UGA Rivalry Review: Florida Gators traditions, rituals and more

Uniforms

The typical Florida uniform since World War II is blue jerseys and white pants, either or both with orange trim. The numerals are orange or white. Before WWII, orange was the color of the Gator jerseys, the exception being a 1933 experiment with a white knock-off of a Cleveland Browns jersey.

In the mid-seventies, the Gators changed from white helmets to orange and in 1979 adopted the script Gators logo on the helmet. From 1979 – 1989 Florida employed orange jerseys. Hey, it was the 80’s – big hair, popped collars, parachute pants- we all made mistakes.

Since 1990 and Steve Spurrier’s appointment as head coach, Florida has generally worn blue tops, white pants and orange helmets.

And since the collective Florida football memory begins with the words, “Head coach Steve Spurrier . . . ,” the traditional uniform is orange helmets, blue tops and white pants at home with the blue jerseys exchanged for white on the road. The tops and pants subtly employ orange trim, if the use of orange ever be subtle. Florida from time to time has employed blue and orange pants.

We hate the uniforms, but give Florida credit for refusing to concoct a black jersey as have many schools with no black school color. (I don’t think a Gator would be caught dead in black).

Regarding other sports, as in football, blue and white generally dominate the color scheme. The letters are always the forward leaning style of the Florida F logo. Florida basketball occasionally employs an all orange uniform in the O’Connell Center, and (as with Georgia) Nike-induced experiments from time to time prevail.