Experience the University of Florida football program's fascinating
20th century journey, one that has brought enjoyment to millions and
national recognition to the school.
The University of Florida, the state's oldest and largest university, is
recognized today as one of the country's most academically diverse
public institutions. Though able to trace its history to 1853, the
school did not begin its popular football program until the first few
years of the 20th century. The program has had its share of scandals and
embarrassments over time, but it has also produced two Heisman Trophy
winners, a national champion, numerous players drafted into the
professional ranks, and a visibility that consistently ranks the team in
the top five in the country. Now attracting 85,000 fans to each of its
home games, the Gators' football program has become a vital part of the
University of Florida.
When the team won the national championship in 1996, no one could have
predicted such success just 90 years earlier. Fortunately, that journey
through the last century has been captured in great photographs that
include formal portraits of teams, action shots on the field, views of
the stadium simply referred to as The Swamp by fans, and snapshots from
every decade. These images tell the story of the birth and growth of a
football team.