| Florida–Miami football rivalry | |
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| Teams | Florida Gators Miami Hurricanes |
| Game first played | October 15, 1938 |
| Series win-loss record | Miami leads 28–26 |
| National championships | Miami 5, Florida 3 |
| Most recent game | Florida, 26–3 September 6, 2008 |
| Former trophy | Seminole War Canoe |
The Florida–Miami football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Florida Gators football team of the University of Florida and the Miami Hurricanes football team of the University of Miami. The game was previously played annually from 1938 until 1987, and is now played intermittently. The winning team was formerly awarded the Seminole War Canoe Trophy.
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The Gators and Hurricanes played on an annual "home-and-away" basis until the end of the 1987 season, when the requirements of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for member schools to play eight conference games induced the University of Florida to fill out the non-conference portion of its schedule with teams that do not require a home-and-home arrangement. Since that time the Gators and Hurricanes have met on the gridiron just five times, with one future game in 2013 scheduled.[1]
Before the annual series was canceled, the rivalry used to be regarded by many as the biggest in the state of Florida. The Miami–Florida rivalry series began ten years before future powerhouse Florida State fielded its first team. Despite the explanation given at the time of cancellation, many Canes fans remain skeptical, accusing the Gators of being afraid of losing. At the time, Miami had won 7 of the last 10 match-ups and had just earned its second national championship, although the Hurricanes' only loss in their 1983 national championship season was to Florida. Current University of Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley has reiterated financial concerns as well as SEC expansion as reason for not renewing the series.[2]
Miami leads the all-time series with 28 wins to Florida's 26. Miami also leads the series since the introduction of the War Canoe Trophy with 23 wins to Florida's 20 wins. The Gators won the last game between the two schools, 26–3 on September 6, 2008.[3] Of the 54 total meetings, 25 have been decided by a touchdown or less. Both teams also have a losing record on their home field with Miami holding a 12–9 advantage at Florida Field and Florida owning a 14–13 record at the Orange Bowl.
The Seminole War Canoe Trophy was hand carved by Seminole Indians from a 200-year-old cypress tree that was struck by lightning. Donated on the behalf of Hollywood, Florida in 1950, it has been an award given to the winner of football games between the schools. The canoe is a representation of the fighting spirit of the Seminoles that was displayed during play between the Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes. The trophy stopped being passed from school to school in the early 1970s; both schools had trouble displaying the large wooden trophy. After the final game in the "home and home" series in 1987, The Seminole War Canoe Trophy was put on permanent display at the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.[4] In 2011, the UF Student Government approved a resolution, which was sent to UM student body president Christina Farmer, ESPN and the head football coaches at each school, requesting the War Canoe's return to UF since they had won the 2008 contest. In response, Brandon Mitchell, president of UM’s Category 5 spirit club, replied: “The War Canoe was intended for the yearly rivalry and … Miami won the final game of that yearly rivalry.” The Trophy remains at the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.[5]
Florida victories are colored ██ blue. Miami victories are colored ██ dark green. Ties are white.
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A 2001 Sugar Bowl
B 2004 Peach Bowl
Sources: 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide,[6] HurricaneSports.com,[7] and College Football Data Warehouse.[8]
The end of the 1971 game rankled Hurricanes fans for years to come in the series. Florida quarterback John Reaves entered the game looking to break Jim Plunkett's NCAA record for all-time passing yardage in his last regular season game. The Gators led the game throughout, and were up by the score of 45-8 when Reaves threw an interception to Miami's defense with little time left in the game and 14 yards separating Reaves from the record. After calling timeouts to prevent the Hurricanes from running out the clock, nearly the entire defense dropped down in unison and allowed Hurricanes back John Hornibrook to score. Dubbed the "Florida Flop" or "Gator Flop", the play allowed the Gators to get the ball back so Reaves could break the record. On the next drive Reaves would find Carlos Alvarez for a 15-yard gain to break the record, and after the game the entire Gators team jumped into the fountain at Miami Orange Bowl that was formerly used for the Miami Dolphins' live mascot. Hurricanes coach Fran Curci refused to shake the hand of Gators coach Doug Dickey after the game for pulling "a bush league stunt", though Dickey denied knowledge the flop was coming.[9]
Toward the end of the 1980 game, which had turned into a rout, Miami players began celebrating on the sideline. Florida fans responded by pelting them with oranges. Their behavior so incensed UM Coach Schnellenberger, then in his second year, that he called a time out to tack on a meaningless 25-yard field goal on the game's final play in a 31-7 victory. Said Schnellenberger, "I did that because I wanted the press to come and ask me why I kicked the field goal."
"How are you supposed to like somebody when they're sitting in the stands and you're on the field and they're chucking oranges at you," remarked Miami player Don Bailey. "The crowd was beyond anything that I had ever seen.[10]
Miami entered the 1983 game as a nine-point favorite over unranked Florida. But Florida stunned Miami 28-3 in Gainesville, to give the 'Canes their only loss during their 1983 national championship season.[11]
The 1984 game at Tampa Stadium was the first college football game televised live on ESPN. Trailing 20-19 after a Florida score with 41 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bernie Kosar led the Hurricanes downfield to a touchdown with six seconds left in the game. With the score 26-20, Miami kicked off to the Gators; having only a second on the clock, Florida's last pass was intercepted by Tolbert Bain and returned for another touchdown as time expired, giving Miami a 32-20 victory.[12]
Fifth-ranked Miami entered the game in the Orange Bowl as a twelve-point favorite. But the Gators played inspired football and pulled off a stunning twelve-point victory, covering Miami's spread for them. But after Florida's 35-23 win over Miami in the Orange Bowl on September 7, the 'Canes did not lose at home again until Sept. 24, 1994 (38-20 to Washington), an NCAA record winning streak of 58 games.[13]
Much of the main story line revolved around Hurricanes quarterback Brock Berlin. Berlin, who committed to play for Steve Spurrier as part of Florida's recruiting class in 2000, transferred to Miami in the spring of 2002 after Ron Zook took over as head coach. Berlin stumbled early on and threw two costly interceptions, and Florida capitalized to take a 33-10 lead by midway through the third quarter. Berlin was even booed by the Miami faithful after his poor play.[14] The Gators looked poised to win their first game against the Hurricanes since 1985. However, Berlin rebounded to complete 18 of his next 20 passes with two touchdown passes, setting up 4 Miami touchdowns in the final quarter and a half. Following the game, Berlin then performed a mocking version of the Gator Chomp to the fans, who vowed revenge.[15] The Hurricanes ended up winners by the score 38-33.
In the 2008 renewal of the rivalry, Florida entered the game as a 22-point favorite. But Florida wide receiver Louis Murphy created controversy by suggesting that the University of Florida was "the new U", sparking a firestorm from both teams and their fans. This handed the 'Canes some bulletin board material heading into the game.
Florida led only 9-3 as the fourth quarter began. With 25 seconds left on the game clock, and leading 23-3, Florida called time out to kick a fourth-down field goal to take the lead 26-3. Many Miami fans still accuse Meyer of kicking the field goal (instead of running out the clock) to allow the Gators to beat the 22 point spread. In the post-game handshake, Miami's Randy Shannon barely touched his hand to Florida coach Urban Meyer without looking at him.
Miami is set to host the Gators in 2013 at Sun Life Stadium. However, this will be the last game planned for the near future. Jeremy Foley, Florida's athletic Director, said that the decision was due to the University's need to host seven games a year to properly fund the overall Florida Gators sports program.[16]
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