5 Most Memorable Gator Games You Attended

[LongTooth]

Lots of great Gator fans here, and we could go on and on about the greatest Gator games of all time, as well as the best ones we saw on TV, but I'd like to hear which five some of you attended either home or away that stood out as the most memorable for you and why. Here are mine in chronological order:

1. 1986 Home vs Auburn: Florida was reeling from their fall from grace after the Charley Pell violation. Auburn was a juggernaut and ranked #4. Just holding AU to 17 points over three quarters was a minor miracle and when the "throwin Mayoan" limped left and dove in for the winning two point conversion we all just went nuts. 18-17. Few player/fan postgame celebrations ever even came close. I really feel this game was the beginning of UF's road back to the great days that came with Spurrier.

2. 1994 SEC Championship game in Atlanta vs Alabama: Bama was favored, and we were coming off the Choke at Doak, but this was the day Spurrier and the gang took their mojo to another level. This game was unbelievable. Both teams were unloading haymakers and making plays all over the field on offense, defense, and special teams. But it was Bama coach Stallings who blinked, going for field goals in the face of the great Gator D when Steve was still willing to go for it on 4th down several times. The final drive to retake the lead after Danny threw the pick six was pure art. The fake injury to Danny that led to Schott throwing deep, Anthony looking all-world, the double pass with Doering, Freddy T coming up big. That drive had everything, and the defense was huge all night. 24-23.

3. 1997 Georgia vs Florida at Jacksonville: Not memorable because we won. We didn't. But it was the only UF/UGA game I attended where it was just my Dad (a UGA alum) and I. Robert Edwards was a man among boys that day and UGA got their only 90's win. The thing I remember most clearly was the toddler who sat in front of us. The little Gator must have eaten a bunch of hot dogs before the game because he was killing us with the most lethal "swamp gas" all day. Ugh. Dad and I were just glad to get out a little early and he didn't rub it in too bad.

4. 1997 Home vs FSU: This was Spurrier's masterpiece in my opinion. A Homeric epic of a game. FSU was rolling toward the title game but this little derby in G-ville was their undoing. Spurrier pulled the strings like a master. One lead change after another. The 80 yard drive was miraculous. Johnson's bomb to Green was thrown right at us and Quez caught it right in front of us. 32-29. Best thing ever.

5. 2006 SEC Championship game in Atlanta vs Arkansas: This was my favorite game of the Meyer era that I ever attended. The 2006 season was my wife's (we were dating) first experience with college football so I took her to every game I could (we had to watch the Cock Block on TV). She was, and remains, my lucky rabbit's foot. So many crazy things happened that year to help us pull out games that I am just sure she had something to do with it. Arkansas gave us all we could handle and actually took the lead 21-17. Then, suddenly, their punt returner fumbled the ball into the endzone where we were sitting and Wondy Pierre-Louis came out of the scrum with the ball for a TD. Nutville ensued. Then Harvin blazed up the middle for this long TD run, we won 38-28 and the National Championship was calling.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

2008 SECCG is easily #1 for me. After that, I'd throw in 2012 LSU, 2009 UT, 2009 FSU, and my first ever Gator game, 1999 @UK.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

In no order:

1. 2008 SECC game
2. 2006 SECC game
3. 1996 SECC game
4. 1994 SECC game
5. 2000 SECC game

Two close ones:

The 2001 game at USC, when they thought Holtz had them at peak position to beat us, they block a punt and score early to lead 7-0, massive amount of **** being talked, UF won 54-17. Trash talkers were walking out by halftime.

The 2007 game at USC, UF won 51-31, but the night Tebow clinched the Heisman with an all-time performance. Had several Cock fans around me saying "best ever".

 

[LongTooth]

2008 SECCG is easily #1 for me. After that, I'd throw in 2012 LSU, 2009 UT, 2009 FSU, and my first ever Gator game, 1999 @UK.

if superman wasn't wearing tim tebow underoos before that game, he sure was afterwards.

 

[Yankeetown]

Most memorable and fun game I ever saw in person was the 1995 game against Tenn and Peyton. Tenn was ahead 30-14 just before the half. And the rain come in, "torrential" per news reports, which it truly was. Hard to describe how miserable we were. Then Danny led the Gators to 48 STRAIGHT POINTS and a 62-37 blowout. Wow.

#2 was the 1982 game here against So Cal, where Wilbur Marshall put dents in QB Sean Salisbury that probably still haven't healed. Not sure I've ever seen a LB dominate a game like he did that day.

 

[LongTooth]

Most memorable and fun game I ever saw in person was the 1995 game against Tenn and Peyton. Tenn was ahead 30-14 just before the half. And the rain come in, "torrential" per news reports, which it truly was. Hard to describe how miserable we were. Then Danny led the Gators to 48 STRAIGHT POINTS and a 62-37 blowout. Wow.

#2 was the 1982 game here against So Cal, where Wilbur Marshall put dents in QB Sean Salisbury that probably still haven't healed. Not sure I've ever seen a LB dominate a game like he did that day.

+1 on Marshall that day. beast.

 

[MJMGator]

94 SECCG, 97 vs Semis, 08 SECG, 95 vs UT and 82 vs USC. The reasons are covered above.
I have to add a sixth...84 vs UGA. Watched our fans storm the field and tear down the goal posts.
All great memories I got to share with my dad. Hope I can do the same with my son.

 

[Jax Gator]

Lots of great Gator fans here, and we could go on and on about the greatest Gator games of all time, as well as the best ones we saw on TV, but I'd like to hear which five some of you attended either home or away that stood out as the most memorable for you and why. Here are mine in chronological order:

1. 1986 Home vs Auburn: Florida was reeling from their fall from grace after the Charley Pell violation. Auburn was a juggernaut and ranked #4. Just holding AU to 17 points over three quarters was a minor miracle and when the "throwin Mayoan" limped left and dove in for the winning two point conversion we all just went nuts. 18-17. Few player/fan postgame celebrations ever even came close. I really feel this game was the beginning of UF's road back to the great days that came with Spurrier.

2. 1994 SEC Championship game in Atlanta vs Alabama: Bama was favored, and we were coming off the Choke at Doak, but this was the day Spurrier and the gang took their mojo to another level. This game was unbelievable. Both teams were unloading haymakers and making plays all over the field on offense, defense, and special teams. But it was Bama coach Stallings who blinked, going for field goals in the face of the great Gator D when Steve was still willing to go for it on 4th down several times. The final drive to retake the lead after Danny threw the pick six was pure art. The fake injury to Danny that led to Schott throwing deep, Anthony looking all-world, the double pass with Doering, Freddy T coming up big. That drive had everything, and the defense was huge all night. 24-23.

3. 1997 Georgia vs Florida at Jacksonville: Not memorable because we won. We didn't. But it was the only UF/UGA game I attended where it was just my Dad (a UGA alum) and I. Robert Edwards was a man among boys that day and UGA got their only 90's win. The thing I remember most clearly was the toddler who sat in front of us. The little Gator must have eaten a bunch of hot dogs before the game because he was killing us with the most lethal "swamp gas" all day. Ugh. Dad and I were just glad to get out a little early and he didn't rub it in too bad.

4. 1997 Home vs FSU: This was Spurrier's masterpiece in my opinion. A Homeric epic of a game. FSU was rolling toward the title game but this little derby in G-ville was their undoing. Spurrier pulled the strings like a master. One lead change after another. The 80 yard drive was miraculous. Johnson's bomb to Green was thrown right at us and Quez caught it right in front of us. 32-29. Best thing ever.

5. 2006 SEC Championship game in Atlanta vs Arkansas: This was my favorite game of the Meyer era that I ever attended. The 2006 season was my wife's (we were dating) first experience with college football so I took her to every game I could (we had to watch the Cock Block on TV). She was, and remains, my lucky rabbit's foot. So many crazy things happened that year to help us pull out games that I am just sure she had something to do with it. Arkansas gave us all we could handle and actually took the lead 21-17. Then, suddenly, their punt returner fumbled the ball into the endzone where we were sitting and Wondy Pierre-Louis came out of the scrum with the ball for a TD. Nutville ensued. Then Harvin blazed up the middle for this long TD run, we won 38-28 and the National Championship was calling.

I made all of those and some great ones not listed here...

 

[Jax Gator]

94 SECCG, 97 vs Semis, 08 SECG, 95 vs UT and 82 vs USC. The reasons are covered above.
I have to add a sixth...84 vs UGA. Watched our fans storm the field and tear down the goal posts.
All great memories I got to share with my dad. Hope I can do the same with my son.

I made all of those too....

 

[stephenPE]

1.UF pounding WV in the Sugar Bowl. They were undefeated and the first play their stud LB gave Eric Rhett a hard tackle and jawed at him From then on Eric gave him sh#t all night as we destroyed them. Cybil Shephard sang the SSB

2. UF beating the sh#t out of Cal after losing every game the year before. Charlie's 2nd year. Hottest game ever in Tampa.

3. USC Fla game in Gville where Wilbur became the first to run down the famed USC tailback sweep from behind.

4. James Jones one handed catch falling to the endzone to beat scUM

5.Almost any Emmitt home game (I saw them all) because he had you on the edge of your seat with any carry.

the damnedest start of a game at home was against W Texas St.
They scored and then onside kicked, got it and scored again, the onside kick and got it again, We held and beat them like 60+ to 14.

 

[PatDooleySucks]

'08 NC -- Winning it all in your home state is an incredible feeling. I'll also say this. While we often focus on the negative, I thought the OU fans were pretty decent ppl.

'02 Georgia -- Georgia fans could smell blood. Zook was a bad coach. This was their year to turn it around. Oh Gus Scott. Oh the look of dejection on the Georgia faces. This was before there were ten different ESPN channels and conference networks and every game at your disposal. People would come to Jacksonville to watch this game on big screens outside of the stadium. Saying the crowd was electric doesn't account for the pure animosity and friction between the fan bases. When the final whistle blew, fist fights started.

'99 Tennessee -- Does anybody remember the "James Bates Show?" He absolutely demolished T-Martin after this game with "I'm never going to laugh again." This was a "set the record straight game." We should not have lost in '98 and Tennessee should not have been in the NC. Besides not supposed to have lost to Tennessee, we should have gotten a second shot at them by beating FSU and Marcus Outzen. Probably the most brutal FSU loss that I've watched. I have sideline tickets. T-Martin's helmet was knocked off right in front of me. I saw it roll.

'00 South Carolina -- Lito Sheppard single handedly won this game. South Carolina was on its way to beating us before Sheppard turned this game around. I've never seen a defensive/special teams player do that. He willed us to victory. This is a bit of a Nostalgia game too, because it was one of my first college Gator games/tailgating etc. Got to walk right back to my dorm room with a beautiful girl in tow for post-game revelry.

'12 FSU -- The only complete game a Muschamp team played. I can say I saw it in person. There was a stalemate air to Tallahassee before this game. Nobody was really sure of what would happen. The game really couldn't have played out any better. Didn't have to drive home after either.

 

[MJMGator]

1.UF pounding WV in the Sugar Bowl. They were undefeated and the first play their stud LB gave Eric Rhett a hard tackle and jawed at him From then on Eric gave him sh#t all night as we destroyed them. Cybil Shephard sang the SSB

2. UF beating the sh#t out of Cal after losing every game the year before. Charlie's 2nd year. Hottest game ever in Tampa.

3. USC Fla game in Gville where Wilbur became the first to run down the famed USC tailback sweep from behind.

4. James Jones one handed catch falling to the endzone to beat scUM

5.Almost any Emmitt home game (I saw them all) because he had you on the edge of your seat with any carry.

the damnedest start of a game at home was against W Texas St.
They scored and then onside kicked, got it and scored again, the onside kick and got it again, We held and beat them like 60+ to 14.

We ended up beating West Texas State 77-14.

 

[Gatorphan]

1. 52-20
2. 2008 SECCG
3. 1990 vs OSU - Spurrier's first game as HBC, notice was served. Growing up in Tampa and following the Bandits, I knew we were in for a treat. We hung 50 points on them and the rest was history.
4. 1997 Vs FSU
5. 1980 Run Lindsey Run

 

[stephenPE]

OSU game was big, I wish I could have been at the Bama game where Emmitt busted out for 220+ yards rushing,

 

[KCgator]

2006 NC Game! Troy Smith still has PTSD.

 

[Fishon]

'08 NC -- Winning it all in your home state is an incredible feeling. I'll also say this. While we often focus on the negative, I thought the OU fans were pretty decent ppl.

'02 Georgia -- Georgia fans could smell blood. Zook was a bad coach. This was their year to turn it around. Oh Gus Scott. Oh the look of dejection on the Georgia faces. This was before there were ten different ESPN channels and conference networks and every game at your disposal. People would come to Jacksonville to watch this game on big screens outside of the stadium. Saying the crowd was electric doesn't account for the pure animosity and friction between the fan bases. When the final whistle blew, fist fights started.

'99 Tennessee -- Does anybody remember the "James Bates Show?" He absolutely demolished T-Martin after this game with "I'm never going to laugh again." This was a "set the record straight game." We should not have lost in '98 and Tennessee should not have been in the NC. Besides not supposed to have lost to Tennessee, we should have gotten a second shot at them by beating FSU and Marcus Outzen. Probably the most brutal FSU loss that I've watched. I have sideline tickets. T-Martin's helmet was knocked off right in front of me. I saw it roll.

'00 South Carolina -- Lito Sheppard single handedly won this game. South Carolina was on its way to beating us before Sheppard turned this game around. I've never seen a defensive/special teams player do that. He willed us to victory. This is a bit of a Nostalgia game too, because it was one of my first college Gator games/tailgating etc. Got to walk right back to my dorm room with a beautiful girl in tow for post-game revelry.

'12 FSU -- The only complete game a Muschamp team played. I can say I saw it in person. There was a stalemate air to Tallahassee before this game. Nobody was really sure of what would happen. The game really couldn't have played out any better. Didn't have to drive home after either.

I loved that 2000 Carolina game. We were down 21-3 after the first quarter, go 3 and out deep in our own territory and SOS runs the fake punt with Alan Rhine. Next play is a bomb to Gaffney. Play after that is a TD. Lito had that great punt return and an OG (Tommy Moody) caught a TD before halftime. Game ended up being a rout. Great memories

 

[TheDouglas78]

1986 Auburn ... might be the greatest game played at BHG, the crowning moment of the Mighty Bell.

1992 Southern Mississippi .... only time I got to see a Gator game with my grandfather (BA Forestry and MA Accounting from UF)... I didn't appreciated it as much then as I do now. Willie Jackson Jr., stop by while leaving for the locker room and said hello and met my grandfather.

1999 Tennesse ... I could see the whites of Tee Martin's eyes on two of Alex Brown's sacks

2001 Mississippi State ... The revenge game... walked from NW 23rd and 13th with GatorJ and another guy to the game and back. Something special about beating the $hit out of Mississippi State that day.

1991 FSU... Weldon came in as the Heisman favorite, left on crutches.

 

[Jbossgator8]

2000 UF 87 #1 Duke 78

2006 UF 73 UCLA 57 NC

2006 UF 86 OSU 60

2007 UF 84 OSU 75 NC

2014 Softball National Championship UF beat Bama 5-0 and 6-3

 

[NavetG8r]

I didn't get to go to a lot of games growing up. My dad had 2 season tickets every year as a perk from work, but he usually took my mom unless the weather was so bad she didn't want to go. That said, the one I remember the most was a game against Miami and people were throwing oranges out onto the field for some reason. I was very young and had no idea why they were doing it but the memory stuck.

 

[78]

2001 Tennessee. Had we won we'd have faced Miami for the national championship. Hoke's piss poor run defense made Travis Stephens look like a Heisman tailback.
1999 Tennessee. ESPN's Game Day crew was on campus, the drinks were flowing and the nighttime air electric. We held off the defending champs for the win. Tee Martin is still running from Alex Brown.
2005 Vanderbilt. We had the game in hand until late in the 4th when Cutler engineered an improbable comeback. We were halfway to our cars when we overheard a UF fan moan OVERTIME.
1976 Auburn. We went to 6-1 after defeating Auburn 24-19. Chandler took a short toss from Jimmy Fisher and weaved through the entire Auburn defense for a long score. It seemed like the entire stadium just stood there in awe.
2001 Auburn. I've never seen a UF quarterback on fire like Grossman was that day. Didn't hurt that Spurrier drew up some terrific plays.