Has anyone been to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (aka the Swamp/Florida) for a game?

[bat123]

I went to the Barn in 1980 with my good friend (barner) Aubs vs Hillbillys the barners lost 42-0 at the end of the game the toothless ones (Fourteenesee) started chanting "We want Bama" I looked at my bud and told him that he needed "Go wake 'em up because they were dreaming" We beat them 27-0
Any way I wore my Bama cap and Tee and I was shocked at how rude and nasty the barners could be.
I thought the stadium was ragged then, there was a lot of tailgating but not inviting. I thought the campus was nice enough but not nice enough for a return trip

 

[Zorak]

My inlaws live in Gainesville (and my wife is a UF alumna). I've been to a couple of cupcake end-of-season games. FIU in 2009 and Idaho in 2018. It's rated about right in my mind. Kind of cool that they've been playing Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "I Won't Back Down" after "We Are the Boys of Old Florida" since he died a couple of years back. I'd put BHG stadium towards the top, but I haven't been to all the SEC stadiums (VHS, DWS, BDS, JHS, DV, and BHG--surprisingly in 9 years in Athens, I never went to one game at Sanford). There are some obstructed views, mostly in the south endzone I think. I'd be more concerned about being directly in the sun than obstructed views for a September game--I suspect it'll be a primetime game though. I've enjoyed Satchel's Pizza on NE 23rd Ave. (they catered my rehearsal dinner). Also right around the corner is Terrell's BBQ. It's out of a travel trailer but has been there for a while. It's on NE Waldo Rd right across from Tacachale. No place to sit down though. Kind of a grab and go as there is no place to sit. I've also enjoyed Adam's Ribs. They have two locations on NW and SW 13th St./US 441. There are seats so you can eat in. I'm planning on going if I can procure tickets. I have enough connections in G'ville I can probably pull some strings and get one. Or I can see if my BIL (a hotshot Jacksonville attorney) has connections that can get me a ticket.

 

[KentuckianaBFan]

Last year...Widowed in 2015, I moved to Lakeland, FL in 2018 from Southern Indiana...now engaged to a wonderful widowed lady whose local family all have Gator ties...I've been a Bama fan since '63, but last year we went to BHG Stadium, and I wore a blue Gator shirt and was as loud as anyone in that stadium...WHY??? you might ask--who were they playing? OK, wait for it......the barn...and I had a great time. My fiance, by the way, says she now thinks CNS isn't as big an sob as she was led to believe...we watch both UA and UF games on TV when they play, and cheer for both (exception--SEC Championship---pretty quiet during that game ). Don't know if we'll get to go in Sep. RTR!!!

 

[81usaf92]

Just bumping in case someone has any last minute suggestions since this was an off season thread.

 

[CaneDredgeboater720]

Just bumping in case someone has any last minute suggestions since this was an off season thread.

Been there quite a few times, not exactly sure of the years went as a kid some in the 2000s then in college I made a few trips to visit my sister and some buddies who went there

2009-2016ish range
Florida vs Kentucky (Trey burton scored a billion tds

Florida vs Louisiana Lafayette. Lafayette should have won

Florida vs FSU the year fsu won the natty

2 Florida Tennessee games. I remember one being not all that close and the other being the year Tennessee blew it and Florida had a long bomb to win it.

the second Tennessee game was the hottest game Ive ever been to and I grew up going to games in Tallahassee as my dad was a team doctor at florida state so have been to many hot ball games.

there’s a few bars across from the stadium, my favorite is probably Balls it’s pretty small but a decent place. As far as food there’s some spots in that same section as the bars id always just got to tiajuna flats they had 64 oz beers for cheap.

only tailgates I’ve been to have been of the frat and sorority variety so don’t really have any insight on anything outside of those.

their fans are mostly a miserable bunch, particularly the older ones they get mad and yell at you if you don’t sit down really a pretincious bunch.

just beat them worse than you beat us please

oh also Gainesville as a whole is a complete ********

 

[81usaf92]

Been there quite a few times, not exactly sure of the years went as a kid some in the 2000s then in college I made a few trips to visit my sister and some buddies who went there

2009-2016ish range
Florida vs Kentucky (Trey burton scored a billion tds

Florida vs Louisiana Lafayette. Lafayette should have won

Florida vs FSU the year fsu won the natty

2 Florida Tennessee games. I remember one being not all that close and the other being the year Tennessee blew it and Florida had a long bomb to win it.

the second Tennessee game was the hottest game Ive ever been to and I grew up going to games in Tallahassee as my dad was a team doctor at florida state so have been to many hot ball games.

there’s a few bars across from the stadium, my favorite is probably Balls it’s pretty small but a decent place. As far as food there’s some spots in that same section as the bars id always just got to tiajuna flats they had 64 oz beers for cheap.

only tailgates I’ve been to have been of the frat and sorority variety so don’t really have any insight on anything outside of those.

their fans are mostly a miserable bunch, particularly the older ones they get mad and yell at you if you don’t sit down really a pretincious bunch.

just beat them worse than you beat us please

oh also Gainesville as a whole is a complete ********

Thanks. I’ve only really been to Tallahassee and Miami for games (though Tallahassee wasn’t really for football). Gainesville I have been saving for a Bama game

 

[Padreruf]

Is the apartment complex/student housing called "Sin City" still there? That's all I remember from a trip in 1970 -- I'm in the Witness Protection Program....

 

[BamaNation]

I was there on September 14, 1991 when #6 Florida destroyed #16 Alabama 35-0. This was the last loss before we reeled off 28 or 29 straight games w/o defeat. I take credit for all of the period of excellence that followed the FL beatdown. (Of course the NZAA took exception to that streak of excellence so the record book doesn't show the 3rd year of those wins).

I also believe it was the last game that Jay Barker was not the starter for the next 2.5 years.

 

[ALA2262]

I was there for that game. We left early 4th quarter to avoid as much of the fan harassment as possible. That was our last loss for the next 28 games.

And Florida lost the next week to Syracuse. Go figure.

 

[81usaf92]

Just got tickets. Lower level Bama section

 

[BigJTide]

If you are going Saturday bring some rain gear. Looks like there is a pretty good chance for some rain.

 

[Bazza]

Florida-Alabama: What You Need to Know - Florida Gators

The Gators start conference play against the Crimson Tide at the Swamp Saturday

floridagators.com

 

[crimsonaudio]

I went with my dad to the UT-UF game in 2017 - honestly expected lots of trash talk but we were treated as well as any stadium we've visited and better than most.

Like most instances, it seems like you get what you give. If you're chill, they're chill.

But man, the UF fans were really welcoming and friendly to us.

 

[Bazza]

How was it @81usaf92 ? Is there a Good, Bad, and Ugly version?

 

[81usaf92]

How was it @81usaf92 ? Is there a Good, Bad, and Ugly version?

Ehh. Are you sure

 

[beatthemtigers]

Loudest away game I’ve been apart of, holy cow that place was electric. Had a great time with a lot of good interactions