GAINESVILLE -- Florida quarterback Tim Tebow doesn't even want to think about it. Gators coach Urban Meyer started fighting back his emotions Monday. Yeah, it's going to be a Kleenex kind of afternoon Saturday in The Swamp.

Top-ranked Florida (11-0) will celebrate its senior class at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium minutes before it plays host to Florida State (6-5) at 3:30 p.m. It's Tebow's last game in The Swamp. It's the final home game for a group of seniors that has won more games than any other recruiting class in the history of Southeastern Conference football. There will be tears.

``I'm going to try not to think about it,'' Tebow said. ``It will probably be pretty emotional and pretty exciting, overwhelming, to say the least. I'm excited about it -- kind of sad it's the last opportunity, but also excited that it will be that special of a moment.''

Tebow and his 23 fellow seniors have won 46 games since 2006. Since 2006, Florida has won two national championships, two SEC titles, and its current 21-game winning streak is a school record. UF's 2006 signing class has produced four All-Americans -- Tebow, receiver Percy Harvin, return specialist Brandon James and linebacker Brandon Spikes -- and Tebow won the Heisman Trophy in 2007.

``After four years, it's the end of the road,'' said senior defensive end Jermaine Cunningham, a three-year starter.

The road began when Tebow signed with Florida in February 2006. The way fifth-year senior receiver David Nelson remembers, Florida was in need of a leader and Tebow's presence made an immediate impact. Eleven months after Tebow signed with Florida, the Gators won their first national championship in 10 years.

``A lot of people knew who he was and a lot of people had heard different stories,'' said Nelson, who was a redshirt freshman when Tebow arrived. ``At the same time, we were a team that needed something like that, needed something like him coming in.

FILLING A NEED

``We had just come off a 9-3 year in the Outback Bowl and we needed somebody to come in and step in and show some leadership. [Quarterback] Chris Leak did a great job, but we needed something extra.''

The love affair between Florida's fans and No. 15 cannot be overstated. Tebow was a star even before he enrolled at Florida after an ESPN documentary, Tim Tebow: The Chosen One, chronicled his upbringing and senior season of high school football. The expectations of UF's fans were enormous, but Tebow exceeded them. Beyond the field, Tebow used his celebrity to raise awareness for charities, orphans and his faith. Tebow's dedication to helping others encouraged his teammates to do the same.

``Before he came, we really weren't doing a lot of charity work,'' said linebacker Ryan Stamper, a redshirt senior. ``Just the stuff that he does pretty much motivated us as a team to want to get involved.''

Tebow's impact on college football transcends Florida. On Saturday, ESPN's College GameDay will originate from Gainesville not because Florida vs. Florida State is the weekend's best game but because it's Tebow's last day in The Swamp.

On Monday during his weekly news conference, the thought of honoring his senior class brought out emotions in Meyer that he rarely displays publicly.

When asked about his senior class, Meyer paused, bowed his head, wrinkled his nose and held back a torrent of emotion that surely will flow Saturday before kickoff.

IMPACT ON MEYER

Meyer owes much of his success to Tebow and his fellow seniors, and Meyer credits Tebow with changing his life. After 27 long seconds, Meyer looked up and offered some levity.

``No more interviews this week, man,'' Meyer said. ``It's going to be a tough week.''

Tebow and his charitable work abroad inspired Meyer to take his family on a mission trip to Central America during the offseason. Tebow also impacted the life of former UF offensive coordinator Dan Mullen, now the coach at Mississippi State.

Mullen choked up when asked about Tebow this preseason at the SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala.

``It think he's had the same impact on me he has had on college football," Meyer said. ``The one thing about Tim is the unselfishness and his mission outside of college football is unparalleled as far as I'm concerned. The impact he's made -- it's almost like selflessness is now a cool thing.''