Meyer Isn't Looking Back At History Of Florida-Miami Rivalry

The trouble with history is that it's always so yesterday.

And Florida coach Urban Meyer only looks ahead to upcoming Saturdays.

Ask Meyer to speak about the Miami Hurricanes that will come to The Swamp on Saturday and he can give you tendencies, talents and favorite breakfast cereals. Ask him about the often contentious past between the state rivals and he requests a lifeline call.

"I really haven't done a good job yet, I've been too busy with other stuff," Meyer said Monday when asked about his familiarity with the rivalry. "I'll know more this week I imagine."

What Meyer can expect to learn before meeting the Hurricanes for the first time is that his Gators - through no fault of their own - are carrying a lot of baggage into the nationally televised 8 p.m. kickoff.

It starts with the fact Florida has lost six straight to the Hurricanes, needing to go all the way back to 1985 for its last victory in the series.

And then, there's the bad blood.

Meyer insists that's not important to his players.

"I don't feel like they get caught up in the hoopla at all," he said. "They just want to get to that game and play. I do invite former players back in the summer and have them talk about those kinds of things but I think what motivates these guys is playing on Saturday night on ESPN 'GameDay' in front of their families more than anything else."

Fans on the other hand may think differently.

Any rehash of the Florida-Miami series automatically begins with the infamous "Florida Flop" in 1971. That's when, with Florida leading 45-8 and only 1:20 left to play, the Gators defense dropped to the ground, allowing Miami to score so quarterback John Reaves could get back on the field and get 14 more passing yards that allowed him to break Jim Plunkett's NCAA record.

The Hurricanes were so angry that Coach Fran Curci refused to shake hands with Gators coach Doug Dickey after the game, and making matters worse, several Gators, including Reaves, headed to the East end zone of the Orange Bowl and jumped into a pool that housed Miami Dolphins mascot Flipper during NFL games.

Then in 1980 some Florida fans - angry that the Gators trailed Miami 28-7 late in Gainesville - threw peaches at the Hurricanes, who were headed to the Peach Bowl. Miami coach Howard Schnellenberger was so furious he ordered a last-second field goal to add to the final margin.

All that, however, was nothing compared to what - at least to hear Miami tell it - Florida did in 1988. It ended the annual series with UM.

The two schools have played in the regular season only twice since - 2002 and '03. After Saturday's meeting, Florida is scheduled to play at UM in 2013. Beyond that there is no agreement.

"You can sit here and focus on the past forever," UF athletic director Jeremy Foley said. "But when the SEC expanded, and with the financial need to have as many home games as possible, it became difficult to play Miami and Florida State home-and-home.

"Obviously, the decision was made that Florida State was going to be the arch-rival game, and a very good series with Miami is now kind of hit and miss."

At the time Florida made its decision to end the annual series, Miami was waist-deep in its glory days, and immediately suggested the Gators were too chicken to continue. Now, having since joined the ACC and facing scheduling challenges of their own, the Hurricanes seem more accepting.

"I don't think it will ever become an annual game again," UM coach Randy Shannon said. "Each school is now in conference play, and you've got to play eight games. Then you've got your conference championship, out-of-conference games, and at least one is a tough team. Then you've got two teams you've got to get on the schedule where some way you don't get banged up before you go into conference play. Don't think it's ever going to happen."

That just means that when games do come along, the results are going to last. And last ... and last.