Always said, if I only had one Gator game to go to again, it would be 1996 at UT. I was privileged to be in Neyland that day and the hype was incredible. 35-0 took all the wind out their sails. You could hear the fans leaving to go jump in the Tennessee River. Awesome road trip.
Gators vs.Bucknuts. Our daughter and I were at the game. Bucknuts were picked to win by almost everyone. We ran into Max Starks just before the game started. Great victory!
I was there!!! The gator section didn't leave after the game ended for 15 minutes or so!!! We were all jumping up and down screaming! Our defense absolutely pelted Bo. He had to be sore for a week. Galen could put a headhunting defense on the field. Damn I miss those days!! The two games I missed, and regret the most, were '86 against the Barn at home, with Kerwin's miraculous comeback, and '97 against the Holes. The Auburn game used to be one hell of a rivalry. I almost hated them as much as the Mutts.
I was there too. I thought hard about this one but I've seen a LOT of great games in Neyland and we usually ended up on top.
Great memories. I was at the game with my future wife and a friend. I remember on our last drive when Doug Johnson had the ball and went back to pass, my friend whispered...."take your time, go easy"--and I silently agreed since Doug was a cannon--a loose one. And then I didn't breathe when he launched it. I scanned downfield to see Quez Green coming open on the sideline, grabbing that perfect pass, and then cutting across the field down to the Semi 17. When he caught it, something happened I have never heard before. The crowd as if in chorus shouted "YEAH!" One single world screamed unrehearsed in unison by...what? 70,000 people? It was absolutely distinct to me--and as loud as the loudest moments in the Swamp. The Thomas interception catapulted the crowd into glorious chaos. And a spontaneous car parade formed on University Avenue after. My favorite game in the Swamp. I'm getting excited right now even remembering it.
My last "amazing experience" at Florida Field was the 1981 victory over FSU referenced previously here. Since then, all my great Gator moments have been in Neyland Stadium or Atlanta. While I envy those with the first-hand experiences in The Swamp, there is a sublime joy to being in the heart of Enemy Territory, surrounded by the sullen, broken-hearted, bitter foes that a few hours before were so ebullient in anticipation of beating our beloved Gators. I was there in Neyland, tis true, for a missed UF field goal (Collins Cooper) as well as a made FG (James Wilhoit - UT) both of which sent the locals wild with joy. Other than those, I've enjoyed moving to the lower bowl section where the away UF fans / band sit in the 4th quarter, accompanied by one of my sons or my wife, to join my fellow Gators in exulting in victory, singing the fight song/alma mater with the team, then greeting them as they exit the locker room enroute to the bus. We have had some memorable moments all along that way that I wouldn't trade for the world.
The most fun I ever had at a game was 1978 vs a top 5 Auburn team. When the score reached 34-7 in the 1st half was the first time I ever saw a crowd break into the Na Na Na Na hey hey hey good bye song in the first half.
Nothing will ever top 52-20 and I’ve only been able to got to a couple games a year for the last several years. Perineal run to break Auburn and tgat pick six of Burrow were the best moments I’ve seen in person. Beating the crap out of fsu is always fun but nothing like those game breaking plays and the crowd going nuts.
Yeah buddy! That Texas upset was one of the greatest, sweetest, most unexpected surprises in sports history (well, in my life anyway...). I've posted many times, even this season, that I am forever a horns fan, for that monumental upset in 96. I took my little brother bowling that day--want to say it was like a week or 2 after the noles' "after the echo of the whistle" late hit fest, where Mickey POS Andrews coached his scum sucking douchebags to tee off on Wuerffel, after the axn.... and the ref ho's just let them.... licking wounds, and had given up on the season... The Texas Nebraska game was on the TV at the bowling alley, and someone--saw me wearing my Gator gear--told me I might want to check out what's happening in the Texas Nebraska game... so I made my way over, and just sat there open mouthed with my jaw parked on my chest, hearing Al Michaels' voice in my head yelling "DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!?!?!!" Been a 'horns fan (after Gators of course) since. Hook 'em $%&@#n horns forever! (...well, at least until they play the Gators...then @#%^$%'em).
Might be the most fun I've ever had at a game. My buddies and I were sitting in the nosebleed section, but watched as the goal posts were passed around the field and up the stadium.
This is the one for me too. After 3 seasons of Emmitt left, Emmitt right, Emmitt up the middle...to seeing an unidentified brown flying object whizzing through the air, and into the hands a waiting receiver around the 35 yardline....then realizing it was the ball, thrown from our own EZ--a mythical "forward pass"--in real life! ...and exploding along with 72,000 similarly shocked and thrilled fellow Gators...then hanging on for the rest of that wild ride, was just awesome. (...all against the back drop of a serial killer on the loose, terrorizing the town and the university...)--really made for a helluva a first impression.
It was glorious. Not just the introduction of the forward pass, but everything was different and felt different. First game back in the blue unis, first game back on grass... yeah, that might be the one for me too.
Thanks for introducing me to great Gator times I was unaware of. "Underdog Florida [...] handed Coach Paul Bryant his first loss at home since coming to Alabama six years ago." The Gator defense intercepted Tide QB Joe Namath at least three times. Underdog Gators in 10–6 football shocker over 3rd ranked Bama
It's nowhere near as momentous as any of the other games mentioned so far, but the most exciting game I attended was against Auburn in 1982: Jim Gainey kicking two field goals in the last three minutes --- the Gators recovering the onside kick in-between --- and the crowd going insane with joy. Good times indeed.
