Florida football icon Tim Tebow set to speak in the locker room before game against Florida State on Saturday… as Gators turn to an old hero in their bid to topple undefeated rival

The Florida Gators will call on one of their biggest players before facing their rival and the No. 5 Florida State Seminoles on Saturday.

The Gators, the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame will jointly honor 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow in the Swamp at the end of the first quarter. Coach Billy Napier, meanwhile, has asked Tebow to speak to his struggling team in the locker room beforehand.

“I’m always open to talking to the team anytime,” Tebow said during a Zoom call Friday. “I would just always want them to know first that it’s never about me. Saturday isn’t about me. It’s about them.

“It’s a great opportunity, and it’s something that if they can leverage three hours of excellence, they’ll have a chance to be one of the most remembered Gator teams because they’ll have the opportunity to take on undefeated FSU team to eliminate. That doesn’t always happen.’

Tebow, a member of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame class inducted Dec. 5 in Las Vegas, went 4-0 against the Seminoles during his four seasons in Gainesville, and the three games Tebow started were lopsided wins. Tebow developed a reputation as a fiery leader and showed his emotions mostly in the locker room, on the sidelines and in the huddle.

Tebow made himself perhaps the school’s most legendary player while in college

He grew up in nearby Jacksonville rooting for the Gators and remains an avid fan while serving as a college football analyst for ESPN.

The Gators (5-6) already had plenty to play for against the Seminoles (11-0) before Tebow was added to the mix. They must end a four-game skid to become bowl eligible, have a chance to knock FSU out of contention for the College Football Playoff, will honor 18 seniors before the game and try to defend their home field at night for a sold out crowd.

However, Tebow should go a step further. He set more than 20 school records during his career and led Florida to 22 straight wins between 2007 and ’09, a school-record winning streak.

He was inducted into the school’s Ring of Honor in 2018 and inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame two years later. His bronze statue stands outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, along with those of Steve Spurrier and Danny Wuerffel.

Few players have the same perspective on the often heated domestic series that has played a role in several national titles.

“Every year growing up, we would watch the game, and if we won, it might have been — ask my parents — the best day of the year,” Tebow said. “And when we lost, it was humiliating. I lost perspective and it felt like the world was ending. I begged them not to let me go to church on Sundays because I couldn’t handle the FSU fans. It was always bigger than a game.”

Florida will face in-state rivals, the No. 5 seed Florida State Seminoles

Tebow said the Swamp’s home field advantage “has to be a factor in the game” as the Seminoles turn to backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker to replace injured star Jordan Travis.

“It can be a very intimidating place,” Tebow said. “For the Gator nation, I hope so.”

He also offered some advice for Florida quarterback Max Brown, who is making his first start in place of the injured Graham Mertz.

“Embrace the moment,” Tebow said. ‘When I say that, what I really mean is that you don’t shy away from it. If you have the opportunities, let it go. Be aggressive.’