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Florida Gators: A history of champions

By Jordan Ellis

MIAMI - JANUARY 08: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Florida Gators celebrates with the National Championship trophy after therir 24-14 win against the Oklahoma Sooners during the FedEx BCS National Championship game at Dolphin Stadium on January 8, 2009 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
MIAMI - JANUARY 08: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Florida Gators celebrates with the National Championship trophy after therir 24-14 win against the Oklahoma Sooners during the FedEx BCS National Championship game at Dolphin Stadium on January 8, 2009 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images) /
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With the Gators big win in the College World Series last month, Florida became the first SEC school to win National Championships in football, men’s basketball and baseball.

Proudly putting themselves out there as the “Everything School”, UF joins only UCLA, Michigan and Ohio State to win national titles in all three sports.

Football Championships

Florida got their first taste of a national championship win in 1996. The Gators football team faced off against their number one rival, Florida State in the Nokia Sugar Bowl. Led by Florida’s beloved Head Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier, and fellow Heisman Trophy Winner, QB Danny Wuerffel, the Gators beat the Seminoles 52-20 to clinch the school’s first title.

In 2006, The Gators again showed dominance on the football field. Behind head coach Urban Meyer, the Gators went 13-1, won the SEC after beating the Arkansas Razorbacks, and won the BCS National Championship, beating Ohio State 41-14. QB Chris Leak finished his senior season and passed the torch to UF’s well-known and loved, Tim Tebow.

Tebow’s era began in 2007 and reached its apex in 2008. Again, behind Urban Meyer, the Florida Gators went 13-1 in the 2008 season and took down Alabama 31-20 in the SEC Championship game. They finished off the season with an epic 24-14 win over the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2008 BCS National Championship. In the championship game alone, breakout star QB, Tim Tebow threw for 231 yards and clocked 109 rushing yards on 22 carries.

ATLANTA – APRIL 02: Joakim Noah
ATLANTA – APRIL 02: Joakim Noah /

Men’s Basketball Championships

2006 was a dominant year for the University of Florida. Billy Donovan led the Gators to a 33-6 season. Florida took down UCLA 73-57 to win the National Championship, bringing home Florida’s first one in basketball. Florida’s Joakim Noah was chosen as the most outstanding player, racking up 16 points, nine rebounds and a record-breaking six blocks.

2007 seemed to not be much different for the Gators. Florida went 35-5 and faced off against Ohio State in the Championship and won 84-75, ending the Buckeyes’ 22-game winning streak. UF became the first school to win back-to-back championships since Duke in 1991-1992.

2006-2007 was a rare dominant run by the basketball team, made even more unique given that their two national championships were squeezed in between the 2006 and 2008 football championships –  giving the Gators an impressive four-year run.

Baseball Championship

More from Southbound and Down

2017 was a historical year for the Gators baseball program. In the past eight years, Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan has led six teams to Omaha. And this year, they finally delivered.

The 2017 team of Gators played to their strengths of pitching and defense. Alex Faedo pitched the Gators into the College World Series, striking out 11 against TCU. Florida then shutout TCU 3-0 to advance to the CWS.

Brady Singer went 7 innings in Game 1 of the CWS with 12 strikeouts, the most ever in a CWS Final. The Gators beat the LSU Tigers 4-3 in Game 1. In Game 2, Freshman Tyler Dyson made only his second career start, pitching 6 innings, allowing only one LSU run on three hits. Michael Byrne and Jackson Kowar worked the final 3 innings, allowing no runs, leading the Gators to a 6-1 as their first CWS win.

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