THIRD IN A SERIES

GAINESVILLE, Fla. » Tim Tebow knelt on the sideline, stared across the field and helplessly watched Alabama celebrate the Southeastern Conference championship. His eyes red and watery, Tebow bit his bottom lip repeatedly as he tried to control his emotions.

No chance.

Tebow's tears might have been the indelible image of Florida's season, one that started with talk of perfection and essentially ended on a cold, December afternoon in Atlanta.

“;It's not how you want to go out,”; Tebow said.

It's not how he wants to be remembered, either. As the bulky, left-handed quarterback prepared to travel to New York for a third consecutive Heisman Trophy ceremony, Tebow made it clear he wants to be known more for what he accomplishes off the field than anything he does on it.

His 2007 Heisman Trophy, his two Maxwell Awards, his Davey O'Brien Award, his two SEC championship rings and two national titles, they're all special. But they compare little to the smiles Tebow puts on the faces of sick children, the faith-based messages he delivers to prisoners and the reactions he gets from fans seeking autographs, photos or handshakes.

“;Those will probably be even more special to me than some of the games and some of the wins and the championships and what not,”; Tebow said. “;Because you know what? At the end of the day, it's more special to be able to use football as a platform to make someone's day.”;

Tebow's mantra draws praise from his teammates and coaches, but also raises eyebrows outside Gainesville. Three years of Tebowisms and Tebowmania have been followed with some Tebow Fatigue — people tired of hearing about the too-good-to-be-true quarterback.

That's one reason Tebow doesn't expect to become the second player to win a second Heisman Trophy on Saturday night.

“;I'm competitive in everything I do, so obviously I want to win,”; Tebow said. “;When you get up there, it becomes more of a, 'Yeah, I want to win this now sort of thing.' “;

He's more of a long shot now than in the previous two years. Tebow became the first sophomore to hoist the famous bronze statue two years ago and finished third behind Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Texas' Colt McCoy last season, while receiving the most first-place votes.

He could have made a strong push for college football's most prestigious award with a big game — and a victory — last week against Alabama.

“;It was tough to swallow, something I cared so much about for my teammates, my coaches, for myself and the fans,”; Tebow said. “;That was a dream for us and a goal that we fell short of.”;

Nonetheless, many believe Tebow will go down as one of college football's greatest players. A three-year starter, Tebow has completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 8,803 yards, with 85 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He also has 2,896 yards rushing and 56 more scores.