The Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes last played football in 2013 and at that time the series appeared to be dead. Florida’s desire to keep seven home games on the schedule and a yearly neutral site game in Jacksonville made it impossible to manage a home-and-home with instate rival Miami on a yearly basis.
According to a report from the Palm Beach Post, Florida and Miami may resurrect their storied rivalry in the not too distant future. Both universities called reports back in October that the two schools were close to agreeing on a 2019 match-up in Orlando premature, but Miami Athletic Director James Blake told the Palm Beach Post that the game is, “Hopefully something you’ll hear about in the near future.”
The Post reports that the game would be the season opener for both teams and would be played in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida.
Florida and Miami played every year from 1938-1987 before Florida pulled out of the annual series. Since 1988 the schools have met just six times, including two bowl games. Miami is 5-1 in those games and holds a 29-26 edge in the series.
Florida will open the 2017 season against Michigan in Arlington, Texas at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Head coach Jim McElwain called big opening games like that, “good for college football.” The Gators are also set to receive a $6 million dollar pay day from that matchup with Michigan and the Post reports that a 2019 matchup against Miami would split the tickets evenly between the two schools.