5 Most Memorable Gator Games You Attended

[soflagator]

[QUOTE='78;n174183]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.
.[/QUOTE]

That '01 ut game was as disgusting as any I've ever attended. For such a solid player, Gus Scott literally spent the whole night either bouncing off of Stephens or chasing him at a ridiculous distance.

'99 was a great game. And I've always felt like that 2005 VU game was critical for how the Meyer era eventually turned out. I have to think a loss there would've killed all momentum and have the fans in an uproar.

 

[soflagator]

Some of the biggest for me:

'86 Aub--My mom had taken me down to the SE corner of the endzone to get one of those little footballs they used to throw out. So I was right there for the 2 point conversion.

'91 Uk & fsu--Both games had such a foreign feel to them. First ever fully recognized SEC, and what felt like winning the Super Bowl against the noles to end their streak against us. "We Are The Champions" being sung. As someone with an old grandfather, I was always glad to see those old-timers witness that moment after years of frustration. I was luck enough to be on the sidelines for both. Still remember the sights, sounds and smells vividly.

'93 SECCG--One of my favorite games and favorite seasons.

'94 SECCG--We needed something to cheer about a week after the choke.

'95 fsu--First ever undefeated season.

'97 fsu--Still my favorite overall.

'02 uga--Favorite win of the Zook era. The reaction from uga fans was priceless.

'08 Lsu--My pregnant wife's first ever big game. When Spikes returned the INT and then punted, my son went absolutely crazy in her stomach from the noise. Will never forget that.

'09 fsu--I can remember thinking that the taunting by our fans and the Pounceys was going to come back to bite us. We'd just reached a level of arrogance that was no good. One of the few times I've felt sorry for nole fans. Huge win and moment with Tebow and those Srs, but had a bad feel to it.

*I've heard rumors but have no official knowledge that football was played the past 4 years.

 

[TheDouglas78]

Some of the biggest for me:

'86 Aub--My mom had taken me down to the SE corner of the endzone to get one of those little footballs they used to throw out. So I was right there for the 2 point conversion.

'91 Uk & fsu--Both games had such a foreign feel to them. First ever fully recognized SEC, and what felt like winning the Super Bowl against the noles to end their streak against us. "We Are The Champions" being sung. As someone with an old grandfather, I was always glad to see those old-timers witness that moment after years of frustration. I was luck enough to be on the sidelines for both. Still remember the sights, sounds and smells vividly.

'93 SECCG--One of my favorite games and favorite seasons.

'94 SECCG--We needed something to cheer about a week after the choke.

'95 fsu--First ever undefeated season.

'97 fsu--Still my favorite overall.

'02 uga--Favorite win of the Zook era. The reaction from uga fans was priceless.

'08 Lsu--My pregnant wife's first ever big game. When Spikes returned the INT and then punted, my son went absolutely crazy in her stomach from the noise. Will never forget that.

'09 fsu--I can remember thinking that the taunting by our fans and the Pounceys was going to come back to bite us. We'd just reached a level of arrogance that was no good. One of the few times I've felt sorry for nole fans. Huge win and moment with Tebow and those Srs, but had a bad feel to it.

*I've heard rumors but have no official knowledge that football was played the past 4 years.

Had one signed by Kerwin Bell... Wish I could find it now... But I still have the I believe 1988 football signed by the whole team.

 

[ppinesgator]

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.

#3 from this fine list. Jimmy Buffett sang the National Anthem. Just as the Gators took the field, the hot air balloon rose about the West Stands, with a banner that read, "Gators Burst Through the Trojans." What a day.....

 

[Fishon]

My top 5 most memorable

1. the 2008 BCS championship vs. Oklahoma - The only game my wife has gone with me where the Gators didn't play poorly/lose (2008 vs Ole Miss is on us...my bad)

2. 2005/2007/2009 vs. Florida State - 3 great beatdowns of a rival.

3. 2000 vs. LSU - Rex and Gaffney start their amazing run together and torch Saban's squad 41-9. Best play for me was when the snap goes over Rex's head, he turns with the ball bouncing perfectly into his hands, he turns again and fires a TD.

4. 2001 vs. Miss State. A 52-0 beatdown and vengeance for the year prior. Andra Davis was a monster

5. 2005 vs. UT. A close win (16-7) but our first since 2002 and first at home since 1999. Bubba Caldwell broke his leg, but Meyer got his first big win at UF.

Honorbale mention: 2007 vs. South Carolina. Tebow's 7 TD game. Harvin didn't play and the Carolina fans were confident before the game. It was great to have bragging rights while living in Columbia.

 

[78]

Jeez, how in the heck did I forget the 1982 "Trojans Pop Under Pressure" affair with USC? Need to add that to my list. There are others I attended on assignment, but I'm not including those.

 

[Since65]

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.

And Bob Griese on the ABC broadcast talking about Spurrier running up the score in the 4th quarter. He never really got over that 1966 Heisman Trophy loss to SOS.

 

[gingerlover]

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 was at the 06 title game and it was amazing. A guy at work who's wife was high up at Chick-Fila just dropped two tickets on my desk the day before. Remember telling my brother inlaw to watch for Nelson picking off a McFadden pass and the eruption when they showed the score of the USC-UCLA game.

 

[Jbossgator8]

What?? No favorite moments from Borntobeagator???? Will he put all Gator losses down?? LoL

 

[NCOGator]

2006 NC Game! Troy Smith still has PTSD.

I think he owes property taxes as well; because he had a lot of turf on his uniform at the end of that game.

 

[NCOGator]

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.

This is the game where I we "reborn"! At the start of this game I was a Gator fan, and at the end of it I was a Gator! I was only 13 and you had to be 15 or 16 to sell sodas at the games, but all they needed for proof was a SS Card. I remember sitting my tray down in the middle of an isle near the North End Zone and watching this drive. One of the loudest I have ever heard the stadium

 

[TheDouglas78]

This is the game where I we "reborn"! At the start of this game I was a Gator fan, and at the end of it I was a Gator! I was only 13 and you had to be 15 or 16 to sell sodas at the games, but all they needed for proof was a SS Card. I remember sitting my tray down in the middle of an isle near the North End Zone and watching this drive. One of the loudest I have ever heard the stadium

In the 90's you needed a photo id.

 

[Gatorbreath]

Honestly, the games I've attended haven't been all that memorable. I've yet to make it to any of the championship games - though ATL for the SECCG looks like a hoot and is on the list.

I guess the most memorable of mine were 2007 at Williams Brice - a nice motorcycle road trip to watch Timmy score 6 or 7 TDs (literally) on SOS. I'd never been on that campus before. I recall the 2006 game in Tallahassee. A fairly boring game as I recall - low scoring - but we held on in a game where Percy was laid out and carted off. This was another bike trip and I'd never been to the Doak before. Sadly, sometimes I swear I can still smell the stink of that stadium in my nostrils. 2004 LSU was memorable because we bought scalped tickets from a student for a "luxury" box dirt cheap, got to gorge on a great Cajun buffet and it was to this day my only night game at the Swamp. I think we lost that one. The '99 WLOCP sticks out because, well, to date it is my only Cocktail Party...

I've had the (sort of) bad luck of attending games that were mostly blowouts, or pretty nondescript on the field by most standards that are memorable for reasons other than what happened on the field....

 

[t-gator]

What?? No favorite moments from Borntobeagator???? Will he put all Gator losses down?? LoL

Lol. I was gonna say laws top 5 were all losses

 

[GatorBart]

87 @ Bama
93 UGA
95 UT
95 UGA in Athens
95 FSU
97 FSU

 

[Leroy Jenkins]

The SECCG in '08 and National Title game (technically in January of '09) have to be 1/2.

 

[TN G8tr]

1. 1997 Sugar Bowl. It was fun beating the Semis's for our First NC.

2. 2008 BCS Title Game. Sat there and the jump pass was right in front of us.

3. 1990 Florida vs. Georgia. We had been waiting for so long. The walk back to the car was the best ever vs. the Dawgs.

4. 1997, 52-20 beating the Semi's twice in one year, PRICELESS.

5. 1982 UF vs. USCw. Wilbur Marshall was a one man wrecking crew. I was 15 and will never ever forget that game. I think Sean Salisbury is still hurting from being sacked so many times.

 

[NCOGator]

In the 90's you needed a photo id.

Yeah I bc one of my brother's friends tried to do that with us I think in 1990 and was turned away