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Owners of three national titles and 8 SEC championships, Florida’s championship ways began mostly in the 1990s with the Steve Spurrier era. As such, Florida’s 5 best teams all-time are all from the 90s or later:
5. 1995 team (12-1)
In Spurrier’s sixth season as head coach of the Gators, Florida ran the table in the regular season culminating in a win over Arkansas in the SEC Championship Game. The season ended with a lopsided loss to Nebraska in the National Championship Game in which Florida lost by a score of 62-24.
Notable: The Gators were ranked No. 5 or better in the AP poll for the entire season.
Memorable win: The 35–24 win over in-state rival Florida State (ranked No. 6) at home to finish the regular season undefeated (not including SEC Championship Game).
Best player: QB Danny Wuerffel (All-American, Heisman Finalist, Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Year)
4. 2009 team (13-1)
The defending national champs entered the 2009 college football season as the favorites to win it all once again. After running the table, Florida and Urban Meyer hit the upcoming dynasty of Alabama led by Nick Saban and lost the SEC Championship Game 32-13. The loss signaled the end of Florida’s three year run as the most dominant team in college football and passed the torch west to Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide squad.
Notable: Florida began the year pre-season No. 1 and entered the SEC Championship Game with the same ranking.
Memorable win: The 51-24 dominating performance in the Sugar Bowl against No. 4 Cincinnati was the perfect send-off game for Florida legend Tim Tebow. He threw for a BCS record 482 passing yards and set another BCS record with 533 total yards in the game.
Best player: This team was loaded, but Tim Tebow is one of the best college football players ever, so he tops the list. He threw for 2,895 yards and rushed for 910. He accounted for 35 touchdowns.
3. 2006 team (13-1)
In Urban Meyer’s second year, Florida took the nation by storm and started the SEC’s national championship win streak with a dominating win over heavy favorite Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game. QB Chris Leak led the team with occasional sparks from budding star Tim Tebow.
Notable: Percy Harvin won the MVP of the SEC Championship Game. He also won other awards for the season including SEC Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-SEC Team.
Memorable win: The win over Arkansas in the SEC Championship was arguably more exciting, but nothing is more memorable than the humiliation that Florida served Ohio State and Heisman Winner Troy Smith in the BCS Championship Game.
Best player: Reggie Nelson (All SEC First Team, AP All-America First Team) was drafted in the 1st round in the NFL Draft following the season.
2. 1996 team (12-1)
Spurrier’s national championship team returned much of the talent that came close to a national championship the year before. The season was nearly derailed when the Gators lost to No. 2 Florida State at the end of the regular season, but the Gators got a re-match opportunity in the Sugar Bowl and exacted revenge on the Seminoles in a 52-20 win.
Notable: Both WR Ike Hilliard and WR Reidel Anthony were selected in the first 16 picks of the NFL Draft following the 1996 season.
Memorable win: The re-match win over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl where Florida crushed the Seminoles 52-20 to win the national championship.
Best player: QB Danny Wuerffel (Heisman Winner, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award)
1. 2008 team (13-1)
The peak of the Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer era came with the 2008 team that was utterly loaded with talent such as Tebow, Percy Harvin, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Joe Haden, Mike Pouncey and more. Meyer’s squad won the championship by beating No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and then No. 2 Oklahoma in the BCS Championship.
Notable: Florida beat Alabama in the SECCG without star WR Percy Harvin.
Memorable win: In the BCS Championship Game win, the Florid defense held Oklahoma (a team led by QB Sam Bradford that set NCAA offensive records in 2008) to just 14 points.
Best player: QB Tim Tebow (Heisman Finalist, Maxwell Award, First Team All-America, SEC Offensive POY)
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
