Defensive end Brenton Cox Jr. after a sack during UF's loss to UCF in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl.
Charting The Gators: UF vs Those Sunshine State Others
Wednesday, September 14, 2022 | Football, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida and Miami first played a football game against one another in 1938 and maintained the annual rivalry over the next 49 years (save one break during World War II) before disbanding the series in 1988. Florida-Florida State has been a thing since 1958, with one hiccup season in 2020 due to COVID. All told, the Gators have played 121 games against the Seminoles and Hurricanes.
They've played 40 against the other state teams, but only 11 during the so-called modern era. UF quarterback Doug Johnson lit up UCF in '99
This is, of course, because those other Sunshine State football programs are relatively new, with the exception of Stetson, which had a football team from 1901 until 1954, and actually defeated Arkansas State in the 1952 Tangerine Bowl. The Hatters disbanded football in 1956 and restarted their program in 2013 after a 57-year hiatus.
In 2022, the state of Florida has 10 teams playing NCAA football, with seven playing FBS (for years known as Division I-A) and three in FCS (formerly 1-AA).
UF began playing in 1906. FSU in 1947 and Miami in 1926. Florida A&M actually started its program in 1907 and Bethune-Cookman in 1925. The rest of the state's teams are relatively new, with Central Florida, which launched in 1979 and over the next 16 seasons played in all four classifications (NAIA, D-III, D-2 and D-1 at one time), the oldest of the group. South Florida debuted in 1997, then came Florida Atlantic in 2001, followed by Florida International in 2002 and the Stetson reboot 11 years later.
Florida actually played Stetson 16 times from 1908-53 and went 15-2-2, the last meeting a 45-0 victory for the Gators on Oct. 10, 1953. UF and Florida Southern, now a Division II program without football, played 14 times from 1913-1930, with a 13-1 advantage.
But after that last game against the Hatters, it was 46 years — Sept. 11, 1999, when UCF came to the "Swamp" — before Florida played an in-state opponent not named Florida State or Miami. In the 23 years since, however, the Gators have taken on each of the four other FBS state schools, and even gave the I-AA Rattlers a buy-game payday during the Ron Zook era. Florida's record in 10 such games was unblemished until last December's loss to UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
A 12th such contest is set for Saturday night against USF at Spurrier/Florida Field.
Here's a review of the others. CHARTING THE GATORS Florida vs. those other (non-FSU or Miami) Florida teams The Gators were unbeaten in 10 games against non-power conference state schools until their loss last December against UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl at Tampa.
Backup quarterback Anthony Richardson (15) races 80 yards for a touchdown in Florida's 42-20 road win at South Florida in Week 2 of the 2021 season.
Year
Opponent
Score
The buzz
1999
Central Florida (UCF)
W 58-27
Nearly 1,000 combined yards of offense, but UF led 48-14 at halftime. Doug Johnson 4 TD passes in first 18 minutes.
2003
Florida A&M
W 63-3
RB DeShawn Wynn scored 4 TD (3 rushing). Gators starting QB was Ingle Martin (10-12, 139 yards, 1 INT).
2006
UCF
W 42-0
Chris Leak passed for 352 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT. Gators led 34-0 at halftime.
2007
Florida Atlantic
W 59-20
Owls closed to 28-20 late first half, but Tim Tebow-to-Cornelius Ingram strike of 26 yards woke Gators up.
2009
Florida International
W 62-3
Panthers' program debuted in 2002 and moved to Division I class in just its third season. In '09, FIU was coached by Mario Cristobal, now at Miami. Tebow threw for 215 yards, 2 TDs, ran seven times for 102 yards, 1 TD.
2010
South Florida (USF)
W 38-14
QB B.J. Daniels and Bulls took early 7-0 lead, but Gators QB John Brantley led the way by going 18 of 31 for 172 yards, 2 TDs in his second career start.
2011
Florida Atlantic
W 41-3
RB Chris Rainey scores TD rushing, receiver and returning a blocked punt in UF season opener and first game under Coach Will Muschamp.
2015
Florida Atlantic
W 20-14 (OT)
Treon Harris tosses 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake McGee in overtime and the UF defense stopped the Owls on downs from the 12 to stave off an upset to give Jim McElwain a 10th win, the most by a first-year UF coach in program history.
2021
Florida Atlantic
W 35-14
Backup QB Anthony Richardson comes off the bench to rush (and leap) seven times for 160 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown in season-opening win.
@USF
W 42-20
Richardson, again in reserve duty, goes 3-for-3 for 152 yards and 2 TD (one an 80-yarder) and rushes four times for 115 yards, with an 80-yard score ... and pulls his hamstring along the way.
vs UCF (Gasparilla Bowl) @Tampa
L 29-17
Down by a point midway thru third period, Knights score game's final 13 points for historic win, keyed by 155 yards and two TDs from TB Isaiah Bowser.
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