Another Fail for the Gators

Look at this instagram post by @gatorzonefb:

Would ya just look at it?! Just look at it!!

If you can see past the horrid orange and blue, you will notice a skewed attendance number that the UF athletic department has come up with. Now I'm sure you didn't attend a game in The Swamp last year because you don't like wasting time, but, if you had gone, or even seen one of the few home games in which the Gator's were televised, you would have noticed many instances where the stadium was not only not sold out, but embarrassingly empty.

Take a look for yourself. For perspective the max capacity of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is 88,548 and their record attendance is 90,907.

Exhibit A:

Kentucky just before kickoff. Muschamp is walking back to the sideline. Notice that upper deck. All the white you see is empty seats.

Attendance according to UF: 88,334

Exhibit B:

Eastern Michigan at kickoff. Take a look just past number three's arm, people are supposed to be sitting there. This is opening day. First chance to redeem themselves of the previous 4-8 mark in 2013.

Game attendance according to UF: 81,049

Exhibit C:

South Carolina at the coin toss. (Lost 23-20) Notice the second and upper deck.

Attendance according to UF: 85,088

Exhibit D:

Missouri. (Lost 42-13) Notice the top right corner.

Attendance according to UF athletic department: 89,117

There's a difference between tickets sold and attendance.

Now let's not be too hard on them, we all know that the Gator's aren't the only team that blatantly misrepresents their crowd attendance to make people think it's not as bad as reality tells them. But to brag about it and claim the state of Florida as "Gator Country" because of the misleading numbers is pretty bold, even for you UF. One could argue that with the recent comeback of the once endangered Florida Alligator that Florida is "alligator country" in reference to the animal that is regarded as the most feared predator of the state, but from a football perspective, there's really not a case to claim it as Gator Country. Here's a few facts - not fictional numbers - as to why:

Florida State has won the state championship the last two years defeating both Miami and UF in 2013 and 2014 by a combined score of 132-66.

UF is a combined 13-16-1 vs Florida State since 1989 (25 years).

UF is a combined 4-11 vs Miami since 1979 (35 years).

Jimbo Fisher's record vs UF: 4-1

Al Golden's record vs UF: 1-0

Overall records since 2013:

FSU: 27-1

Miami: 15-11

UF: 11-13

UCF: 21-5

Looking at those statistics it sure would seem that Florida is Seminole Country. #ItsNotSoGreatUF