Auburn–Florida Football Rivalry
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The Auburn–Florida football rivalry is an American
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
rivalry A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant ...
between the
Auburn Tigers football The Auburn Tigers football program represents Auburn University in the sport of American college football. Auburn competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Confe ...
team of
Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 26,800 undergraduate students, over 6,100 post-graduate students, and a tota ...
and
Florida Gators football The Florida Gators football program represents the University of Florida (UF) in American football, American college football. Florida competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the ...
team of the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...
which was first played in 1912. The schools have been members of the same athletic conference for over a century and were founding members of the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
(SEC) when it was established in 1933. The contest was an annual tradition from 1945 until 2002, when the SEC expanded and the rivalry became part of a rotation of other conference games. The two teams wouldn’t play again until a pair of games in 2006 and 2007; since then, the teams have met only twice. The rivalry has been closely contested, both as a series and in individual games, with thirty-three of the contests decided by a touchdown or less, including two ties. And though both the Gators and Tigers have each enjoyed occasional win streaks over the years, the overall tally is close, with Auburn holding a 43–39–2 edge as of the most recent meeting in 2019. It has also seen many upsets, particularly by Auburn. Lower ranked Tiger squads have beaten top-10 Gator teams on seven occasions over the course of the rivalry, including twice when Florida was ranked #1.


Series history

While the early part of the series saw Auburn and Florida trade 6-game and 5-game winning streaks respectively, the rivalry has evolved into one of the mostly evenly matched and hardest fought in the Southeastern Conference. The games have often had SEC title and national championship implications. As described by ''Gainesville Sun'' sports columnist Pat Dooley following the 2007 game, "Florida-Auburn delivered another game that made one side ecstatic and one side heartbroken. That's what it does." The first game in the series was played between coach
Mike Donahue Michael Joseph "Iron Mike" Donahue (June 14, 1876 – December 11, 1960) was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, baseball, tennis, track, soccer, and golf, and a college athletics administrator. He served as the head foot ...
's Tigers and coach George E. Pyle's Gators in 1912, on the
Auburn, Alabama Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama. The population was 76,143 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Auburn metropolitan area, Alabama, Aubu ...
campus of what was then called
Alabama Polytechnic Institute Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 26,800 undergraduate students, over 6,100 post-graduate students, and a total enrollment of more than 34,000 students ...
.
2011 Auburn Tigers Football Media Guide
'', Auburn Athletics Department, Auburn, Alabama, pp. 178–189, 191 (2011). Retrieved August 16, 2011.
The Auburn Tigers won the first six games played by the two teams from 1912 to 1917, dominating the Florida Gators by two or more touchdowns in five of the six games. When the series resumed in 1927, the Florida Gators were experiencing revived success under coaches
Harold Sebring Harold Leon Sebring (March 9, 1898 – July 26, 1968), nicknamed Tom Sebring, was a Florida Supreme Court justice, and an American judge at one of the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials of German war criminals after World War II. Sebring was a native o ...
and
Charlie Bachman Charles William Bachman Jr. (December 1, 1892 – December 14, 1985) was an American college football player and coach. Bachman was an Illinois native and an alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, where he played football. He served as the head ...
, and it was the Gators' turn for a streak, winning seven of the next eight.
2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide
'', University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 116–125 (2011). Retrieved August 16, 2011.
Beginning in 1935, the fortunes of the Gators and Tigers reversed again, with the Tigers compiling a 7–2–1 record in the next ten games played through 1947. The Auburn–Florida game has not always been played on the universities' respective campuses in
Auburn, Alabama Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama. The population was 76,143 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Auburn metropolitan area, Alabama, Aubu ...
and
Gainesville, Florida Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States, and the most populous city in North Central Florida, with a population of 145,212 in 2022. It is the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area, Florida, Gainesv ...
. In the early years of the series, six games were played in Fairfield Stadium in
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
, five matches at the
Cramton Bowl Cramton Bowl is a 21,000-seat stadium located in Montgomery, Alabama. Cramton Bowl opened in 1922 as a Baseball park, baseball stadium and has been home to Major League Baseball spring training and to minor league baseball. Today, however, its pr ...
in
Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...
, and one each in
Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
;
Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee ...
;
Tampa, Florida Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
; and
Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. After a successful vote to annex areas west of the city limits in July 2023, Mobil ...
. Starting in 1950, every regular game has been played at either
Jordan–Hare Stadium Pat Dye Field at Jordan–Hare Stadium (properly pronounced as ) is an American football stadium in Auburn, Alabama on the campus of Auburn University. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Auburn Tigers football, Auburn Tigers football ...
(previously known as Auburn Stadium and Cliff Hare Stadium) in Auburn, or
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (in full Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium),2000 SEC Championship Game The 2000 SEC Championship Game was won by the Florida Gators 28–6 over the Auburn Tigers. The game was played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on December 2, 2000 and was televised to a national audience on ABC. References External linksRecap ...
held at the
Georgia Dome The Georgia Dome was a Stadium#Types, domed stadium in the Southeastern United States. Located in Atlanta between downtown Atlanta, downtown to the east and Vine City to the west, it was owned and operated by the State of Georgia as part of th ...
in
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
with Florida following up their regular season victory with a second one to claim the conference championship.Paul Newberry,
Dominant Florida rips Auburn on way to Sugar
" ''The Post and Courier'', pp. 1-C & 6-C (December 3, 2000). Retrieved August 18, 2011.
With the construction of Auburn Stadium in 1939, the Tigers started a remarkable 32-year streak on the Tigers' home field during which they would tie the Gators once and defeat them twelve consecutive times. The Gators broke the Tigers' home-field winning streak in a hard-fought upset in 1973. From 1945 to 2002, the Florida Gators and Auburn Tigers played 58 consecutive annual games;College Football Data Warehouse
Auburn vs. Florida
. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
The Gators and Tigers have played 82 games in the past 99 years, and the current all-time series record is forty-two victories for the Tigers, thirty-eight for the Gators, and two ties. The Tigers hold a 21–7–1 edge in games played in their current stadium; the Gators have a 22–9 advantage in games played on their present field.


Game results


Notable games

Most great rivalries are marked by frequent close games, unexpected upsets, and memorable moments; the evenly matched Auburn–Florida rivalry has provided many. Thirty-three of the eighty-two games in the series have been decided by seven points or fewer. Among SEC rivalries, the Auburn–Florida series (43–39–2) is the third-most evenly matched after the Georgia-Auburn series (64–56–8) and the Florida–Tennessee series (32–21). Auburn has won two national football championships, and seven SEC championships; Florida has won three national championships, and eight SEC championships. In terms of all-time winning percentage, less than half a percentage point separates the Tigers (.634) and the Gators (.631). Several of the most notable games in the 99-year history of the rivalry are described below.


1939: Auburn's new stadium

In the first varsity football game played at the Tigers' new Auburn Stadium, coach
Josh Cody Joshua Crittenden Cody (June 11, 1892 – June 17, 1961) was an American college athlete, head coach, and athletics director. "Josh" Cody was a native of Tennessee and an alumnus of Vanderbilt University, where he earned 13 letters playing sev ...
's 1939 Gators and coach
Jack Meagher John Francis Meagher (July 5, 1894 – December 7, 1968) was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, and baseball, and college athletics administrator. Meagher played football for the University of Notre Dame in 1916, rising ...
's Tigers played to a 7–7 tie.Associated Press,
Gators End Season By Holding Favored Auburn To A 7–7 Tie
" ''The Palm Beach Post'', p. 17 (December 1, 1939). Retrieved August 17, 2011.
In the second quarter, Florida fullback Charlie Tate scored the only touchdown of the day for the Gators, then kicked the extra point; Tigers back Dick McGowen threw a touchdown pass to end Babe McGehee to tie the game in the fourth quarter. The meeting ended in controversy when an official miscommunicated the amount of time remaining in the game to Auburn quarterback Lloyd Cheatham, who was under the impression the Tigers had two minutes (rather than two seconds) left to score; at the time, Auburn had the ball on Florida's two-yard line. After the 1939 dedication of Auburn Stadium, the Gators would not win (or tie) a game on the Auburn campus for another thirty-four years.Jack Hairston, "A red-letter day, UF 12, Auburn 8," ''The Gainesville Sun'' (November 1, 1973).


1957: First meeting of ranked teams

When coach
Bob Woodruff Robert Warren Woodruff (born August 18, 1961) is an American television journalist. Since 1996, he has served as a reporter for ABC News (United States), ABC News. Woodruff co-anchored ''ABC World News Tonight'' in 2006 with journalist Elizabeth ...
's nineteenth-ranked 1957 Florida Gators and coach Shug Jordan's
Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) a ...
met in Cliff Hare Stadium in Auburn, it was the first game between the rivals in which both teams were ranked in the top twenty of the AP Poll. Woodruff's Gators featured their usual strong defense, but the Tigers defense was even better and held the Gators scoreless in their 13–0 victory. At the end of the season, the Gators finished in the top twenty of the final AP Poll for only the second time in their history, as the Tigers earned the 1957 AP Poll national championship.


1958: Baseball score?

Coach Bob Woodruff's Gators and coach Shug Jordan's Tigers played nine games against each other between 1951 and 1959, only three of which were decided by more than ten points. However, none was closer than the game between the unranked 1958 Florida Gators and the defending national champions and fourth-ranked
Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) a ...
, a game in which neither team scored more than six points. Late in the fourth quarter, with the Tigers leading 6–3 on the strength of a single touchdown and a missed extra point, the stingy Gators defense pinned the Tigers offense behind their own three-yard-line.Tom McEwen, ''The Gators: A Story of Florida Football'', The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). Rather than risk a turnover, Jordan ordered Tigers quarterback Johnny Kern to kneel in their own end zone, intentionally scoring a
safety Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...
for the Gators, but earning a free punt for the Tigers. The Tigers kicked it away, and their defense held on to win 6–5.Norris Anderson,
Auburn Holds Desperately, Turns Back Florida 6 To 5
" ''The Miami News'', pp. 1C & 5C (November 2, 1958). Retrieved August 17, 2011.


1962: Florida upsets No. 10 Auburn

Auburn came to Gainesville ranked #10 in the AP Poll and 5–0 on the season to face the struggling Gators, who entered the contest at 3–3. However, the Tigers ran into an ambush as the underdog Gators intercepted two passes, and recovered three fumbles en route to a 22–3 win.


1966: Heisman Trophy field goal

Coach
Ray Graves Samuel Ray Graves (December 31, 1918 – April 10, 2015) was an American professional football player and college football coach. He was a native of Tennessee and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he was the starting center and ...
' 1966 Florida Gators and coach Shug Jordan's Auburn Tigers repeatedly traded the lead as they battled back and forth all day.Joe Halberstein, "Gators beat Auburn, 30–27: Spurrier uses his toe to get No. 7," ''The Gainesville Sun'' (October 30, 1966). In the fourth quarter with the game tied at 27, Gators quarterback
Steve Spurrier Stephen Orr Spurrier (born April 20, 1945) is an American former football player and coach. He played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL) before coaching for 38 years, primarily in college. He is often referred to by his nicknam ...
was engineering a late drive for the win, but was stopped at Auburn's 39-yard-line following an intentional grounding penalty. The distance was outside the usual range of the Gators regular placekicker, but Spurrier had kicked 40-yard field goals in practice. With 2:12 left in the game, he kicked the 40-yard field goal to give the Gators a 30–27 lead, and the Gators defense held on to win.Associated Press,
Gators Finally Nip Tigers
" ''The Tuscaloosa News'', p. 11 (October 30, 1966). Retrieved August 16, 2011.
He completed twenty-seven passes on forty attempts for 259 yards, one touchdown pass and no interceptions, and also rushed for a touchdown. Another Gators standout, tailback Larry Smith, finished the day with 102 rushing yards and a touchdown on twenty-two carries, including a 53-yard run. At the conclusion of the 1966 season, Spurrier was awarded the
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
.


1973: Breaking the Auburn jinx

Led by first-time starting quarterback Don Gaffney, the 1973 Gators finally broke the Tigers; home-field winning streak after thirty-four years.Steve Martin,
Gators forget Auburn jinx
" ''The Gadsden Times'', pp. 35 & 36 (November 4, 1973). Retrieved August 16, 2011.
Gators linebacker Ralph Ortega tackled Tigers tailback Chris Linderman inside the Gators' five yard-line and forced a fumble shortly before halftime. Gators linebacker Sammy Green forced a critical fumble by Auburn Tigers tailback Sullivan Walker, which led to a touchdown and the Gators' margin of victory in a 12–8 upset of the Tigers at home to give the Gators their first-ever win at Jordan–Hare Stadium. Auburn scored its only points in the final play of the game. After the game, Gators players carried head coach
Doug Dickey Douglas Adair Dickey (born June 24, 1932) is an American former college football player and coach and college athletics administrator. Dickey is a South Dakota native who was raised in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida, where ...
from the field, and Gators athletic director
Ray Graves Samuel Ray Graves (December 31, 1918 – April 10, 2015) was an American professional football player and college football coach. He was a native of Tennessee and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he was the starting center and ...
described the victory as "one of the greatest moments in University of Florida football history."


1976: 'Attack' of the War Eagle

Coach Doug Dickey's 1976 Gators and coach
Doug Barfield Doug Barfield (born March 14, 1936) is a former American football player and coach. Barfield was the head football coach at Auburn University from 1976 to 1980 where he compiled an on-field record of 27–27–1 during his five-year tenure. Aubu ...
's Tigers played a strong defensive game, with the Gators' winning margin coming on two pass plays—with some help from Auburn's mascot. The decisive score came late in the game when Gators quarterback Jimmy Fisher tossed a short pass to wide receiver
Wes Chandler Wesley Sandy Chandler (born August 22, 1956) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was selected to t ...
, who caught it, reversed direction twice, and weaved his way through the entire Auburn defense for a 64-yard touchdown reception and run.Jack Hairston, "Gators' big-play offense kills Tigers," ''The Gainesville Sun'' (October 31, 1976). After Chandler ran out of the end zone, Auburn's War Eagle, Tiger, jumped off its perch to avoid a collision, her talons grazing Chandler's shoulder pads, an encounter Chandler later described as an attack. For decades, a coincidental 15-yard penalty assessed on the ensuing kickoff against Auburn for a late hit on Chandler has been mistakenly reported as an infraction stemming from interference by a mascot. Florida won 24–19.


1982: Gainey wins for Gators

Auburn led 17–13 with 2:51 remaining in the game. Jim Gainey's field goal cut it to one, and after an onside kick, Gainey added another for the win.


1985: Bo knows defense

Coach
Galen Hall Galen Samuel Hall (born August 14, 1940) is a retired American college and professional football coach and player. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and an alumnus of Penn State University, where he played college football. Hall was previously the ...
's second-ranked 1985 Florida Gators were on NCAA probation when they met coach
Pat Dye Patrick Fain Dye (November 6, 1939 – June 1, 2020) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at East Carolina University (1974–1979), the University of Wyoming (1980), ...
's sixth-ranked
Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) a ...
at Jordan−Hare Stadium. Tigers tailback
Bo Jackson Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson (born November 30, 1962) is an American former professional baseball and American football, football player. He is the only professional athlete in history to be named an All-star#Sports, All-Star in Major professio ...
started the game as the leading contender to win the Heisman Trophy. But Jackson's Heisman hopes took a serious blow when he ran into a ferocious Gators defense that held him to just forty-seven yards rushing, and the Gators stuffed the Tigers 14–10 in yet another defensive struggle. On the strength of the win over the Tigers, the Gators vaulted into the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll for the first time in school history. Notwithstanding the Tigers' loss to the Gators, Jackson won the Heisman at the conclusion of the 1985 season.


1986: Bell leads fourth-quarter comeback

For most of the game, coach Pat Dye's fifth-ranked 1986 Auburn Tigers dominated coach Galen Hall's unranked
Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni an ...
at Florida Field.Paul Jenkins,
Ask not for whom the Bell tolls: Florida 18, Auburn 17
" ''The Gainesville Sun'', pp. 1F & 10F (November 2, 1986). Retrieved August 18, 2011.
The Tigers defense was stifling, and forced Gators substitute quarterback Rodney Brewer to commit four turnovers in the first two quarters. Hall replaced Brewer with starting quarterback
Kerwin Bell Kerwin Douglas Bell (born June 15, 1965) is an American football coach and former player who has been the head coach of the Western Carolina Catamounts football team since 2021. He played professionally as a quarterback for 14 seasons in the Can ...
, who had missed two games with a knee injury. Tigers tailback
Brent Fullwood Brent Leanrd Fullwood (born October 10, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round (fourth overall pick) of ...
gained 166 yards on the ground, including a second-quarter touchdown, to give Auburn a 17–0 lead early in the fourth quarter. Bell then led the Gators on two scoring drives, with Gators placekicker Robert McGinty—a transfer from Auburn—booting a 51-yard field goal to close the Tigers' advantage to 17–10 with 7:10 to play. After Webbie Burnett recovered a fumble at the Florida 34 with 1:41 remaining in the game, Bell directed one final drive that was capped by a five-yard touchdown pass with 0:36 remaining to wide receiver Ricky Nattiel, who was playing with a separated shoulder. The limping Bell then surprised the Tigers defense by running in the two-point conversion and completing the comeback, with the Gators winning 18–17.


1990: Spurrier's offense makes a statement

Coach Pat Dye's 1990 Auburn Tigers were the defending three-time SEC champions, had built an undefeated 6–0–1 record, and were ranked fourth in the nation in the AP Poll.Associated Press,
College Football: South; Auburn Routed for First Loss
" ''The New York Times'' (November 4, 1990). Retrieved August 16, 2011.
Notwithstanding the fact that first-year coach
Steve Spurrier Stephen Orr Spurrier (born April 20, 1945) is an American former football player and coach. He played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL) before coaching for 38 years, primarily in college. He is often referred to by his nicknam ...
's fifteenth-ranked
Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni an ...
were three-point favorites, Dye had been publicly dismissive of Spurrier's pass-oriented offense before the game. The Gators and Tigers were tied 7–7 after the first quarter, but Spurrier's Gators exploded for twenty-seven points in the second quarter, resulting in a 34–7 halftime lead and a 48–7 victory for the Gators, which was the Gators' biggest margin of victory in the series, and the worst loss of Dye's career.


1993: Auburn upsets No. 4 Florida

On a cold, drizzling, dreary day in Auburn, coach Steve Spurrier's fourth-ranked 1993 Gators amassed 560 yards of total offense, including 386 yards passing by quarterback
Danny Wuerffel Daniel Carl Wuerffel (born May 27, 1974) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played college football for the Florida Gators football, Florida Gators and professional football in the National Football League (NFL). ...
and 196 yards rushing by tailback
Errict Rhett Errict Undra Rhett (born December 11, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s. Rhett played college football for the ...
.Associated Press,
Auburn's Defense Stops Florida When It Counts
" ''The New York Times'' (October 17, 1993). Retrieved August 17, 2011.
But the Gators' offensive fireworks were not enough for the win, as Auburn's defense sacked Wuerffel four times and made two key interceptions. The two teams were tied at 35 with 1:21 left in the game, when Tigers placekicker Scott Etheridge booted a 41-yard field to beat the Gators, 38–35.


1994: Auburn upsets No. 1 Florida

Coach
Terry Bowden Terry Wilson Bowden (; born February 24, 1956) is an American college football coach. He was most recently the head football coach at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, a position he held until the conclusion of the 2023 season. Bowden was th ...
's sixth-ranked 1994 Auburn Tigers entered the Swamp as 17-point underdogs to coach Steve Spurrier's top-ranked
Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni an ...
, but, just like the year before, the Tigers offense kept pace with the Gators as its defense forced key turnovers by the Gators.Rick Warner,
Undefeated Auburn swamps No. 1 Florida, 36–33
" ''The Sunday Gazette'', pp. 1E & 6E (October 16, 1994). Retrieved August 17, 2011.
The Gators' starting quarterback, Terry Dean, threw four interceptions in the first half, and was replaced by Danny Wuerffel, who threw three touchdown passes but was intercepted by Tigers defensive back Brian Robinson with 1:20 left. Tigers quarterback Patrick Nix engineered a quick drive, and threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Frank Sanders, winning the game for Auburn, 36–33.


2001: Auburn upsets No. 1 Florida again

Coach
Tommy Tuberville Thomas Hawley Tuberville (; born September 18, 1954) is an American politician and retired college football coach who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from Alabama, a seat he has held since 2021. Before ...
's unranked 2001 Auburn Tigers were 21-point underdogs when they met coach Steve Spurrier's No. 1
Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni an ...
at Jordan–Hare Stadium.Associated Press,
Auburn stuns No. 1 Florida
" ''The Toledo Blade'', p. C4 (October 14, 2001). Retrieved August 19, 2011.
Gators quarterback
Rex Grossman Rex Daniel Grossman III (born August 23, 1980) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, most notably with the Chicago Bears. Grossman played college football for ...
completed twenty-five of forty-two passes for 364 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw four interceptions.Associated Press,
Auburn stuns top-ranked Florida
" ''The Register-Guard'', p. 8G (October 14, 2001). Retrieved August 19, 2011.
The Gators dominated statistically, but the Tigers' bend-but-don't-break defense held the Gators rushing game to negative yardage. Tigers back-up quarterback Daniel Cobb was not so flashy, but played mistake-free football, and the game was tied at 20 late in the fourth quarter. With 10 seconds left, Tigers placekicker
Damon Duval Damon Duval (born April 3, 1980) is an American former professional football placekicker and punter. Duval played college football for Auburn University, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. He played professionally for the Jacksonvi ...
nailed a 44-yard field goal and the Tigers upset the top-ranked Gators 23–20.


2002: Not in our house

First-year coach
Ron Zook Ronald Andrew Zook (; born April 28, 1954) is an American football coach who is a special teams quality control coach at the University of Maryland. He was the head football coach at the University of Florida from 2002 to 2004 and the Universit ...
led his unranked
Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni an ...
against coach Tommy Tuberville's
Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) a ...
in Gainesville. Rex Grossman quarterbacked the Gators to a pair of early scores, and Florida led 23–7.Brandon Zimmerman,
Brown picks up run game
" ''The Gainesville Sun'', p. 9C (October 20, 2002). Retrieved August 19, 2011.
The Tigers' starting tailback,
Carnell Williams Carnell Lamar "Cadillac" Williams (born April 21, 1982) is an American professional football coach and former running back who most recently served as the running backs coach for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He ...
, left the game with a broken leg, but backup
Ronnie Brown Ronnie G. Brown Jr. (born December 12, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). After graduating from Cartersville High School in Georgia, Brown attended Auburn Uni ...
amassed 162 yards and three touchdowns, as the Tigers came roaring back to tie the score at 23 in the fourth quarter. With one final chance to win the game in regulation, Tigers placekicker Damon Duval lined up for the game-winning kick as he had in 2001, but Gators defensive end
Bobby McCray Bobby L. McCray Jr. (born August 8, 1981) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a defensive end for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators ...
blocked the kick as time expired.Pat Dooely,
UF snaps 2-game losing streak in dramatic fashion
" ''The Gainesville Sun'', p. 1A (October 20, 2002). Retrieved August 19, 2011.
In overtime, Grossman threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to receiver Taylor Jacobs, the Gators defense held the Tigers on downs, and Florida won 30–23.


2007: Auburn upsets No. 4 Florida again

Coach
Urban Meyer Urban Frank Meyer III (born July 10, 1964) is an American Sports commentator, sportscaster and former college football coach. He spent most of his coaching career at the collegiate level, having served as the head coach of the Bowling Green F ...
's fourth-ranked 2007 Florida Gators played host to coach Tommy Tuberville's unranked
Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) a ...
. Tigers quarterback Brandon Cox led the Tigers to an early 17–3 lead, but Gators quarterback (and eventual
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
winner)
Tim Tebow Timothy Richard Tebow (; born August 14, 1987) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. Tebow played college football for t ...
and all-purpose back and receiver
Percy Harvin William Percival Harvin III (born May 28, 1988) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, who won the BCS National Champ ...
led a comeback to tie it at 17. The Tigers had one chance to win in regulation, as kicker Wes Byrum attempted a potentially game winning 45-yard field goal with four seconds left and nailed it.Gary Parrish,
Freshman Byrum kicks Gators where it hurts − twice
" CBSSports.com (September 30, 2007). Retrieved August 16, 2011.
But Meyer had called a timeout at the last possible moment to ice the kicker before the snap had taken place. So, after the timeout, Byrum had to try it again.Mark Long,
Kicking themselves: Gators lose on last-second field goal to Auburn
" ''Ocala Star-Banner'', p. 1C (September 30, 2007). Retrieved August 18, 2011.
After successfully making the field goal again as time expired to upset Florida 20–17, he taunted the Florida head coach and crowd with a few mock Gator chomps.


See also

*
List of NCAA college football rivalry games This is a list of List of sports rivalries, rivalry games in college football. The list also shows any trophy awarded to the winner of the rivalry between the teams. NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision ...


References


Bibliography

* ''2009 Southern Conference Football Media Guide''
Year-by-Year Standings
Southern Conference, Spartanburg, South Carolina, pp. 74–77(2009). * ''2010 Southeastern Conference Football Media Guide'', Southeastern Conference, Birmingham, Alabama, p. 60 (2010). *
2011 Auburn Tigers Football Media Guide
'', Auburn University Athletic Department, Auburn, Alabama, pp. 178–189, 191 (2011). *
2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide
', University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 116–125 (2011). * Carlson, Norm, ''University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators'', Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). . * Golenbock, Peter, ''Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory'', Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). . * Hairston, Jack, ''Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told'', Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). . * Housel, David, ''Auburn University Football Vault: The Story of the Auburn Tigers, 1892–2007'', Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). . * McCarthy, Kevin M.,
Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football
', Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). . * McEwen, Tom, ''The Gators: A Story of Florida Football'', The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). . * Nash, Noel, ed., ''The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football'', Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). . * Proctor, Samuel, & Wright Langley, ''Gator History: A Pictorial History of the University of Florida'', South Star Publishing Company, Gainesville, Florida (1986). . * Saylor, Roger,
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). {{DEFAULTSORT:Auburn-Florida football rivalry College football rivalries in the United States Auburn Tigers football Florida Gators football