24 years since that glorious night - 1/2/1997; where were you?

DoubleGator87and90

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What a great Gator memory. Hosted a party at our home with lots of fellow Gators (and a shamed FSU friend). Cracked open a 1966 Crown Royal at the final gun to celebrate. Yes, a 1966, the year Spurrier won the Heisman. I had been saving that bottle for our 1st National Championship!
 

soflagator

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Most of my family went. I stayed back with my dad, in part because of some girl fun I was having and in part because I was still shell shocked from Nebraska and wasn’t sure we’d win. NO was garbage after the ‘94 rematch and I had no desire to relive that. Great to watch on TV but major regret not attending.

Terry Jackson’s dance in the end zone is still one of my favorite moments in UF history.
 

78

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Glued to the TV at home and on my 11th beer by the time Jackson pranced into the end zone with our final TV. I had a lot to celebrate, our first nattie and news a few days earlier that I was about to become a first-time dad.
 

Gator98MD

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I was there , saw jevon kearse on bourbon street after the game too. I bet I’m one of the few on here that was actually at the game too. Suckas
 

fischerwood

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Sep 5, 2014
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Miss Sandy & I were there as part of the FGTC entourage. Upper Deck endzone but who cares. Still have the ticket stubs attached to my aerial photo of the '95 defeat of the puppies photo I took that evening. What a great year...
 

GatorBart

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Will never forget shaking the hand of Gov. 'Walkin' Lawton Chiles on Bourbon Street after the game, even though I had been lit for 3 days. :lol:
 

ShelbyGator

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In the Superdome puking in my hat after way too many hurricanes pre-game. But screaming until I was hoarse celebrating the second half.
 

Theologator

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I was at home watching with my wife. I’m not very good company during a game because I prefer to lock into it. Dealing with other people’s comments and/or disinterest in the actual game is difficult for me.

I remember the sense of unspeakable joy that started rising in my heart after Mike Peterson stuffed the monstrously big Pooh Bear Williams on that early drive. F$U was playing well, but we kept making plays. They started to snowball. The greatest win in Gators history was unfolding as a blowout of our in-state rival. They can never live that down.

After the game ended I ran into the street and screamed a guttural howl of joy. Then I heard another from a block away, and another, and another - each from different directions.

My grandfather, UF ‘31, watched that game, too. He had just turned 87. I was so happy that he got to see it, then Spurrier dedicated the win to all the Gators who had been waiting so long to finally say in truth and without question, “We’re number one!”

Thanks for eliciting the memories, Ox.
 

Thought Criminal

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So much terrible before that... we road tripped to the debacle in the desert, choke at doak in person, got in a fight after, '94 Sugar Bowl after that... saw Bettis run all over the good guys a couple years before that. We were due for that catharsis, and it's close between that night and daughter's birth. 1 and 1a. Still have the yellowed broken half yard from that night. I'll pour a toast in it when Grantham disappears.
 

OllieGator

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In '96 a large group of my Gator buddies and my wife (then gf) got rooms at the Holiday Inn on 13th and were prepared for a night of celebrating. After the ass whipping by Nebraska I was so pissed I was just ready to leave. The wife didn't understand things back then and got pissed because I was pissed. Made for a very long night then drive back to Jax the next day.

Fast forward to '97 and beating the **** out of F$U made everything right in the world. Watched with the same group of Gators but here in Jax.
 

SGG

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Watched at home by myself.

I don’t know that I’ve ever been so happy about a win, especially after the embarrassment the year before.
 

Double Gator Dad

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I watched at home with my wife and young sons in Atlanta.
The four of us went to the movies that afternoon because we were so wired up and needed to do something to kill time

I will never forget the screaming in the house when it was clear that we won.

Great night
 

MJMGator

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My boss went so that meant I had to mind the fort and not go. I watched it on TV and banged his wife in celebration.
 

78

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This was obviously a great win but it didn’t come close in my mind to the surprise of what we did to OSU in 2006, esp after Ginn took the opening kick for a score. I was delirious. 11 beers there, too.
 

Gatormac2112

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My dad had a triple bypass in late December and he was on the recovery unit doing well enough so that we could watch the game with him. I'm very thankful he was able to witness the Gators first NC as he attended UF, was ATO and a lifelong Gator through the miserable years.
 

kepler

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Just moved to Boston and watched alone, but that's alright it was the type of game no matter where you are you know it just won't get better than that.
 

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