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Tim Terrific Refuses To Lose, Makes Good On His Promise

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 7, 2008

Updated: 12/07/2008 12:18 am

ATLANTA - Give that man a Heisman.

Another one, that is.

It was a test of will, this SEC Championship Game - this SEC championship won by Florida, 31-20. With it goes the national championship game.

Nay Alabama.

The Crimson Tide imposed their will in the third quarter.

The Gators imposed it when it mattered.

And no one imposed it like Saint Timothy.

No. 1 was no match for No. 15.

His will be done.

Tim Tebow, Boy Legend, led Florida back Saturday, led them from behind in the fourth quarter to two touchdowns against undefeated Alabama, led them to what, barring rampant crime, should be another national title shot, his first as starter.

He's done most everything in his college career, and he has Mr. Stiff Arm to prove it. But Tebow had never led Florida from behind in the second half of a game.

Now he has.

It was about will.

"I've never seen a guy with a greater will," Florida receiver Riley Cooper said.

I don't know if Tebow clinched a second Heisman on Saturday night. He should have. He was named game MVP. He only threw for 216 yards, half a night's work for Heisman competition like Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford against one of those joke Big 12 defenses. Tebow earned every yard, and threaded three short touchdown passes.

His season hasn't been about his numbers.

It's been about his will.

Tim Tebow led the Gators back Saturday. Trailing 20-17, he marched Florida to the end zone twice, completing all five of his passes for 72 yards. Superman simply refused to lose.

"Tim Tebow made the plays in the game that made the difference in the game," Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

Tim Tebow has led Florida all the way back from Ole Miss. It was 70 days ago that a red-eyed Tebow, straight from the heart, apologized to the Nation and promised that no player, and no team, would work harder the rest of the way.

"And I think that we've shown that," Tebow said.

There have been other great speeches. There was Patrick Henry's "Give me Liberty Bowl or give me death" speech. Lincoln knocked it out of the park after the North's quality win against the South at Gettysburg.

But Tim Terrific made a promise.

And then he went out and kept it.

"His willpower is beyond anything you'll ever see," Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen said.

Guarantee you, in the future there'll be a hundred quarterbacks making the same apology when they lose. There'll be some kid tearing up in the Sun Belt.

"Nobody sob will work harder sniffle than we do against Louisiana-Lafayette."

Did Tebow will himself into Archie Griffin's neighborhood, into a second Heisman Trophy? There's Bradford and Texas' Colt McCoy. But Tebow would get my vote if I had one. I do vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Tebow is in for sure, over Jim Rice and Andre Dawson.

Heisman voting is too much about numbers anyway. Everyone fixated on Tebow's 55 touchdowns last season, so in their eyes this is a down year, since he only has 40 - only 40.

You know something? He could have last season's numbers this season. He could have been more selfish, scored 60 touchdowns - and finished 9-4 again.

I think Tebow is a better quarterback this season. I'm not sure he does what he did Saturday last season. He has always made the people around him better, but never like this, never like now.

"I think he's the best player in college football," Florida coach Urban Meyer said.

Florida didn't have Percy Harvin on Saturday. It didn't matter. And it didn't matter when the Tide rolled down the field for two scores in the third quarter to take a 20-17 lead. Alabama held the ball for more than 10 minutes in the period. The game was slipping out of Florida's hands.

And then it wasn't.

Tim Tebow said so.

It was about will.

"I've never had one like this," Meyer said as he sat next to Tebow after the game. Meyer's son, Nate, sat on Tebow's lap. Does anyone have a home or work number for Norman Rockwell?

Tim Tebow deserves bookend Heismans.

It probably won't happen.

Dan Mullen smiled.

"I don't have a vote. I'd vote for him. Put it this way: Go to every team in the country and say, OK, we're going to have a college draft. Pick it out of the hat. I bet you whoever gets the No. 1 pick is going to be jumping up and down, because they're getting No. 15."

Florida refused to lose Saturday.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

And there's No. 15.

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