Florida football has a rich tradition of success, and it’s tough picking out just 10 historic dates that fans should know, because there are about 50 important dates.
Several significant dates missed the cut, and every Florida fan has their individual favorites. But here are 10 historic dates that every Florida football fan should know.
October 26, 1906: Florida’s first-ever game came against Rollins College in Gainesville, coached by Jack Forsythe. The Gators won 6-0. Who would have thought 100 years later the Gators would beat Ohio State in 2006 for the BCS National Championship? What a way to celebrate 100 years.
November 23, 1966: Then quarterback Steve Spurrier won the school’s first-ever Heisman Trophy. As John Logue of the Atlanta Constitution famously penned, “Blindfolded, with his back to the wall, with his hands tied behind him, Steve Spurrier would be a two-point favorite at his own execution.” Spurrier was most noted obviously for his quarterback skills, but his game-winning 40-yard field goal was an example of how legends are born. Quarterbacks Danny Wuerffel (1996) and Tim Tebow (2007) went on to win Heisman Trophies for the school as well.
May 2, 1978: The most Florida players ever drafted happened in 1978, not in the modern era. The Gators had 10 players drafted. There were nine Gators drafted in 1992, 2007 and 2010. Three Gators have the distinction of being the highest drafted at No. 3: Steve Spurrier, Gerard Warren and Wes Chandler.
January 7, 1997: The 1997 Sugar Bowl is arguably the biggest and best date in Florida history. The Gators were set up with a rematch against Florida State, the team that had dismantled the undefeated Gators 24-21 just two months prior. Florida was led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who threw three touchdowns. The Gators destroyed the Seminoles 52-20. The Gators won their first-ever consensus national championship in school history.
January 4, 2002: Then head coach Steve Spurrier resigned as Florida’s head coach, stating, “I simply believe that twelve years as head coach at a major university in the SEC is long enough.” Spurrier went on to coach the Washington Redskins before returning to the SEC at South Carolina. Spurrier was the SEC’s Coach of the Year seven times, including winning a national championship in 1996.
December 4, 2004: In the wake of firing Ron Zook, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley hired Urban Meyer. Following a brief yet intense competition with Notre Dame for Meyer’s services, the Gators had their man. Meyer won two BCS Championships in 2006 and 2008, along with Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, and he stockpiled NFL talent in Gainesville.
December 13, 2005: Legendary quarterback Tim Tebow committed to the University of Florida on ESPN, following a special about him named, “The Chosen One.” Tebow’s legend only grew once he set foot on the university’s campus, winning two national championships and a Heisman Trophy. Tebow has gone down to be arguably the greatest SEC player ever.
January 8, 2007: Following second-year head coach Urban Meyer’s first SEC Championship, the Gators finished the season ranked No. 2 in the BCS, slated to play the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes in the championship game. Meyer’s Gators throttled the Buckeyes 41-14, delivering a championship for the first time in 10 years. Not only was this a significant date for Florida, but the SEC went on an incredible seven-year streak of dominating the rest of the country in BCS Championships. Florida also won its second championship under Meyer by defeating the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2008 season.
September 27, 2008: When many think of Tim Tebow, they think of his speech following the 31-30 loss to Ole Miss. To everyone around the country, it was funny and ridiculous. But to Florida fans, Tebow’s post-game comments became “The Promise”. There’s even a plaque commemorating the event. As you know, Florida went on to win a national championship, defeating Oklahoma in the championship, and the Gators won 22 straight games before losing to Alabama in the 2009 SEC Championship.
December 26, 2009: Urban Meyer announced he would resign as the head coach following the Gators’ bowl game due to health and family concerns. The next day, Meyer had a change of heart and announced that he wouldn’t resign; rather, he said he would take a leave of absence. He resumed his head coaching duties in March 2010. Florida finished 8-5 the very next season, and Meyer resigned for good.
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
