Florida Vs. Alabama Football: The Ten Best Games in The Rivalry

Forget Michigan-Ohio State. Forget Texas-Oklahoma.

Alabama-Florida is the best rivalry in college football.

The Crimson Tide and the Gators may not have quite the history of those other schools, but no football programs are hotter than the ones in Tuscaloosa and Gainesville.

The two SEC powerhouses will meet in Tuscaloosa this weekend in the biggest game of the young college football season.

Last year, this game proved to be the “semifinals” of the BCS Championship game. This year isn’t much different.

The two best college coaches will face off, with the winner one step closer to a national championship, and the loser far from out of the picture.

Come Saturday, the past two national champions with compete for the 36th time, with Alabama holding a 21-14 edge in the series.

Some of the games have been stinkers, while many have been instant classics. Let’s take a look at the best contests of this rapidly growing rivalry.

10. Florida Ruins Alabama's Homecoming (1921)

If you don’t like defensive struggles, then you probably wouldn’t have cared too much for this early matchup between the Gators and the Crimson Tide.

On homecoming, Florida upset Alabama thanks in large part to the leg of Arc Newton. His three field goals were the only points the Gators scored all day, and his punts gave Florida the edge in the field-position game.

The final score was 9-2. Sounds more like a baseball game, doesn’t it?

9. Alabama Gets Some Homecoming Payback (1948)

Alabama would have to wait 27 years to avenge the homecoming loss to Florida.

And avenge they did.

The Crimson Tide defeated the Gators 34-28. I’m strictly assuming this was a good game because of the score.

A lot of the early games between the two schools were blowouts one way or the other.

Here’s an interesting fact though: the starting defensive end for Alabama was 6’0", 182 pounds.

8. Bear Bryant's Defense Steps Up (1978)

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Coach Bear Bryant of the Alabama Crimson Tide watches his players during a game.

Florida was 1-3, and Bear Bryant’s squad was fired up after a disappointing loss to USC.

As it turns out, that would be the only hiccup for the Crimson Tide all season.

The upset-minded Gators hung tough with Alabama, pulling within five points of the No. 7-ranked Crimson Tide. But the stingy Alabama defense allowed only 180 total yards and pulled away on a late touchdown to win 23-12.

Alabama would go on to win the National Championship.

7. The Rematch (1993)

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22 Sep 2001: Florida head coach Steve Spurrier during the national anthem before the game against Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. Florida beat Kentucky 44-10. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit : Brian Bahr/Allsport

A rematch of the 1992 SEC Championship, Alabama and Florida met to determine who was the king of the conference.

This game almost didn’t happen, though. Alabama was only in the game because the undefeated Auburn Tigers were on probation and were not allowed to participate.

The contest itself wasn’t as good as the first since Florida controlled most of the game.

But it will always be remembered as the last SEC Championship game to be played outside of the Georgia Dome.

6. The Era Of The Ole Ball Coach Begins With Errict Rhett (1990)

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12 Sep 1992: Running back Erict Rhett of the Florida Gators runs down the field during a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Floirda Field in Gainesville, Florida. Florida won the game 35-19. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Allsport

The coaching career of Steve Spurrier began with Emmitt Smith leaving Florida for the NFL because he was concerned with Spurrier’s pass heavy offense.

Enter Errict Rhett, the first starting running back for the Ole Ball Coach, and the guy who would break Smith’s school rushing record.

As for the game, Rhett and the Gators beat the Crimson Tide 17-13 in Tuscaloosa, setting the scene for a magical run for Florida football in the 90s.

5. Meet Emmitt Smith (1987)

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14 Oct 1989: Running back Emmitt Smith of the Florida Gators runs down the field during a game against the Vanderbilt Commadores at Florida Field in Gainesville, Florida. Florida won the game 34-11. Mandatory Credit: Allen Dean Steele /Allsport

It was the SEC opener for both teams. It was a field goal fest (five total). It was also Emmitt Smith’s coming out party.

The Florida freshmen ran for 224 yards and two touchdowns on the team’s way to an upset over 11th-ranked Alabama.

The star-studded Gators, which had six All-SEC first teamers, had five sacks against an Alabama team that, just one week before, had upset the top-ranked Nittany Lions of Penn State.

4. The Third Time's a Charm (1994)

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28 Sep 1996: Quarterback Danny Weurffel #7 of the Florida Gators looks down field at an open receiver as he sets his feet to throw a pass during a play in the Gators 65-0 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats at Florida Field in Gainesville, Florida. Mandato

Three years, three SEC title games, three games between Florida and Alabama.

Remember that Danny Wuerffel fellow? He was the quarterback for the Gators and head coach Steve Spurrier.

Wuerrfel didn’t exactly have a Heisman caliber game, but an 80-yard drive toward the end of the fourth quarter put Florida ahead of the Crimson Tide, 24-23.

A late interception by the Gators sealed the deal and gave Florida its second consecutive conference title.

3. The First SEC Championship Game (1992)

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15 Sep 1990: Quarterback Shane Matthews of the Florida Gators rolls out of the pocket during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Florida won the game 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport

In 1992, Florida and Alabama met in the SEC Championship game. For the first time the conference champion would be determined on the field.

Alabama was undefeated and ranked No. 2 in the country, while No. 12 Florida came in to the game with an 8-3 record.

The game would come down to the final minutes. Tied 21-21 with three minutes left, Florida quarterback Shane Matthews was intercepted by Antonio Langham.

He never looked back, returning the pick for a touchdown and securing Alabama a spot in the National Championship.

The Crimson Tide would go on to win their 12th national title against Miami in the Sugar Bowl.

2. The Biggest Game of The Year (2008)

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ATLANTA - DECEMBER 06: Quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Florida Gators celebrates after their 31-20 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship on December 6, 2008 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Image

If someone would have told you this was the National Championship game, you wouldn’t have thought twice.

This game had all the elements that football fans love: good coaches, good teams, a Heisman-winning quarterback, and one future Heisman winner.

A game that seemed like it would go either way, Alabama led 20-17 heading into the fourth quarter.

Then Tim Tebow took over.

Tebow led the Gators on two fourth quarter scoring drives that put Florida ahead for good. The Gators won the game 31-17, and Urban Meyer went on to win his second national championship at the school.

1. Alabama Ekes Out One-Point Win (1999)

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23 Oct 1999: Shaun Alexander #37 of the Alabama Crimson Tide carries the ball during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at the Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Volunteers defeated the Crimson Tide 21-7. Mandatory Credit: Elsa Hasch

On Oct. 2, the game was tied at the end of regulation, 33-33.

The third-ranked Gators got the ball first in front of their home crowd and scored rather easily, but the extra point sliced wide right.

On Alabama’s first offensive play, Shaun Alexander burst through the hole for a 25-yard touchdown run.

Florida’s loss ended a 30-game win streak by the Gators and set up a rematch between the two teams in the SEC Championship Game.