Contributions were made by numerous Gator fans to honor the hard work and dedication of the Gator football players, coaches and staff that earned the team the 1996 national title. Throughout the regular season, UF played with remarkable skill. In a series of league games, the Gators won by scores of 65-0, 42-7, 56-13, 51-10 and 47-7. Despite the impressive margins of their previous victories, the Gators suffered a critical loss in a 24-21 defeat against the Florida State Seminoles. Nevertheless, UF’s 45-30 win over Alabama in the SEC title game combined with an upset in the Big 12 championship game resulted in elevating the UF-FSU rematch into a national championship game. The Gators defeated Florida State University 52-20 in the Sugar Bowl to win the 1996 National Championship Game. It was the first national title victory in UF football history