People leaving their homes to avoid Hurricane Florence can take solace in the Swamp.
The UF Athletic Association will give free tickets for the Gators’ matchup against Colorado State to families evacuating from North and South Carolina, according to a press release. The decision was made following a similar choice by the University of Tennessee Wednesday, according to the release.
Residents of counties under mandatory evacuation will be able to claim up to four tickets to Saturday’s game. The tickets can be claimed between noon and 2:30 p.m. at the season ticket holder representative tent outside Gate 2 at the stadium. A valid, state-issued ID from North or South Carolina is required to receive the tickets, according to the release.
Hurricane Florence is projected to make landfall in North Carolina this morning. Six counties in South Carolina and 11 counties in North Carolina have been ordered to evacuate, according to the Weather Channel.
Robert Vonderahe, an 18-year-old UF accounting sophomore, said he was glad the university was giving tickets out.
“It gives them an opportunity, the people that are going to be hurting, to just forget about it for a while and enjoy some football,” Vonderahe said.
He thinks this will not only help evacuees but also UF.
“It’ll help pack the stadium out a little bit,” he said.
Albert, one of UF's two mascots, surfs the crowd at the football game Sept. 5, 2015. Students and beach balls also traversed across the top of the fray.
