GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Former Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, Bowl Championship Series chairman Mike Slive and more than 50,000 fans were on hand Saturday to celebrate Florida's second national championship.
Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman winner who led the Gators to their first title that same season, presented the title game's offensive most valuable player trophy to quarterback Chris Leak.
"It was probably the most dominating football game I've every seen," said Wuerffel, who led the Gators to a 52-20 victory against Florida State in the 1997 Sugar Bowl. "I've seen a lot of dominating games. I've been in a few -- just ask Florida State."
Leak, often criticized during his four years, had to compose himself before speaking to the crowd.
"I really kind of hit me out there, being around my teammates one last time," Leak said. "It was a great feeling. I think when it's really going to hit me is when I go off and after a couple years when I come back and I still see 2006 national champs on that stadium wall. That's going to mean a lot to me, all the sacrifice and hard work that myself, my coaches, my teammates, my family put in."
Slive presented the Gators with the BCS national title trophy, noting that the Gators spent all season celebrating 100 years of football and honored the 1996 team.
Florida coach Urban Meyer introduced each of his seniors and unveiled a lasting reminder of the winning season. A wall inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium painted with the team's accomplishments now includes the 2006 Southeastern Conference championship and 2006 national championship.
Meyer, who spent the last two years working in former coach Steve Spurrier's shadow, acknowledged that he has somewhat cast his own in Gainesville and on the program.
"There's another one," Meyer said. "National championships, obviously when you have two in a 100-year history of a very excellent program, that tells you how elite status you are. That was a 12-year run (for Spurrier). It's going to take a lot longer than a two-year run. Consistency is the thing that we're looking to have. If we come back and answer this five or six times, then I think we can say we made a little bit of a statement, but not until then."
Florida also displayed two national championship graphics on the 35-yard lines.
The Gators started the day by replaying the 41-14 victory over Ohio State on the scoreboard while displaying the final stats. Meyer even pointed out that the defense allowed 82 total yards.
Several former players were on hand for the festivities, including running back Terry Jackson, linebacker Dwayne Thomas, safety Tony George and defensive ends Mike Moten and Willie Rodgers.
Four high-profile recruits also were given plenty of attention, witnessing the event during their official visits.
When it was over, All-America safety Reggie Nelson and defensive end Jarvis Moss confirmed reports that they were leaving school early for the NFL.
Linebacker Brandon Siler, meanwhile, said he needed more time to make a decision.
"It's a hard decision. That's why it's taking so long," Siler said. "I'm considering a lot of things: my family, my degree. I'm considering a lot of things."
Cornerback Ryan Smith, also considering turning pro, was one of several players missing. Cornerback Reggie Lewis, defensive tackle Joe Cohen and center Steve Rissler were in Hawaii for the Hula Bowl.
Running back DeShawn Wynn and receiver Kenneth Tookes also were absent, but Meyer wasn't exactly sure why.
Defensive tackle Ray McDonald said he spent time the last few days hanging out with basketball players Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer -- discussing the fact that Florida became the first school to hold titles in football and men's basketball -- the NCAA's premier sports -- at the same time.
"We thanked them for setting the tone for us," McDonald said. "They won, so we had to get one. They're probably going to get another one this year. We put that pressure on them. We told them y'all got to go get one now. Y'all got to outdo us. Y'all can set the tone again. Y'all win it, then we can win it again."
Noah's response?
"We got y'all boys," McDonald said. "We're going to go do it."
