used in this report.
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