Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. –  Football is back! And the Gators are set to kick off a new era under Head Coach Billy Napier Saturday night as they take on Pac-12 Champions Utah in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Welcome Back to the Swamp!

• Gator Walk begins 2 hours and 20 minutes before kickoff.
• Enjoy night game fireworks as well as an enhanced team entrance with flame towers, lights and smoke on the field.
• Check out the interactive 360 video booth outside Gate 1 prior to the game.
• Reconfigured video board displays provide a fan-friendly layout.
• Gators Always, Swamp Open, & Thunderstruck videos will have a new look this season.
• Blue pom poms will dress the student section, courtesy of UF Student Government. 
• Help us honor frontline employees during Essential Workers Appreciation Night, presented by UF Health.
• Gator Great Reidel Anthony is Utah "Mr. Two Bits"
• Fly over: F15E Strike Eagles of the 391st Fighter Squadron in Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. 

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Know Before You Go

• Gates Open at 5:30 p.m.
• Fans are encouraged to follow Waze App for Directions and Road Closures.
• Don't Wait Until the Gate: For faster and more efficient gate access, fans should be ready by adding their Mobile Tickets to their digital wallet. This will greatly reduce issues entering the stadium.
• Fans are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy Gator Walk Village, Gators Fan Fest and more.
• Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

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Gates Open 90 Minutes Before Kickoff

Gates at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will open at 5:30 p.m. this weekend. For faster and more efficient gate access, fans should be ready by adding their Mobile Tickets to their digital wallet. This will greatly reduce issues entering the stadium.

Join The Pregame Fun

Tailgating, Gator Walk Village and Gators Fan Fest set the tone for the action in The Swamp.

Check out the interactive 360 video booth outside Gate 1 before heading to the north lawn to welcome the team at Gator Walk, which is set to begin approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes before kickoff. 

Once in the stadium, fans can enjoy connectivity with #GatorsWIFI, watch another game on the video scoreboards and make sure they are in place for all of the pre-game activities, including Mr. Two Bits, the mascot entrance, the Gators Marching Band and team entrance. Gators Always, Swamp Open, & Thunderstruck videos have a new look this season.

With a 7 p.m. kickoff, fans will enjoy night game fireworks as well as an enhanced team entrance with flame towers, lights and smoke on the field. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium also now features reconfigured video board displays, providing a fan-friendly layout with additional stats, out of town scores, and game day information.

Food & Concessions

The Moschellas Food Court on the West side of the stadium provides a variety of food options, including Classic Italian, Moschellas Special, Chicken Spady and Caprese Sub sandwiches. Additionally, fans can enjoy jumbo cookies, kettle corn, caramel corn and candy, as well as a variety of beers.

Concession areas are also conveniently located in the North end of the stadium near the two helixes. Fans can enjoy Dippin' Dots, BBQ, sausage and peppers, burgers, grilled chicken, hot dogs, cheese steak and loaded nachos. Beverages include, 24oz Bud Light, Lite, and the new pineapple High Noon, along with nonalcoholic beverages. 

Fans will also be able to enjoy Tijuana Flats again this season, serving tacos, loaded nachos, and chips with guacamole and salsa. 

West University Avenue, adjacent to Gator Walk Village, will feature these food trucks on Saturday:

• Frios
• Wing King Miami
• Popadop's Kitchen
• Cilantro Taco
• Monsta Lobsta
• Big Lee's BBQ
• Pop Stroke

The trucks will open at 4 p.m.

Fans can swing by the Gator Sportshop to gear up with the latest Gators swag. 

More Pre-Game Festivity Information

Mobile Tickets

To improve security, reduce the risk of ticket fraud and improve fan convenience, all tickets for Florida Gators athletic events can be accessed through a mobile device.

• Download the Florida Gators App (App Store | Google Pay).
• Don't Wait Until the Gate: For faster, more efficient gate access, log into your ticket account and add your tickets to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay account. This will greatly reduce issues entering the stadium. (Learn How)
• Screenshots of tickets will not be accepted.
• Single-game tickets are sold out, but tickets to the game are still available as part of season-ticket packages here.

Confused about mobile ticketing? So was @AlbertGator until he got a little coaching from our local expert, @SteveSpurrierUF! Watch this. #GoGators
🔗 : https://t.co/KqjQfJdTsd pic.twitter.com/VLvTNNO9Wo

— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) September 1, 2021

For ticketing assistance on game day, fans should visit the ticket office located at Gate 1 of the O'Connell Center which opens 3 hours prior to kickoff.  

Parking on Gameday

The UAA has customized the Waze Traffic App for Game Day to help fans avoid restricted on-campus streets and find the best route to their desired parking location. Select a lot from your mobile device or desktop computer, and the Waze App will provide the best-available route to the entrance of the destination.

• Eligible accounts will receive physical passes in the mail. For more information contact (352) 375-4683 ext. 5000
• Fan should be aware of road closures around campus for game day festivities, security, and construction. (Learn More)

Limited number of lots that are not reserved are available on a first-come, first-served basis. These lots fill up quickly. Parking on the grass and sidewalks is NOT permitted and any vehicles doing so are at risk of being towed.

More Parking Information

Shuttles

As public parking lots are very limited around the stadium, fans can take advantage of the available shuttles. Game ride tickets can be purchased using the PASSPORT Transit app (App Store | Google Pay) in advance, or on the day of the game using a credit card. Tickets can also be purchased at Park and Ride locations the day of game with cash only.

More Shuttle Information

Campus Access

The following restrictions go into effect three hours prior to kickoff.

• There will be no gameday traffic allowed into campus through Newell Drive and Archer Road (East of UF Health Shand Hospital)
• Museum Road from Hull Road, in addition to Radio Road from Southwest 34th Street, onto Museum Road will closed and become a shuttle lane three hours before kickoff.
• If you are trying access Gale Lemerand Drive north of Museum Road, you will need a parking pass starting four hours before the game.

Fans should also be aware that Fletcher Drive is no longer a two-way street. Turning south from University Avenue is not permitted. 

Staying Cool & Hydrated

The environment at the Swamp can provide a unique advantage on the field. But in the stands, it is important for fans to remain cool and hydrated.
Fans can bring one commercially produced (ex. Aquafina) empty plastic water bottle (max 20 oz) and fill up at the several filling stations inside the stadium.

More Hydration & Cooling Information

Restrooms 

Inside the Stadium: Please refer to the Stadium Map.

Outside the Stadium: Before entering the stadium, fans may utilize restrooms located across campus, staring at 8 a.m.

• Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex
• James G. Pressly Stadium
• Flavet Field Restroom building
• Reitz Union
• UF Law School - Starting at noon
• Stephen C. O'Connell Center - Starting at 2 p.m.

Mobile Restroom Units will also be available throughout campus, starting at 9 a.m. on game day.

• Parking Garage 109
• Parking Garage 114
• UF Library West
• UF Music Building
• North Lawn of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gator Walk Village 
• RV City at Condron Family Ballpark -- Open for RV City users starting Friday after 4 p.m.

For a map of restrooms around campus, click here.

Family Restrooms are for those fans with small children and guests with disabilities, and are located on the West side of the Stadium inside the Gate 2 corridor between sections 6 and 8, and behind section 15. Prior to kickoff and before entering the Stadium, fans may utilize the restrooms inside the main atrium of Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center.

Baby Changing Stations are located in various restrooms throughout Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

• North End Zone: Gate 8 (Women's) & Gate 7 (Men's)
• South End Zone: Gate 18 (Men's)
• East Side: Section 36 (Women's) & Section 40 (Men's)
• West Side: Gate 2 (Men's & Women's)

In-Game Experience and Traditions

The Swamp is home to one of the most unique environments in college football. Once in their seats, fans will be able to experience and take part in the traditions that make Gator Nation on of the most exciting fanbases in college football:

UF Marching Band

At Florida games, it's important to arrive early and stay in your seats at halftime, so as to not miss out on the University of Florida's Fightin' Gators Marching Band.

Honorary Two Bits

Join in one of the Swamp's most iconic moments prior to kickoff with the  Celebrity "Mr. Two Bits" cheer. 
   

I Won't Back Down

Florida Gators fans honor Gainesville, Florida, native Tom Petty in between the third and fourth quarters by singing "I Won't Back Down," one of the late artist's biggest hits. The song first played on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, against the LSU Tigers in which 90,000 fans sang along. 

More Traditions Information

Essential Workers Appreciation Night

Frontline employees, who have tirelessly worked each day to keep us safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be honored. For each ticket purchased, the UAA will donate a ticket to local individuals in essential workers roles.

Read more about this year's Football Theme Days