This time it’s personal.

Well, more personal than usual.

Georgia’s defense always wants to put a whoopin’ on any Florida player, much less golden boy quarterback Tim Tebow.

But when that Gator is looking to break Georgia legend Herschel Walker’s SEC rushing touchdown record?

It’s really on now.

“If I can get a nose-to-nose shot [on Tebow], it will be nasty,” said Georgia defensive tackle Jeff Owens. “He’s a quarterback. He’ll try and run over the [defensive backs] and probably linebackers, but linemen? He ain’t going to do that to any defensive linemen.”

Last weekend against Mississippi State, Tebow got his 49th career rushing touchdown, tying the conference watermark set by Walker from 1980-82. He’ll be looking to eclipse it Saturday in Jacksonville.

Extra motivation for the Bulldog defense? Maybe just a little.

“Just knowing the type of player that Herschel was and the type of guy that he is now, we just want to represent for the guys who played before us,” said linebacker Rennie Curran.

“That would be huge for us to hold their offense and Tebow and not let them score. We know they like to put the ball in his hands on the goal line so that is going to be our main goal.”

Tebow hasn’t quite earned the “Goal Line Stalker” moniker that Walker did before he left Athens early for the USFL. But he does have those 49 rushing touchdowns in 46 games played, and just 33 starts for the Gators.

For the last three years, beating Florida has been synonymous with besting Tebow. And now the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner is a senior, meaning one last shot for the Bulldogs.

“Beating Tim Tebow would be nice,” said defensive lineman Geno Atkins. “We definitely look at it as a challenge. He is Mr. Football in the college area. So it’s big for us.”

In the Gators’ 49-10 romp over Georgia last season, the big-bodied Tebow accounted for five touchdowns, rushing for three and throwing for two more.

But in the 2007 edition of the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, the Bulldogs sacked him six times, holding him to minus-15 rushing yards and 236 yards through the air in his first matchup with Georgia as a full-time starter.

Needless to say, in its final shot at Tebow, the Georgia defense is looking to come full circle with a performance more like that first one.

“That’s our main thing,” Curran said. “We all know how much he’s respected, the reputation he’s built for himself and Florida. If you want to stop Florida’s offense, you’ve got to stop it from the head, with their leader, and that’s Tebow. That’s our main thing. We’ve got to get that guy to flinch.”

And getting him to flinch may be easier than in years past. Since sustaining a concussion against Kentucky, Tebow has been less like Superman and more like Clark Kent as the top-ranked Gators and their undefeated record were tested in three straight contests. He threw an interception at LSU, then lost two fumbles against Arkansas before throwing two picks in the Gators’ squeaker past Mississippi State.

He also failed to rush for a score against the Tigers and Razrbacks.

Tebow will undoubtedly top Walker’s record at some point before season’s end. But he’s certainly shown he’s stoppable this year, and the Bulldogs just don’t want him to do so against them.

Said senior safety Bryan Evans: “He’s a great player and if we can go out on top, shutting out a Heisman candidate [and winner], what better way can a senior go out against Florida?”