Rivalry renewed: No. 19 Miami and Florida meet again, potentially adding to their heated history

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Even though he grew up in Miami and kept close tabs on the Hurricanes, Florida cornerback Jason Marshall knows little about the once-heated rivalry involving the two Sunshine State teams.

The Florida Flop? The Peach Pelting? The Bourbon Street Brawl?

Marshall hasn’t heard of any of them. He knows the Gators won two of the last three matchups, in 2008 and 2019. Much of his knowledge comes from watching highlights designed to educate Florida players on the history of the game that peaked as one of the nation’s best in the 1980s.

What stood out?

“I would say just the nastiness that both teams have toward each other,” Marshall said. “Like, there’s hate there.”

No. 19 Miami and Florida will open their seasons in Gainesville on Saturday, ushering in a new chapter in a series that provided several instant classics and plenty of hard feelings over eight-plus decades.

Many believe it should be an annual occurrence, a debate ignited every time they land on each other’s schedule.

“This is the real deal, the good ol’ days,” former Miami center and longtime radio broadcaster Don Bailey Jr. said. “When it was going every year, it was the most important game on the schedule. Period.”

It’s been one-sided of late, with the Hurricanes winning seven of nine and 12 of 17.

No one on either roster played in the last meeting five years ago, so even though most of them crossed paths in high school and on recruiting trails, they share little animosity. And the coaches, Miami’s Mario Cristobal and Florida’s Billy Napier, are friends who spent four years as offensive assistants together at Alabama (2013-16) under Nick Saban.

The rivalry has a rich history, complete with cakewalks, comebacks and controversy.

Miami romped the last time the teams played annually, a 31-4 drubbing in 1987 in which Florida scored on a pair of safeties because center Willis Peguese sailed snaps through the end zone.

The 2003 game was one for the ages. Brock Berlin rallied Miami from a 23-point deficit to stun the Gators. It ranks right up there with right-hander George Mira’s left-handed pass to beat Florida in 1961 and fullback James Jones’ falling-backward, one-handed TD catch in the closing minutes to seal a victory for the Gators in 1982.

The Florida Flop, the Peach Pelting and the Bourbon Street Brawl have their place in series lore, too.

With Florida leading 45-8 late in the 1971 season finale, defenders dropped to the ground and let the Hurricanes score so quarterback John Reaves could have the ball back and get the 15 yards he needed to break Jim Plunkett’s NCAA record for career passing yards.

Miami coach Fran Curci refused to shake hands with Florida’s Doug Dickey afterward, calling it a “bush-league stunt.” Adding insult to Miami’s misery, several Gators jumped into the Orange Bowl pool that housed Miami Dolphins mascot Flipper during NFL games.

The celebration fired up the Hurricanes for years.

The rivalry grew even more bitter in 1980, when Florida fans — angry that the Gators trailed Miami 28-7 late in Gainesville — threw oranges, tangerines, peaches and ice cubes at the Hurricanes, who were headed to the Peach Bowl. Miami coach Howard Schnellenberger was furious and ordered a field goal to add to the final margin.

Florida coach Urban Meyer repaid the Hurricanes in 2008 by sending Jonathan Phillips on to kick a 29-yard field goal with 25 seconds left to punctuate a 26-3 victory.

For the Gators, the game played annually between 1938 and 1987 never reached the heights of Southeastern Conference rivalries Georgia and Auburn or the annual affair with Florida State.

So Florida dropped Miami in 1988 because it wanted to play a “more national schedule.” The Gators promptly replaced the Hurricanes with Montana State. Coach Steve Spurrier boasted about wanting Miami back on the schedule when he returned to his alma mater in 1990.

“I was just trying to be real bravo,” Spurrier admitted last week.

After a 13-year hiatus, Florida and Miami played again in the 2001 Sugar Bowl. Just a few nights before Miami’s 37-20 win, a handful of players from both teams mixed it up on Bourbon Street.

It’s been relatively quiet since, although a new wrinkle is always looming. The teams are scheduled to play in Miami next year.

“There might not be any angst right now, but the losing team has to live with it the rest of their lives,” Bailey said. “They may not look at it that way now. But lose that game and let’s talk about in 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. That’s how big this is.”

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.