Lito Sheppard Announced as Florida’s Honorary Captain for Camping World Kickoff
Saturday, August 17, 2019 | Football
When Florida and Miami collide next Saturday at Camping World Stadium, two well-known alums will serve as Honorary Captains.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – When Florida and Miami meet in next Saturday's Camping World Kickoff at Camping World Stadium, two well-known alums will serve as Honorary Captains.
Lito Sheppard will represent the Gators for the coin toss as UF's Honorary Captain, meanwhile Vince Wilfork will be at midfield for the Hurricanes.
Sheppard became just the fourth sophomore, only the second on defense, in UF history to earn first-team All-America recognition when selected by the Football Writers Association of America in 2000. He was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection in both 2000 and 2001. A First Team All-Southeastern Conference selection in 2000 and 2001, the Jacksonville, Fla. product saw action in 34 regular season games with 22 starts over the course of his three-year career at UF.
Statistically he tallied 87 career tackles, three forced fumbles, two tackles-for-loss, two fumble recoveries, eight interceptions, one blocked punt and 12 pass deflections. He also returned two punts for touchdowns (54 yards vs. Middle Tennessee and 57 yards vs. South Carolina in 2000).
After declaring for the NFL Draft following his junior season, Sheppard spent 10 years in league NFL after being a first round selection in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a two-time Pro Bowler (2004 and 2006) and was named to the NFL All-Pro team in 2004. He finished his pro career with 19 interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns.
Sheppard was named the Gators 2014 SEC Legend and inducted into the UF Hall of Fame in 2018.
ESPN will air Miami-Florida's traditional telecast, with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth and Maria Taylor on the sidelines. Meanwhile, SEC Network ESPN3 will offer alternative telecasts of the Hurricanes-Gators matchup.
- SEC Network: Miami vs. Florida Bonuscast will be live from the SEC Network studios in Charlotte, providing a special simulcast of the Camping World Kickoff between Miami and No. 8 Florida. The Saturday night SEC Now team of Dari Nowkhah, Chris Doering and Gene Chizik will be on the call in Charlotte, joined by featured guests from Orlando throughout the game. The trio, who return to Saturday studio coverage of SEC Network football this fall, will also provide complete post-game insight, analysis and reaction of Week 0 action. Joining Nowkhah, Doering and Chizik in studio will be 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and Florida legend Danny Wuerffel, as well as SEC Network's newest hire, officiating analyst Matt Austin, in his first assignment for the 2019 season. Additional sideline guests will include SEC Nation on-air personalities and prominent Gator alumni.
- ESPN3: Command Center and SkyCam viewing options will be available to stream.
The Gators and Hurricanes have a long history dating back to their first meeting in 1938 in Gainesville. Miami leads the all-time series 29-26 and won the last meeting in 2013 at home by a final score of 21-16.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Inside Gators Football & Up Next presented by UF Health
Tuesday, November 25
Inside Gators Football & Up Next presented by UF Health (November 25, 2025)
Tuesday, November 25
Florida Football | Interim Head Coach Billy Gonzales Press Conference | Florida State
Monday, November 24
Billy Gonzales Press Conference 11-24-25
Monday, November 24
