TAMPA — Florida’s defense has been the known commodity all season. And it delivered again Monday against Iowa. Was there ever a doubt it would? It was every bit the mismatch the stats suggested it would be.

Who would provide the offense?

That was the critical question to ponder given the fact Florida entered Monday’s Outback Bowl ranked No. 109 in scoring.

Nobody who has watched Florida closely this season could have predicted the answer, either.

Mark Thompson, hyped during preseason but relegated to reserve once the whistle blew, blew past Iowa’s secondary, turning a simple screen into an Outback-record 85-yard touchdown reception that jump-started the Gators’ 30-3 blowout.

How unlikely was that play?

Thompson entered the game with 3 catches for 20 yards. And to that point, Austin Appleby had thrown as many interceptions (2) as completions that gained 10 or more yards.

Appleby did the easy part. Thompson did the rest. Seven Iowa defenders were within reach, but he eluded each en route to the game’s first touchdown.

In one play, in a span of 16 seconds, Thompson matched his most productive day as a Gator, when he ran for 85 yards and scored once in a 32-0 blowout over North Texas.

Needless to say, the stakes were slightly higher Monday.

Not only were the Gators trying to avoid another three-game swoon that defined last offseason, they also were defending the SEC’s reputation against yet another Big Ten attack.

Check and checkmate. (The SEC swept the Big Ten 2-0 this postseason, and Florida’s victory ensured the Big Ten will finish with a losing bowl record.)

Given Iowa’s offensive struggles — the Hawkeyes entered No. 78 in scoring without any passing threat — Thompson’s touchdown effectively ended the game. The 10-3 halftime lead felt significantly larger, especially considering two series earlier, Iowa couldn’t punch it in when it had first-and-goal at the 10.

Three times Gators coach Jim McElwain was asked about the significance of that play.

McElwain wasn’t eager to identify the kill-shot, but finally he conceded that Thompson’s touchdown “was big.”

“Well, it was really important,” McElwain said. “And in a game like that where there wasn’t a lot of give and take there, that was big. But like I said, we’ve got to do a really good job of getting our playmakers and our skill guys in space, and Mark is one of those guys, and credit the guys down the field that they got pieces of guys and he could finish.”

MVP Chauncey Gardner sealed it with another play in space: returning an interception 58 yards for a touchdown to push Florida’s lead to 24-3.

Gardner got his hands on another interception, too, but he wasn’t nearly as interested in grabbing headlines.

By the time he reached midfield, it was apparent no Hawkeye was going to catch him. Was it really as easy at it looked?

“I was really looking for my D-linemen because I needed some blockers,” Gardner said. “Without our D-lineman blocking, that wouldn’t have been a pick six. They got the pressure. They caused the play, so that pick six is on them. That’s their pick six, it’s not mine, and I want to thank them guys again.”

Gardner coasted the final 20 yards into the end zone. But the Gators aren’t ready to coast into the offseason.

“I want to get out there right now,” Gardner said.

He smiled. McElwain smiled. A lot of Gators were smiling Monday.

It was an entirely different feeling from just a month ago, when the Gators were blown out for the second consecutive time in Atlanta. It ended the slide talk from a season ago, too.

Momentum. Swagger.

“Swamp life,” McElwain said.

It’s a lifestyle Gators fans could quickly grow accustomed to.