Florida Gators fans will match the Miami Hurricanes when they take the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday. The university landed on a whiteout for the first college football game of the year and gave its opponent an opportunity to throw the color scheme right back in its face.
It might be petty, sure, but that’s what makes rivalries so much fun!
Miami and Florida met on the gridiron for the first time in October of 1938. They have played 56 times in total. The Hurricanes lead the all-time series 29-27 and won seven of the last 11 games. However, the Gators won the most recent matchup by four in 2019.
One of the most vitriolic rivalries in college football has not been played in four years and only twice since 2009. That will change on Saturday when Florida hosts Miami in The Swamp.
This year’s game has huge implications for both sides. Billy Napier is hoping to save his job and a win over the Hurricanes would be a huge step in the right direction. On the flip side, Mario Cristobal is expected to contend for a bid to the College Football Playoff after paying quarterback Cam Ward a small fortune in NIL money during the offseason.
To get the fans excited for the highly-contentious season-opener, Florida decided to go with a whiteout. Everybody in Gainesville is being asked to wear white.
Miami took the request to heart. It will also wear white— and not just a white jersey with green or orange pants, as typically worn on the road.
The all-white stormtroopers are making their 2024 debut in front of a whiteout crowd. As the Instagram caption notes, someone told the Hurricanes to wear white — so they are!
Regardless of how you feel toward either team, you can’t help but appreciate the pettiness here. College football is the best and rivalries are more fun when the schools involved play into them!