Sporting Events

Most Incoming freshman have not yet experienced game day in the swamp. Games days at the University of Florida are extremely fun and exciting. They are a great experience of their own. Football games are like a celebration, and it may take you a bit to figure out the ins and outs of game day. But there are also other sporting events that can be just as fun to go to when football isn’t playing!

#1: Getting Tickets

There are many ways to get tickets to football games. If you are a part of a sorority or fraternity, they have block tickets and you can order them through your sorority or fraternity so that you can sit together as a group with your friends. This is a way that you be sure that your tickets are next to your friends. If you are an athlete at the university, your tickets are given to you through your team. If you are not apart of either of these organizations, don’t worry, there are still other options to get football tickets. The University of Florida has a lottery that is an opportunity to win tickets. Lasty, the most basic way to order your tickets is through gatorzone.

How to buy tickets

Go to Gatorzone.com/student
Click on “purchase student ticket/manage ticket account”
Login with your UF email
Then follow the steps to buy football tickets

Students must pick up tickets from the student ticket office located at gate 13 of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium during the week of each game.

Once you get to the ticket page, it is very easy to follow the steps and buy your University of Florida football tickets.

Tip: Almost every other University of Florida sporting event besides basketball just requires your student ID for admission. Sports such as Women’s Lacrosse and Soccer or baseball are free admission with you Gator 1.

#2: Tailgating

Whether you are going to a football game with friends or family there are many different ways to tailgate. On and off campus there are many different sites to set up tents, chairs, grills, coolers and corn hole games.

If you live in a house off campus, or know people that do games may be played and food might be cooks in one of the back yards.
Sites in the O’Connell Center parking lot and the lawn in front of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium are prime spots for families to pay to park their RV’s and cars to tailgate.
Fraternity houses on and off campus are always doing something festive for game day. If you have friends in a frat you may be invited to one of their events at their house’s. If you walk down Fraternity Row on game day you will see hundreds of students and hear music coming from almost every house.
Lastly, if none of these places seem fun for you all the bars and restaurants at midtown are other great options to hang out at before the games.

Tip: Wake up early and get a jump on the day! Game days are all day events that start early in the morning.

Tailgating if one of the most fun parts of gameday at the swamp. It is an opportunity to hang out with friends and family before going into the game to watch the gators play football.

#3: Driving

Driving on game days is the worst! The traffic is horrible because people come from all over the state and people supporting the away team are coming to Gainesville, it is not only students around campus. There are different detours that you have to take if you are attempting to drive on campus.

Gale Lemerand Drive is completely blocked off on game days and no one can drive on the road.
That pushing cars driving to use alternate routes along campus to get to their destination.

Also because there are so many people in town traffic is usually backed up all the way out to Archer. On game days you should try to walk as much as possible wherever you need to go because it will take forever to get places by driving.

But if you do find yourself driving through Gainesville on a game day you will see a lot of spirited people tailgating to support the gators. Honk your horn and wave, they will be sure to wave back!

This map shows which roads are blocked off on football game days at the University of Florida.

#4: Show Your Spirit

Finally, make sure you are decked out in your best gator gear on game days! These are days that you can go as overboard on the orange and blue as you like. Whether you chose to dress casual or wear a dress or a tie you have to be wearing orange and blue. Any store on or near campus sells attire for game days that shows your school spirit. Go Gators!

Summary

University of Florida football game days can be the highlight of your fall semester. They are so much fun for you, your family and your friends. Buying tickets is easy and all the information can be founds out on the website, or through what ever organization you join when you get here. Tailgating is a blast and it is an opportunity to be with the people you care about and have fun with before you head inside to cheer on the gators. Be mindful that driving on game day may be problematic and you might want to walk places you need to go. And lastly, don't be afraid to show your school spirit. Sport that orange and blue!

Tip: Don’t be afraid to wear orange and blue overalls.