2006 Among the Best

2006 for the Florida Gator football team is far from over, with the BCS title game looming against formidable Ohio State. And while, regardless of the outcome, 2006 will have been “The Year of the Gator”, with a national title in basketball and the opportunity to play for one in football, I couldn’t help but think where this season might rate among Florida football’s finest.

First, here is my personal list of the greatest years of Florida football so far, in order.

1. 1996 – an obvious choice. 12-1 record, SEC, AP and Coaches’ Poll Champions. Only loss to rival FSU avenged in spectacular fashion.

2. 1995 – the only other 12 win season and SEC champs, though it ended badly to Nebraska. The only UF undefeated regular season ever.

3. 1993 – 11-2 record, and SEC Champs, with a throttling of West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl.

4. 1991 – 10-2 record and SEC Champs, but marred by losses to Syracuse and Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.

5. 1994 – 10-2-1 record. Gators were the SEC champs, but tied, then lost to FSU in Sugar Bowl.

6. 2000 – 10-3, and Spurrier’s final SEC Championship. Losses to unranked Mississippi State, rival FSU, and bowl loss to Miami leave a bit of a bitter taste.

7. 1984 – 9-1-1. The “first” SEC title, although it was taken away. Lost to Miami first game, tied LSU in second, then ran the table, including wins over Georgia and FSU.

8. 1985 – 9-1-1. UF finishes first in SEC, but is ineligible for title. Year blemished by tie to Rutgers, and loss to Georgia, right after UF receives its first ever number 1 AP ranking.

9. 1990 – 9-2. Yet another SEC title won, but Florida deemed ineligible again. Bad losses to Tennessee and FSU mark an otherwise great year.


I’m saving number 10 to fill out the list by adding 2006.

But where?

I would suggest the following, based on outcome (overall ranking listed first) –

3. Florida loses to OSU disastrously (a la Nebraska). Ends year 12-2, ranked worse than 3rd. I would place the year here because the 1995 season was undefeated.

2. Florida loses close game to OSU. Ends year 12-2, ranked better than 3rd. If we have a close loss, and avoid the embarrassment of the Nebraska debacle, I would believe this to be the Gator’s 2nd finest year.

1 (TIE) – It will be hard to beat what happened in 1996. But if Florida wins against an Ohio State team that has been ranked number 1 all season, and ends 13-1, I think the year is at least as good as the 12-1 campaign of 1996. Although beating the ‘Noles for the title was priceless, a 13 win season would be unprecedented in UF history.

So there. From modest preseason expectations (at least on this Gator’s part), we find ourselves among one of the 3 best seasons ever in Gator history, and perhaps the very best.

No matter what happens January 8th, 2006 has truly been a Gator year to savor.