Florida–Miami football rivalry

The Gators and Hurricanes played an annual "home-and-away" series for almost half a century beginning in 1938 except for 1944, when Florida did not field a team during World War II. The rivalry was once the most important in the state, as Miami and Florida were major college programs and began playing each other a decade before the Florida State Seminoles first took the field.[2] The yearly series ended in 1988, when the Southeastern Conference (SEC) increased the number of conference games from six to seven. Florida required six home football games to maintain funding levels for its athletic department, so the school decided to fill out its three game non-conference schedule with two teams that did not require a home-and-home arrangement plus Florida State, ending the series with Miami.[3][2]

Upon being hired as Florida's head ball coach in 1990, Steve Spurrier mentioned at his introductory press conference that he wanted to resume the annual series with Miami, and the schools actually signed a contract to play again beginning in 1992.[4] However, the SEC increased the number of conference games to eight and added an SEC Championship Game that year, prompting Florida to cancel the agreement. Given the explanation at the time of cancellation, many Canes fans remain skeptical, accusing the Gators of being afraid of losing, even though at the time, the two teams split the last six games and Miami's only loss in their 1983 national title season was to Florida.[2] During his long tenure at Florida, former athletic director Jeremy Foley reiterated financial concerns as well as SEC expansion as reasons for not renewing the series on an annual basis, though he remained open to playing Miami in occasional neutral-site games.[5][6]

The Gators and Hurricanes have met on the gridiron seven times since the annual series ended, with Miami holding a 5-2 edge in those contests. Four of those games were part of a regular season home-and-home agreement spread over 11 years and two were in bowl games. The teams' last meeting was a 2019 season-opening neutral site game in Orlando which Florida won, 24-20.[7]

The Seminole War Canoe Trophy was hand carved by Seminole Indians from a 200-year-old cypress tree that was struck by lightning. Donated on the behalf of Hollywood, Florida in 1950, it has been an award given to the winner of football games between the schools. The canoe was intended to be a representation of the fighting spirit of the Seminoles. The trophy stopped being passed from school to school in the early 1970s; both schools had trouble displaying the large wooden trophy. After the final game in the "home and home" series in 1987, the Seminole War Canoe Trophy was put on permanent display at the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.[8] In 2011, the University of Florida Student Government approved a resolution, which was sent to UM student body president Christina Farmer, ESPN and the head football coaches at each school, requesting the War Canoe's return to UF since they had won the 2008 contest. In response, Brandon Mitchell, president of the University of Miami's Category 5 spirit club, replied: "The War Canoe was intended for the yearly rivalry and . . . Miami won the final game of that yearly rivalry." Miami kept the trophy and it remains at the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.[9] The teams share a 19–19 record during the 38-game stretch of the War Canoe Trophy from 1950 to 1987.

Florida won the yearly rivalry series from 1938 to 1987 with 25 wins to Miami's 24. Miami leads the series 29–27. Florida holds the longest win streak with seven consecutive wins. Miami holds a 12–9 advantage at Florida Field and Florida holds a 14–13 advantage at the former Orange Bowl. Florida also holds a 4–3 record on neutral fields at Jacksonville (2), Tampa (1), New Orleans (1), Atlanta (1) and Orlando (2). Florida won the last game between the two schools, 24–20 on August 24, 2019 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Of the 56 total meetings, 27 have been decided by a touchdown or less. Florida holds the largest margin of victory with a 46–6 victory on November 16, 1940. Florida and Miami have played each other three times during a combined eight national championship seasons. Florida gave Miami its only loss on the way to Miami's first national championship title on September 3, 1983. Miami beat Florida 31–4 on September 5, 1987 on the way to Miami's second national championship. Florida defeated Miami 26–3 on September 6, 2008 on Florida's way to its third national championship.

On August 17, 2019, it was announced that Florida and Miami had agreed to a home and home series in 2024 and 2025. Florida will host the game in 2024, with Miami hosting in 2025.[10]

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games

• 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 116–125 (2011).
• Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). ISBN 0-7948-2298-3.
• Golenbock, Peter, Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory, Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). ISBN 0-9650782-1-3.
• Hairston, Jack, Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told, Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). ISBN 1-58261-514-4.
• McCarthy, Kevin M., Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football, Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). ISBN 978-0-7385-0559-6.
• McEwen, Tom, The Gators: A Story of Florida Football, The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). ISBN 0-87397-025-X.
• Nash, Noel, ed., The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football, Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). ISBN 1-57167-196-X.
• Proctor, Samuel, & Wright Langley, Gator History: A Pictorial History of the University of Florida, South Star Publishing Company, Gainesville, Florida (1986). ISBN 0-938637-00-2.