The game of the year is upon us: FSU vs UF
Every year it’s a battle
As we all know, it’s not truly football season in Florida without the classic Thanksgiving showdown: FSU vs UF. We know anything less than a win would be a major hit to the season, so with Hate Week upon us, it’s time to break out the Gator memes and prepare ourselves for the drive back to Tallahassee on black Friday.
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The stakes
It’s a rare occasion for these teams to collide while both are ranked, so each respective team is looking to stay there by winning this week. Right in the heart of bowl season rankings, this matchup couldn’t have come at a better time. Whichever team loses will likely sputter into a much less respected spot. The winner, however, could realistically end up in one of the top bowl games.
The history
It hurts me to say that University of Florida leads the series 34-24-2 but the Seminoles have won three matchups straight. Last season FSU blew past their Floridian rival with a commanding 25-point win. My personal favorite rivalry tale has to be the 1993 thriller between the 10-1 Seminoles and the 9-1 Gators. After 27-7 FSU lead, the Gators surmounted a huge comeback. The ‘Noles were handed the ball up just 6 points with plenty of uncertainty on if they could regain their early form. Quarterback Charlie Ward stood tall in the pocket with a 79-yard touchdown pass to the then rookie Warrick Dunn. That win was just the beginning of Florida State’s glory – they went on to win the National Championship that year. While this season may not be as much of a thriller, there’s no doubt about the emotions tied to this rivalry.
The banter
No matter how important football is, there’s no reason we can’t have fun with it. The best part of rivalry week is the constant banter between fan bases. Just remember that at the end of the day, we’re college students looking for victory in two respectively troubled seasons. Beyond that, is Tim Tebow still exiled to baseball? If any of your Gator friends or family members get defensive, feel free to remind them they can always go listen to Nickelback together.