Tim Tebow trumped his own post-Ole Miss speech last Sunday. When he uttered the words, “I’m coming back!” during Florida’s championship celebration — and I’ve seen tamer crowd reactions from Jerry Springer audiences — he jump-started some very interesting dialogue for next season.

First, Florida, with so many starters on defense returning, will almost certainly earn the preseason No. 1 ranking. Georgia and Tennessee will play for second in the SEC East.

The Gators will draw comparisons to some of the greatest teams in college football history, like the 1972 USC Trojans and the 1995 Nebraska squad. (The best team I’ve witnessed was the 2001 Miami Hurricanes.)

Next, and let’s just ask the question now: If Tebow wins a third national title and a second Heisman Trophy, is he the best college football player in the history of the game? Are we witnessing the very best player to play this sport?

That question, of course, is impossible to answer. Red Grange is often considered the greatest player in college football history. He’s also been dead for 18 years, which hinders our progress in determining if Tebow is the superior player. I will say this: There are far more great teams now than in 1923.

And those kinds of expectations prompt my next point: To borrow from Tebow’s post-Ole Miss speech, you will never see a player burdened by more expectations, you will never see a player scrutinized at such an impossible level, and you will never see a player whom so many people — because of his status, his team and his faith — want to see stumble.

Just as non-Georgia fans grew weary of David Greene and David Pollack, non-Florida fans will probably develop a hatred of Tebow. The fawning over Tebow by the Fox announcing crew last Thursday was only a glimpse of what we’ll experience in 2009, especially with ESPN taking over most SEC games.

And that’s too bad, because, as colleague Mark Wiedmer wrote, you will not find a better role model than Tebow. Whether you believe in the Christian faith or not, you have to respect a man who has made helping people his life mission.

“Overall, I just felt loyal to this place,” Tebow said of his decision to stay for his senior season. “I feel like I’m a role model, and a lot of times people start things and don’t finish them. I didn’t want to be like that. I wanted to be loyal to the university. I wanted to finish what I started and play another year.”

But opposing fans will be ready to pounce, like we saw when Tebow got an unsportsmanlike penalty in the title game. Some fans decided that wasn’t Christian-like; they based those judgments on a 15-yard penalty. Another glimpse of what to expect in 2009.

Opposing players and teams will, more than ever, want to bring down the great Tebow. We’ve been here before with Matt Leinart. He returned for his senior year, finished third in the Heisman balloting, lost the national championship game and his season was considered a failure. It’s a lot of pressure.

Tebow will face even more scrutiny. If the Gators finish undefeated — and they play Tennessee, at LSU, Georgia and at South Carolina — and Tebow is outstanding, you can argue that he’s the best player ever in college football. Maybe you’ll side with Red Grange. Maybe you’ll defend Barry Sanders or Herschel Walker.

But you’ll have to say Tim Tebow is at least one of the greatest. Tebow is coming back. Love him or hate him, he makes SEC football in 2009 much more intriguing.