The College Football History of Florida Gators Orlando Sentinel Edition

THE NUMBERS STACK UP, history forming in real time: the first player in major college football to record at least 20 passing touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns in the same season. The nation takes notice, the anticipation building as the Heisman announcement draws near. Then … the moment arrives. Tim Tebow is named the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, the first sophomore ever to claim the award. A landmark achievement, a season that changed the Gators’ record books forever.

Follow the story of the Florida Gators through a book of authentic newspaper articles, curated from original Orlando Sentinel reports charting the program’s rise from its early beginnings in Gainesville to the powerhouse it became by the early 2000s. This edition traces the team’s history — exactly as it was reported at the time.

Featuring:

– Florida becoming a charter member of the SEC in 1933

– The Gators’ first major bowl appearances and breakthrough seasons of the 1960s

– Steve Spurrier’s 1966 Heisman Trophy–winning season as quarterback

– The beginning of the Spurrier coaching era in 1990 and the transformation of Florida football

– The Gators’ first recognized national championship in 1996

– The start of the Urban Meyer era in 2005 and the rise of a new national contender

– Tim Tebow’s 2007 Heisman Trophy season and the championship runs of 2006 and 2008

– Rivalry triumphs, SEC title campaigns, and other iconic games that defined generations

– Highlights from the most memorable players, coaches, and seasons

Choose from a range of book covers and personalize your copy with a name and message to transform it into a unique keepsake. Whether for a Gators fan, a history enthusiast, or someone who remembers it all first-hand — you hold not just a gift, but a piece of Florida football history ready to be passed on.

Archivist insight: We reproduce these newspaper articles from scan archives. In some cases, there’ll be blemishes and the reproduction quality might not be as clear or precise as it was in the original paper.