Florida Gators the Swamp 2008 Media Guide

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We want our team to realize what it means to play in “The Swamp.” Our opponents should fear the environment here, which is the toughest in college football. This place is just not like any other place in the nation. When I was at Notre Dame I recruited the state of Florida. I was driving up to Lake City to see a guy and passed by Gainesville. I thought to myself, ‘I’m going to go take a look and see why I keep losing a percentage of guys to this University.’ I was only supposed to be here for about an hour, but I was here for about two. I stood on the fifty-yard line. It was a heck of a deal. I called my wife and said “Now I understand.”
— Florida head coach Urban Meyer

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I’ll never forget “The Swamp.” You talk to the former players all the time and the atmosphere in “The Swamp” is better than anything in the pros. I’m going to miss it a lot.
— Chris Leak, former UF quarterback

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Longest Home Win Streaks in Florida History
GAMES 1. 30 2. 23 3. 20 4. 18 5. 17 17 STARTED 10/29/94 9/8/90 1/9/09 10/16/04 11/17/73 9/12/81 ENDED 10/2/99 11/27/93 10/20/17 9/30/07 10/8/77 9/8/84

Coach Meyer has started his Florida career with a 19-1 record (.950) in “The Swamp” and is 41-3 (.932) at home as a head coach.

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Construction begins on original Florida Field Construction completed on original Florida Field (capacity 21,769)…The original stadium consisted of the lower half of the current stadium Dedication of Florida Field as sellout crowd of 21,769 watches Florida vs. Alabama…The legendary Red Barber, a UF student, calls the play-by-play

April 16, 1930

October 27, 1930

November 8, 1930

Construction was completed on a two-year, Florida Field dedicated to memory of Natural grass replaces artificial turf at $50 million stadium expansion/renovation servicemen who died in World War I Florida Field that includes the addition of 2,900 luxury club seats, expanded press level, renovated Plans drawn to add 11,200 seats to west and enlarged Bull Gator Deck, enlarged stands…Expansion completed for 1950 Construction completed on new north end President’s Suite and 34 additional suites season, bringing total capacity, including zone…Capacity now stands at 83,000, that was funded by private support from making Florida Field one of the eight largest temporary bleachers, to 40,116 on-campus collegiate football stadiums in Gator Boosters and fans

October 13, 1934

Completion of south end zone, bringing Head Coach Steve Spurrier tags Ben Hill capacity to 72,000… Athletic training Griffin Stadium at Florida Field “The center, skybox tower and modern press box Swamp”…Spurrier says, “The Swamp is where Gators live. We feel comfortable there, but we also involved in this project hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous.” Football stadium named Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field during dedication ceremonies…The stadium is named in Florida completed a $5 million renovation of honor of Ben Hill Griffin Jr., a life-long Gator the Ben Hill Griffin Training Complex in the supporter and fan who had been extremely south endzone, making the facility one of the benevolent and generous to several sectors nation’s elite at the University of Florida

August, 1982

End of 1991 Season

September 9, 1989

Prior to 1998 Season

June 30, 1990

Prior to 2003 Season

December 16, 1949

September, 1991

the nation and the largest in the state of The first night game is played at Florida Field Florida…The north end zone addition costs A high-resolution video board highlights versus The Citadel $17 million, but involves no state funding the brand new Daktronics scoreboard in the north end of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. In Construction starts on east-side 10,000- Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the site of addition, a state-of-the-art sound system seat addition, bringing permanent seating to the largest football crowd (collegiate or is installed throughout the stadium…The 56,164…Also temporary bleachers moved professional) in state of Florida history project cost is $2 million. to south end zone for total capacity of (85,461 vs. FSU)… During the 1991 and 62,800 during 1966 season 1992 seasons, the stadium will be the site of Construction to the Southwest area of the the 12 largest crowds in state history stadium begins…The $28 million project will include the expansion of the strength Artificial surface installed The official dedication of the new north end and conditioning room, a new Gator Room zone is held, as Florida meets Tennessee… and renovation to the football offices… Red Barber, who called the original dedication The project will be completed prior to the game in 1930, is UF’s special guest of honor 2008 season

September 23, 1950 December, 1965

Prior to 2004 Season

November 30, 1991

February 2007

April, 1971

October 12, 1991

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There is no better place than ‘The Swamp.’ That opening on the big screen with the alligators, it’s the best ever. When the Gators run out of the tunnel, it is absolutely the moment of moments in college football.
— Lee Corso, ESPN College Football Analyst

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Florida Football Quick Facts:
Seasons: 78 (first season was 1930) Record: 281-91-13 (.747) UF vs. SEC: 129-55-7 (.694) Capacity: 88,548 Largest Crowd: 90,716 – September 17, 2005 vs. Tennessee Longest Winning Streak: 30 games (October 29, 1994 September 18, 1999) Largest Margin of Victory: 76 (82-6 vs. Central Michigan, 1997)

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field Top Attendance Games
1. 90,716 – 2. 90,714 – 3. 90,707 – 90,707 – 5. 90,703 – 6. 90,685 – 7. 90,671 – 8. 90,669 – 9. 90,664 – 10. 90,406 – Sept. 17, 2005 vs. Tennessee Oct. 7, 2006 vs. LSU Sept. 15, 2007 vs. Tennessee Sept. 3, 2005 vs. Wyoming Nov. 11, 2006 vs. South Carolina Sept. 29, 2007 vs. Auburn Sept. 30, 2006 vs. Alabama Nov. 26, 2005 vs. Florida State Nov. 24, 2007 vs. Florida State Nov. 29, 2003 vs. Florida State

2007 College Football Attendance Leaders
Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110,264 Penn State . . . . . . . . . . . . 108,917 Ohio State . . . . . . . . . . . . 105,110 Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . 103,918 Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92,746 LSU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92,619 Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92,138 FLORIDA . . . . . . . . . . . . .90,388 Southern California. . . . . 87,476 Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85,144

Florida Field Beast Seasonal Average Attendance
2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90,409 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90,388 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90,177 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88,409 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85,493 1997. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85,463 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85,432 1996 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85,404 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85,299 1994 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85,284 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85,253 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85,185 1995. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85,139

Current Consecutive Sellouts - National Rankings
1. 2. 3. 4. Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 Notre Dame. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 FLORIDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Home Records Since 1990
1. Florida State . . . . . . 89-10-1 . . . . . . . .895 2. FLORIDA . . . . . . . . .100-12-0 . . . . . ..893 3. Nebraska . . . . . . . . . 107-14 . . . . . . . . .884 4. Kansas State . . . . . 100-17-1. . . . . . . .852 5. Texas A&M . . . . . . . 92-20-1 . . . . . . . .819

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