[gbranton]

Statistically, Sam Bradford and Graham Harrell have produced first quarters equivalent to Tebow's final passing numbers: 14-of-22 for 216 yards and three touchdowns. But neither they, nor Colt McCoy, have faced a defense like Alabama's. They have not been asked to produce a fourth-quarter comeback against the No. 1 team in the country with a conference title and national-title berth literally hanging in the balance.

Those were the stakes staring Tebow in the face when, with just over 10 minutes remaining and his team down three, Florida faced a 3rd-and-5 and the Alabama 9. With Alabama bringing a blitz, Tebow stood in the shotgun and calmly dished an unexpected shovel pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez for six yards. Two plays later, he optioned left and pitched to tailback Jeff Demps for the go-ahead touchdown that made the score 24-20.

After Florida's defense stopped Alabama three-and-out, the Gators then took over on their own 35. On an eight-play drive, Tebow had a hand in six of them. On consecutive plays, he completed a crucial 33-yard pass over the top to Louis Murphy, play-faked and delivered a 15-yard dart to Hernandez and got Florida to within inches of the goal line on a keeper.

It would have been second and goal at the 1 -- except the officials penalized Florida five yards for "sideline interference." It was a potentially devastating call, but the ever-emotional Tebow chose that moment to start jumping up and down and waving his arms at the Gator contingent behind the end zone.

At that point, there could be little doubt among the 75,892 in attendance that No. 15 would will his team into the end zone. Two plays later, on 3rd-and-goal from the 5, Tebow stood tall in the pocket, waited an extra second, then found Riley Cooper for the game-sealing touchdown with 2:50 remaining.

Tebow practically glided back to the sideline in jubilation, raising his arms, pumping his fists and howling all the way -- even joining the kick-coverage unit as they prepared to take the field, urging them to "make a play, and let's finish this thing!"

"That fourth quarter was vintage Tim Tebow," said Meyer. "There's a special something inside of him, and not I'm not talking about throwing and I'm not talking about running. I'm talking about the ability to make the level of play of everyone else around him better."

"We didn't finish like we needed to, and they did," said Alabama coach Nick Saban. "They scored two [fourth-quarter] touchdowns -- man, we had them covered about as well as you can cover them."

That didn't stop Tebow from hitting receivers like Cooper (two catches, 56 yards, one TD) and David Nelson (three catches, 27 yards, one TD), who stepped up in Harvin's absence.

"He's a freak," Nelson said of Tebow. "I've never seen anything like it. He'll do anything possible to win the game."

While Tebow almost certainly earned his team a ticket to its second BCS Championship Game in three seasons, discussion afterward inevitably turned to whether the junior had done enough to earn another trophy: His second Heisman.


TIM TEBOW FOR THE HEISMAN TROPHY!!!!!!!