To this day, I can remember the very first Florida/Florida State game I truly watched. It was 2001, I was 9 years old and Florida was steaming ahead towards another trip to Atlanta and a possible national championship birth in Steve Spurrier's 12th season. The 4th ranked Gators cruised to a 37-13 victory in the Swamp. I don't remember many specific details of this particular game because it was a week before arguably the most gut wrenching defeat in Gators' history at the hands of underdog Tennessee. One thing that has always stuck with me from this game however was the CBS introduction that talked about the Florida-Florida State rivalry, which included the typical epic music and clips of past games in the relatively short, but storied history between both programs. Sure, it hasn't been around as long as Alabama-Auburn or Ohio State-Michigan, but in the last 30 years it is tough to find an end of the year rivalry that has had so much at stake beyond bragging rights nearly every time they play each other. This heated in state rivalry has featured six Heisman trophy winners, numerous top 10 showdowns, a plethora of quotes and controversy, and during the 1990s there were often national championship implications every time these two teams met on the gridiron. But even more interesting than the games this rivalry has produced in its 61 year history, is the story behind the making of one the most storied rivalries that college football has to offer.
Although the year was 1958 when the Gators from Gainesville and the Seminoles from Tallahassee first played each other, the history concerning both programs can be traced all the way back to 1905. The Buckman Act which was passed by the state of Florida legislature, turned Florida State College in Tallahassee from a coeducational institution into a female only college appropriately named Florida State College for Women. What made the Buckman Act so significant concerning Florida State College was it cut their football program, forcing the student athletes to find a new school. This school was located in Gainesville and was called the University of the State of Florida, (the name was shortened to the University of Florida in 1909) an all male school. In 1906, the former players and coaches from Florida State College officially formed the University of Florida football program. Following WWII, the state of Florida had to make changes to their university system to accommodate the large numbers of men returning from the war to start or continue their education. To fix this problem, the state turned Florida State College for Women into a coeducational institution called Florida State University in 1947. Being a major university in the South, it was only natural the Florida State officials formed a football team and the Seminoles, as they were known, began playing football that same year. Right away students and fans were calling for the newly formed FSU football program to play the University of Florida. Being the state of Florida's flagship University, the administration at UF was not immediately willing to play Florida State for a few reasons. Florida's in state rival at the time was Miami which was a private school and Florida officials felt that playing the Seminoles in football would legitimize their program and in turn, start receiving more state funds which were limited. Secondly, since both schools were part of the state's University system, Florida officials urged Florida State to play compete in only junior varsity sports. Florida continued to decline Florida State's offer to meet on the gridiron until the state legislature took action. In 1955 they proposed a bill that would mandate a game between the two programs. Although the bill did not receive enough votes to pass, Florida Governor Leroy Collins asked University of Florida President J. Wayne Reitz to put Florida State on their schedule. From there a contract was laid out and the Gators and Seminoles were set to play during the 1958 season. The long awaited showdown between Florida and Florida State finally kicked off on November 22nd, 1958, Nearly a decade after Florida State began playing football. The Gators saw victory, the first of six straight, versus the Seminoles that day, emerging victorious with a 21-7 win. Although the 1958 kickoff marked the beginning of Florida and Florida State's competition in intercollegiate athletics, the game already had the feeling of a rivalry because of the politics it involved between both schools to get to that point. Florida's reasoning for not wanting to play Florida State are certainly understandable. However, I think we can all agree we are glad that the rivalry game took off since that first meeting in 1958 because it has made for some great football. Florida currently leads the all time series, 34-25-2 tying twice in 1961 and 1994. Between both programs, there are a total of 6 national championships, including Florida's 1996 title where both teams played each other in the Sugar Bowl. From 1990 to 2001 both teams were ranked in the top 25 and in all of those meetings at least one of the teams were ranked in the top 10. The Sunshine State Showdown, as this game has been officially called in recent seasons may not have the history to match that of the Iron Bowl, Army-Navy, or Ohio State Michigan, but it certainly has had the passion and intensity to match any rivalry game in college football. Here's to 60 more years!
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Gainesville, FL- It was the spring before the 1965 season in Gainesville when Florida football assistant coach Dwayne Douglas approached a University of Florida scientist by the name of Doctor Robert Cade. Douglas asked Cade, who specialized in the study of kidney disease, why members of the football team were experiencing so much weight loss throughout the practices under the blistering Florida sun while at the same time urinating less. Dr Cade came to the conclusion that during practices and the heat of the game, players were draining their body fluids, an explanation for why they were barley urinating after the competing. Answering coach Douglas' question was simple enough for Cade, but it was finding a solution that did not come easy. Dr Cade created a research team made up of fellow UF researchers Dana Shires, Jim Free, and A.M. deQuesada to find a defense against the issue Florida football players were facing. What these team of researchers discovered was the sweating was draining these players of their fluids causing them to be too exhausted by the end of the games. What Cade and company needed next were "guinea pigs" so to speak. In September of 1965, just as the season was kicking off, Dr Cade approached Florida head coach Ray Graves about his research, and asked coach Graves if he could test out his hypothesis on some of his players. Due to rules during that time period, freshman played on what was called the "JV" squad since they could not compete in actual games with the upper classmen. Due to this rule Coach Graves allowed Dr Cade and his team to use 10 freshman players in his study. During scrimmages, Dr Cade began giving the freshmen players water with salt and sugar added to it to replace the salt they were losing while sweating during competition. When Dr Cade gave the salt and sugar water to the players following a practice it was not at all well received. Offensive guard Larry Gagner remarked "this stuff tastes like piss" before dumping the rest out on his face to cool off. The purpose of the drink was not to have a good taste but to hydrate the players. However, it was Dr Cade's wife who suggested adding lemon juice to give it a somewhat better flavor. The first official on the field test occurred during the 1965 season when Florida's B team scrimmaged the Freshmen team. At halftime of the scrimmage, the B team led the Freshmen 13-0, which was about as expected. "They pushed the freshmen around pretty good" Dr Cade would later recall. Before the second half began the freshmen team drank the lemon flavored salt water. The freshmen team played more energized and was not exhausted by the end of the 4th period. The freshmen ended up scoring over 5 touchdowns to handedly beat the B team. Coach Graves was so impressed by the scrimmage that he requested Dr Cade to make up enough of the formula for the Varsity team to use the following week versus 5th ranked LSU. In a game where the temperature reached over 100 degrees, the Gators came from behind to pull off the upset over the Tigers, 14-7. Although this new "secret formula" that fueled the mighty Gators was a success, it wasn't until Florida's match up against heavily favored 8th ranked Georgia Tech in the 1967 Orange Bowl that the Gatorade legend, as we know it, was born. That 1966 season was at the time among the most successful in school history. Florida finished the regular season at 8-2, garnering the identity of a "come from behind" team in most of their games, Senior quarterback Steve Spurrier had won the Heisman trophy, college football's highest achievement for an individual player, and the Gators were one win away from their first ever SEC crown had it not been for a loss to Georgia. Despite Georgia Tech being the favorites, it was the Gators who used a second half surge to beat the Yellow Jackets in convincing fashion, 27-12. Following the game Georgia Tech's legendary head coach Bobby Dodd remarked, "We didn't have Gatorade. That made the difference." Now how much of Florida's success in that game can be attributed to Gatorade, who knows? Florida's Heisman winning quarterback Steve Spurrier said after the victory, "I don't have any answer for whether Gatorade helped us be a better second half team or not." Regardless if Gatorade was truly the formula for Florida's success during the 1966 season, that Orange Bowl victory for the Gators allowed Dr Cade's invention to become more popular outside of the Florida football program. Following the Orange Bowl, Dr Cade and his team of researchers reached an agreement with Stokely-Van Camp, Inc. food packaging company, who commercially sold the product nation wide. In 1973 another agreement was reached allowing the University of Florida 20 percent of Gatorade royalties. Although the drink is now universally known and used among athletes, most everyone who drinks it knows where the legend began...The Swamp. October 4th, 1997, Lexington, KY - Saturday Kentucky (2-2) will square off against #1 Alabama (4-0) in Tuscaloosa. The two programs meet in the stadium named for the man who is the winningest coach at both schools, Bear Bryant. Kentucky is looking for their first win against the Crimson Tide since 1997, and their first ever win in Tuscaloosa. That 1997 season, the two teams met at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington. The Wildcats had not beaten the Tide in 75 years prior to this game, but that streak ended on that October night. Alabama was leading the game with just over 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter, 31-27. They lined up for a field goal to extend their lead when it was blocked and returned 68 yards for a Kentucky touchdown. The Wildcats led 34-31 before Alabama took it down field for another attempt at a field goal, this time to tie the game at 34 as time expired. In overtime, Kentucky QB Tim Couch hit Craig Yeast for a 26 yard go ahead touchdown. For the first time in 75 years and only the second time in the history of the two programs, Kentucky had beaten mighty Alabama, 40-34. Following the game, Kentucky linebacker Bob Holmberg said, ''This can't be put into words. The state of Kentucky is on a high for the first time in 15 years. This is just unbelievable. We never quit. The coaches didn't have to urge us on.'' Alabama finished that 1997 season with a 4-7 record under first year head coach Mike Dubose. It was the Crimson Tide's first losing season since 1984. Despite Alabama's poor record that year, a win over Alabama is big for any SEC program, and one Kentucky fans still remember to this day, and will continue to regardless of how this Saturday goes. College Station, TX- Texas A&M heads to Columbia this Saturday to take on South Carolina. However, this week the Aggies will have a different look than usual. Adidas has provided Texas A&M with throwback uniforms that will honor the 1956 Southwest Conference championship squad led by the legendary Bear Bryant. That team went undefeated and finished 4th in the rankings that season. The uniforms will also pay homage to Junction, Texas, the camp the Aggies practiced at under Bryant during his tenure there in the 1950s.
Not only will the uniforms be based on the 1956 team, the coaches will be dressed out in authentic threads as well, wearing polos and T-shirts based off the practice shirts the Aggies' coaches wore during that time period. Below are some photos of that 1956 team: The 13th SEC stadium in our stadium series is Sanford Stadium on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens. Sanford stadium was named after Dr. Steadman Sanford, an English professor who arrived at the university in 1903. Sanford later served on the University’s athletics commission as a faculty representative and eventually became the University of Georgia president. One of Sanford’s acts as president was to moved the football venue at Herty Field to the center of campus in 1911. Naturally, the university decided to name the new stadium after Sanford.
During the stadium’s first few seasons, Sanford Stadium was not big enough for the large crowds that came to see the Bulldogs play teams like in-state rival Georgia Tech. In fact, most game between Georgia and Georgia Tech were played at Grant Field in Atlanta, home of the Yellow Jackets. In 1927, Georgia saw their undefeated season come to an end in Atlanta with a 12-0 loss to Tech. After the loss, Sanford said that Georgia would “build a stadium bigger than Tech.” To fund a major renovation to the stadium named in his honor, Sanford had the athletic association sign notes that guaranteed bank loans to build the stadium. In return, the guarantors were granted seats to every home game. Prior to the 1928 season a $150,000 loan allowed construction to begin on Sanford Stadium. TC Atwood was the architect chosen to complete the stadium. Atwood also designed the University of North Carolina’s Kenan Stadium. Using convict labor, the new 30,000 seat Sanford Stadium was completed in time for the 1929 season. Georgia’s first ever opponent at their newly constructed venue were the Yale Bulldogs, who were also playing their first game south of the Mason-Dixon line. In that stadium dedication game, Georgia shutout Yale, 15-0. One of the most iconic and unique characteristics that were added in 1929 at Sanford Stadium, are the hedges that circle the field. The hedges idea came from Charlie Martin, a member of the University of Georgia Athletic Department. He drew his inspiration of adding the hedges from a visit to the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California. In 1940, lights were added to the stadium in time for Georgia’s first ever night game at Sanford Stadium, a 7-7 tie vs SEC foe Kentucky. The first major renovation since the stadium’s opening in 1929 came exactly 20 years later in 1949. 6,000 additional seats were added on the south stands, making the total capacity 36,000. Upon the arrival of head coach Vince Dooley in 1964, Sanford Stadium underwent more renovations to keep up with the rest of the SEC. Over 7,000 seats were added in the end zone and in 1967 nearly 20,000 new seats and a press box brought capacity to 59,000. In 1981, the east end zone was enclosed and nearly 10 seasons later the west end zone was enclosed as well. By the 1991 season, Sanford Stadium’s capacity exceeded 82,000. The final major renovation came in 2003 and 2004 when an upper deck was added to the north side of the stadium, allowing Sanford Stadium to hold over 92,000 spectators. During the 1996 Summer Olympics in nearby Atlanta, Olympic soccer matches were held inside Sanford Stadium, where the United States’ men and women’s teams won the gold medal. Notable games ‘Between the Hedges’
Believe it or not, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were once a premier team in the Southeastern Conference. Tech was one of the league's founding members when the conference formed in 1932. From 1932 to 1963, Georgia Tech compiled a 206-110-12 record including 5 SEC championships and a national championship in 1952. To put this all in perspective, from 1964 to 1982, Tech compiled an unimpressive record of 104-100-5 with 0 titles in that span.
So why leave a league they had so much success in? The story goes back to two college football legends and their personal relationship: Georgia Tech head coach Bobby Dodd and Alabama head coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant. Dodd and Bryant, who had been known to be friends off the gridiron, had a personal rivalry between themselves that started in 1961 when the Crimson Tide took on the Yellow Jackets at Legion Field in Birmingham. In a defensive battle, Alabama emerged victorious with the 10-0 win. During the game however, Alabama's Darwin Holt intentionally elbowed Tech running back Chick Granning in the face, shattering his cheek bone and knocking out several teeth. Despite a media outcry to take disciplinary action out on Holt, Bryant, at least not publicly, did not. Bryant made it clear that the media would not dictate what he should and should not do with his players. From that day forward, it appeared the mutual respect between the two icons was no longer intact. Tech won the following season, 7-6 in Atlanta but lost the next two meetings afterward, sparking rumors that the reason Bobby Dodd left the conference was to avoid the annual meeting with the Bear and Alabama. In the 1964 season, the Southeastern Conference introduced the "140 Rule." The 140 rule stated that no league school could only have 140 players on scholarship in football and basketball at one time. This meant that some players would be losing their scholarships. Dodd protested the ruling, stating he did not feel it was the player's fault for not being good enough to stay on the team. The 140 rule went to a vote by the University president's of each school. The final vote was a tie, 6 league institutions in favor and 6 against. It came down the vote of the University of Alabama president. Bryant had previously told Dodd that he would convince the president to vote against the ruling. However, when the voting was held, Bryant did not make an appearance, the University of Alabama president voted in favor of the 140 rule. This was the final straw for Dodd and Georgia Tech. Immediately following the ruling, the Georgia Tech president took the podium and announced that Georgia Tech would be officially withdrawing from the league. With visions of becoming the "Notre Dame of the South", Georgia Tech officially went independent in 1964. In 1975 there were talks that Georgia Tech would rejoin the Southeastern Conference, however both Ole Miss and Mississippi State would not allow it. According to unconfirmed sources, while Tech was in the SEC, Bobby Dodd felt that Georgia Tech was to big of a name brand to go play game against schools like Mississippi State and Ole Miss. So when talks began that the Jackets would rejoin the conference, both Mississippi schools would not support a vote to let the storied program back in. In 1983, Georgia Tech retired their independent status and joined the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Southeastern Conference is home to some of the best venues in all of football. When SEC stadiums come to mind, Vanderbilt Stadium, the home of the Commodores, may not be the first stadium people think of. Although it may only seat 40,000 plus and not have a reputation for being one of the tougher environments to play in college football, Vanderbilt Stadium is one of the more historic stadiums in the conference. Vanderbilt University dedicated their new stadium on October 14, 1922. The stadium then was named Dudley Field, after William Dudley, the Dean of Vanderbilt's Medical School from 1885 to 1914. Dudley was also instrumental in forming the Southern Collegiate Athletic Association which preceded the Southeastern Conference.
Dudley Field was the first stadium in the south that was used exclusively for football. In that first game at Dudley Field in 1922, the Commodores battled to a 0-0 tie against national powerhouse Michigan. A goal line stand late in the game by the Vanderbilt defense prevented Michigan from winning the game by a one score decision. That first season, Dudley Field seated 20,000 fans. By 1960, it housed over 34,000. In 1954, their was a lighting system installed at the stadium, and the Commodores played their first ever night game at Dudley Field in a 25-19 loss to Baylor. After $10.1 million renovation in 1981, the stadium was renamed Vanderbilt Stadium at Dudley Field. That first game in the newly named Vanderbilt Stadium was a 23-17 victory for the Commodores over heavily favored Maryland. When the Houston Oilers moved to Nashville in 1998, the Oilers played their home games at Vanderbilt Stadium while their current location, Nissan Stadium, was being constructed. Today, the Commodores' home venue is among the most historic in college football. The most recent renovations include a 17,000 square foot, 4 level press box and prior to the 2012 season, the grass playing surface at Vanderbilt Stadium was replaced with field turf and new jumboTron scoreboard was placed in the North endzone. Important dates and events at Vanderbilt Stadium since its opening in 1922: 1892 Old Dudley Field serves as home until 1922. 1922 The new stadium, Dudley Field, is dedicated on Oct. 14 vs Michigan 1949 A new press box and new seats on the west side boost the capacity to 27,901 1954 On September 25, Vanderbilt plays first night game vs Baylor 1960 Seating additions to the east side expand capacity to 34,000 1963 President John F. Kennedy speaks to audience of 33,000 1970 AstroTurf installed at a cost of $250,000 1980 Dudley Field demolished and replaced by Vanderbilt Stadium 1998 JumboTron video screen installed ... Tennessee oilers play home games at VU. 2002 Dudley Field natural grass surface renovated after upgrades in 1999. 2003 North end zone bleacher section removed. 2012 New Turf installed. 2013 Vanderbilt upsets Georgia at home. |
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