We’ve all received the emails. The ones that were unfathomable a little more than three years ago.
If UF students and other Gators football fans get these emails again in the next month, a fan base that considers itself one of the best in the nation will deserve to be lampooned.
The emails come from the Gator Ticket Office saying that tickets are still available for the upcoming Florida football game.
These emails became common after Florida’s 137-game sellout streak ended on Sept. 3, 2011, in a season-opening win against Florida Atlantic.
The emails also flowed in at the end of the 2009 season, when the program failed to sell its 17,500 allotted tickets for the Sugar Bowl.A
According to the Gainesville Sun, 4,500 of those tickets were unsold three days before the game.
Student ticket prices were reduced from $125 to $65.
And this wasn’t just any bowl game. The New Year’s Day contest against Cincinnati was Tim Tebow’s final game as a Gator. In a 51-24 win, Tebow completed 31 of 35 passes for 482 yards and three touchdowns while running for 51 yards and another score.
If UF fails to sell their allotted tickets for this season’s Sugar Bowl, the fan base will look even worse.
The Gators were expected to win it all in 2009.
Florida controlled its title hopes until falling to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game. Fan disappointment in that case is understandable.
This team is about as far from a disappointment as one can get. We viewed UF as an eight-win team before the season.
Following a 17-9 loss to Georgia on Oct. 27, a BCS bowl did not appear to be in Florida’s future. Nobody thought a title was a possibility before Kansas State and Oregon lost on Nov. 17.
Some might not make the trip for fear of not seeing a competitive matchup. Many assume Louisville, a 16.5-point underdog, will not keep the game close.
Some fans worry they won’t get their money’s worth.
A Florida-Louisville matchup isn’t as exciting as a showdown against Oklahoma.
But Florida consistently proved it can’t blow teams out.
Even when the Gators win by a large margin, they aren’t fun to watch.
Beating Bowling Green by 13 and topping Louisiana on a blocked punt in the final minute are obvious examples.
Even though UF wore down FSU in its regular-season finale, the game was still close for three quarters. The Gators play to the level of their competition, and there is no reason to believe they won’t continue to do the same against the Cardinals.
A trip to New Orleans should be enough reason to go.
If Gator Nation wants to keep its reputation intact, it needs to pack the house as Florida tries to cap a memorable season.
Contact Josh Jurnovoy at jjurnovoy@alligator.org.
