I was a freshman at UF in 1989. We have never rushed the field in my time as a Gator. As a student I remember sitting close to the field a few times on big wins. They would have cops/security completely along the East Side stands to “discourage” fans as well as the announcement over the loudspeaker.
Increasing the monetary fines would help. But the money in college football is so big now that fines alone are not enough. What would really put teeth into the policy is for the SEC to start taking away scholarships after the first offense. For example: Second offense: scholarships get reduced to 22 and 82 for that recruiting season. Third offense: reduce to 20 and 80. And so on. That would encourage the athletic departments to get serious about their field security. One other thought: the fine for rushing the field gets paid to that opponent’s athletic department. So rushing the field ends up helping them financially, at your expense. Those kind of penalties would very likely control the problem. No. It’s about keeping fans safe. And coaches. And players. And support staff.
I have a buddy who tried storming the field after we beat FSU in 1997 and he got to spend some quality time with the grass at Florida Field while he was zip-tied face down.
He got a game ball from Spurrier after we completely destroyed MSU in the Swamp 52-0. I was there and have never seen the Gators demolish a team for 4 quarters like that. Loved it.
The one time that I witnessed fans storm a field was a very positive experience. It happened in a Fl/Ga. game in the Gator bowl. When Ga. upset us, their fans stormed the field. My brother and I looked on to watch the cops billy-clubbing Ga. fans. Very gratifying. Made a bad day better.
UF started putting extra cops on sidelines in 83 after we stormed the field at Doak in 82. FSU got really pissed that we tore down their goal post. When they came in 83 Pell put his foot way up there collective rears, 53-14. That and 85 were beautiful beat downs of the Noles. They were actually about to run Bobby out of town after that
Which fabric of society was better? Which one were you referring to? You’ve got to be kidding me… Just 2 generations ago we had seperate water fountains for crying out loud. This leave it beaver harkening to “a better society” is crap. Kids today are smarter, more inclusive, thoughtful and compassionate. I listen to some of my dads stories about hazing and frat life and it’s insane. More crap went on at gator growl in the 80s, Yon hall in the 80s was like an episode of Miami vice dude. I’ve got friends that are GPD and they said the stuff that went on in the 80s here was bananas. Students today are fine. let them have some fun. this idea that “just wait til something bad happens” is crap. If If’s were fifths we’d all be drunk. There’s what? 5? 10? Field storming as year? 2 or 3 in the SEC with a few thousand kids? That’s nothing. Black Friday has tramplings for TV sets and nobody shuts that down. I see more raucous behavior from 55 year olds in the parking lot at their campers. I bet money if someone made a stink about it- UPD could sit out on university avenue and arrest hundreds of drunk alumni getting in their car for way more reckless behavior than anyone storming the field. In fact, let’s get that campaign going. I want to return to a safe, more respectable fabric of society so let’s all start arresting drunk fans driving home from the game. Someone get me Scott Stricklin on the phone lol
I never said that it was perfect back then. Yes there was a lot of discriminations back then and it was very wrong. The only salvageable thing back then is that that we did not have the random skull busting that we have going on now. People now days just want to kick ass and bust skulls.
This has to be wrong... Florida Fans have never rushed the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Swamp is hallowed ground to Gators fans, and apparently they respect that enough not to touch it. The last time every SEC team rushed the field
