College Team Guide

Florida Gators: History, National Titles & Facts

The University of Florida has played football since 1906 and was a founding member of the Southeastern Conference in 1932. Its football and men's basketball teams have each won three national championships.

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Quick facts

First football season1906
StadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium, "The Swamp", Gainesville (opened 1930)
ConferenceSEC, founding member in 1932
Football national titles3 (1996, 2006, 2008)
Basketball national titles3 (2006, 2007, 2025)
Heisman Trophy winners3 (1966, 1996, 2007)

National championships

Florida has won three football national titles and three NCAA basketball titles. Its football team also won eight SEC titles through the 2025 season.

  • 1996 football: beat Florida State 52–20 in the Sugar Bowl under Steve Spurrier
  • 2006 football: beat Ohio State 41–14 in the BCS title game under Urban Meyer
  • 2008 football: beat Oklahoma 24–14 in the BCS title game under Urban Meyer
  • 2006 basketball: beat UCLA 73–57 under Billy Donovan
  • 2007 basketball: beat Ohio State 84–75 under Billy Donovan
  • 2025 basketball: beat Houston 65–63 in San Antonio under Todd Golden
  • SEC football titles: 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2006, 2008

Program history

  • 1906: Played its first football season.
  • 1911: Adopted the Gators nickname.
  • 1932: Became a founding member of the SEC.
  • 1966: Quarterback Steve Spurrier won Florida's first Heisman Trophy.
  • 1990: Hired Steve Spurrier as head coach; he named the stadium "The Swamp" in 1992.
  • 2006–2007: Won the football title and back-to-back basketball titles.
  • 2025: Won a third basketball title, 65–63 over Houston on April 7.

Program record holders

Passing yards (football)Chris Leak, 11,213 (2003–2006)
Passing touchdowns (football)Danny Wuerffel, 114 (1993–1996)
Rushing yards (football)Errict Rhett, 4,163 (1990–1993)

Retired numbers

  • 41Neal Walk (basketball)

College Football Hall of Famers

Dale Van Sickel, Steve Spurrier (player and coach), Jack Youngblood, Carlos Alvarez, Wes Chandler, Wilber Marshall, Lomas Brown, Emmitt Smith, Danny Wuerffel, Tim Tebow, Ray Graves (coach), Urban Meyer (coach).

Biggest rivalries

  • Georgia: every meeting from 1933 through 2025 was held in Jacksonville except 1994 and 1995, when the teams played in Gainesville and Athens.
  • Florida State: an in-state series that began in 1958; the teams met for the 1996 national title in the Sugar Bowl.
  • Tennessee: a fellow SEC founding member from 1932.

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Florida Gators FAQ

How many football national championships has Florida won?

Three: 1996, 2006 and 2008.

How many basketball national championships has Florida won?

Three: 2006, 2007 and 2025.

Who are Florida's Heisman Trophy winners?

Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996) and Tim Tebow (2007).

Why is Florida's stadium called The Swamp?

Steve Spurrier coined the nickname in 1992, early in his time as head coach. The stadium's official name is Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Does Florida retire jersey numbers?

Football does not retire numbers; it honors players in its Ring of Honor. In basketball, Neal Walk's No. 41 is the only retired number.

Sources

Facts checked September 23, 2026. Live figures above come from ESPN.