Florida Football History

Last Updated: Mar 7, 2025 · 4:26 PM EST

The Florida Gators first played football back in 1906. However, it took 90 years until the program would reach the top of the college football universe.

The 1996 season was an all-time great year under coach Steve Spurrier. The Gators went 12-1 and beat rival Florida State in the Sugar Bowl 52-20 to claim their first-ever national championship, avenging their only loss during the regular season.

The Fun-and-Gun offense led by Heisman-winning QB Danny Wuerffel put up 612 points that season, compared to only 228 points allowed by the Gators’ defense.

The Gators also had success during the Urban Meyer era, winning the 2006 and 2008 titles behind 2007 Heisman winner Tim Tebow.

We’ll see if the Gators can rise back to the top of the SEC in the coming years to regain the glory of the 1990s and 2000s.

Check out the links below to learn more about the history of the Florida program:

The Gators have a number of rivalries in the SEC, including against Georgia, a game played annually in Jacksonville. Click the links below to learn more about Florida’s biggest rivals:

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.

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