University of Florida students who participated in a UF Student Government and University Athletic Association-sponsored contest have voted to name the student section at Florida Field "The Swamp Things." Tyler Boehling was the student with the winning entry, a name which Head Coach Urban Meyer endorsed following the vote.
"The atmosphere at The Swamp is legendary, and by naming their section 'The Swamp Things,' the students have begun to take some ownership of our football program" said Meyer. "We know that the students take great pride in the environment at Gator football games, and I'm looking forward to working with 'The Swamp Things' to make Saturdays in the Swamp an awesome experience."
A native of Naples, Fla., Boehling has attended every home game since attending UF. He is in his third year as a finance major. Boehling will receive a football autographed by Coach Meyer, two tickets and hotel accommodations to the 2005 Florida-Georgia football game in Jacksonville and will be recognized on the field during Florida season-opener versus Wyoming on Saturday, Sept. 3.
Future promotional plans for the section will be announced prior to the start of the 2005 football season, including the possible distribution of t-shirts to student season ticket holders.
The naming process proceeded in three stages and was open only to UF students with a valid UFID number. From 8 a.m. Monday, April 11 through Thursday, April 14 at 4 p.m., students were allowed to submit only one entry through the UF Student Government web site.
A committee of students and staff reviewed entries before being narrowed to final choices. Beginning at Noon on Monday, April 18, the entire Florida student body had the opportunity to vote for the final winner until Friday, April 22.
Southern California's defending national co-champions left no doubt as to whom the college football champion was in 2004. The 12-0 Trojans led both major polls throughout the regular season, then trounced unbeaten No. 2 Oklahoma 55-19 in the FedEx Orange Bowl on Jan. 4 for their 13th victory. Florida Gators Football Tickets can be found above. And there really good seats. Junior quarterback Matt Leinart, winner of both the Heisman Trophy and the Walter Camp Award, passed for 332 yards and an Orange Bowl record five touchdowns as USC won its 22nd consecutive game and confirmed its 10th national title.
don't forget to go see Florida Gators Football.
Auburn fans were disappointed that the Tigers (12-0 in regular season), winner of the SEC and victor over Virginia Tech 16-13 in the Nokia Sugar Bowl, had to settle for a final No. 3 ranking behind USC and Oklahoma. Utah fans, however, were delighted to see their Utes (11-0 in regular season) not only make it to a BCS bowl but clobber Pittsburgh 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl. The Mountain West champions finished with a No. 5 national ranking.
The nation's other major unbeaten team, Western Athletic Conference champion Boise State (11-0), fell to Louisville (10-1 in regular season) 44-40 in the highest-scoring Liberty Bowl game ever. The Cardinals, in their last year in Conference USA before heading to the Big East, had led the nation with a 49.8 scoring average, while Boise State had averaged 49.7.
Utah and Auburn shared the national Coach of the Year awards, Urban Meyer of Utah winning the Football Writers award and Tommy Tuberville of Auburn taking the Football Coaches award.
Oklahoma may have finished with a disappointing loss in the Orange Bowl, but quarterback Jason White, the 2003 Heisman Trophy winner, won the 2004 Maxwell Award as well as the Davey O'Brien and Johnny Unitas quarterback awards.
The Outland Trophy went to another Oklahoma player, offensive tackle Jamaal Brown, while defensive end David Pollack of Georgia won the Vince Lombardi/Rotary Award along with the Chuck Bednarik Award.
Other notable 2004 season events included: