Florida football: 5 best seasons in program history

1996 was an absolutely unforgettable season for the Gators. After almost winning a national title the year prior and getting completely embarrassed at the hands of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Gators picked themselves up by the bootstraps and persevered to near perfection. Florida had already won three straight SEC Championships, but that wasn’t good enough anymore.

The Gators went 11-0 and didn’t lose a game in SEC play heading into their date with in-state rival Florida State. Florida had already beaten three ranked teams, including No. 2 Tennessee, before taking on the hated Seminoles in Tallahassee. Fate would have it the No. 1-ranked Gators would lose by a field goal at Doak Campbell in the Sunshine Showdown, thus ending a perfect season bid.

Crushed but determined, the Gators defeated the No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide in Atlanta to get another shot at redemption. They faced rival Florida State for the second time this season, this time for a national championship. With memories of last year’s defeat at the hands of Nebraska on their minds, as well as the loss only recently to Florida State, the Gators would not be denied.

Florida went out and blew the barn doors off Florida State, humiliating their rival 52-20 to the first national championship in school history. Wuerffel became the second Heisman Trophy winner in program history and the first to be coached by a former Heisman winner himself in the head ball coach Steve Spurrier. This was the apex of Spurrier’s unbelievable coaching career.