Local students revel in UF's second title in 10 months
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

Photos courtesy of Allie Atchison, Kelly Cederquist, Kiel Gross, Cindy McCormick, Ashley Olsen and Craig Vigodsky

The chorus of haters was deafening. For more than a month, the University of Michigan, as well as the national media, were pounding on the Florida Gators, saying they weren't supposed to be playing for the national title against Ohio State.

The only pounding that's being heard now is the collective chests of the Gator Nation, who are celebrating its second national title in 10 months after second-ranked Florida obliterated the unbeaten and top-ranked Buckeyes 41-14 Jan. 8 in Glendale, Arizona.

Celebrations broke out across the country. Gator fans in the area flooded local sports bars to take in the historic win. Local UF students reveled in their school's second football title, many watching from the O'Connell Center, while some local students were fortunate enough to see the game live in person.

"It was amazing - it was like we were at the football game," said UF freshman Ashley Olsen, a 2006 GBHS grad, who watched from the 'O-Dome.'

"It was kind of tense walking up to the ODome - just waiting for it to start," said fellow '06 grad Kelly Cederquist.

Things didn't get off to a good start for the Gators as Ted Ginn, Jr. ran back the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.

"You could have heard a pin drop (in the O-Dome)," Olsen said after the score.

"That first 15 seconds we're like 'oh, no. Hope the rest of the game isn't like this,'" Cederquist said.

But from there, it was all Gators as they scored points on six of their first seven possessions.

"From there, it was one big party," Olsen said.

The celebration spilled out onto campus as a half-mile stretch was cordoned off for Gator fans to celebrate.

"Traffic was backed up so far people were getting on top of their cars and high-fiving everyone that passed by," said Allie Atchison, another '06 GBHS graduate. "It was packed full of screaming Gator fans! it was so much fun here, everyone was so excited about our win!"

For many Gulf Breeze students, it was the first such national title they had seen. But not for UF senior Kiel Gross and her younger brother Rhett. They were on hand for the Gators' national basketball title celebration last April.

"Everyone was saying - Go Gators! and giving high fives - to people you didn't even know," said Kiel. "It showed that we were a true Gator Nation."

Gross said campus law enforcement were also better prepared, greasing the light poles on campus so students couldn't climb them.

"People were tearing down trees and giving it to people, saying it was a Buckeye tree," Atchison said.

"It was definitely nothing like I ever experienced before," said Olsen.

The young and the young at heart soaked it all in. Gross said she saw a woman in her 80s out at 1 a.m., hugging all the Gator students.

Some GBHS students got to see the title win firsthand in Glendale.

"It was amazing," said GBHS junior Stuart Franklin, who watched the game with fellow junior Grant McCormick.

"There was a Gator fan there who had a sports bar. It turned into one big block party," said McCormick, who went with parents Buddy and Cindy to the game. They also got their pictures taken with former Gators Shane Matthews and Chris Doering, along with Scott Brantley of the Gator Radio Network.

McCormick and Franklin were three rows from the top, but weren't complaining at all.

"It was still sweet," said McCormick, who'll always remember going down near field level to celebrate with the Gators. He shook hands with tailback Deshawn Wynn.

Josh Jurnovoy, another GBHS student, and younger brother Andrew were also at the game. Grandparents Fred and Linda Vigodsky and uncle Craig Vigodsky were also there, but since they went to the 1996 national title game and didn't have any more tickets, gave their tickets to them.

"They were so overconfident," Jurnovoy said of the Buckeyes. "It was fun seeing them walk out as losers."

The University of Florida became the first school in history to hold the national football and national basketball