There were a lot of things running through my mind as I walked out of The Swamp in Gainesville, but one undeniable thought has stayed with me — from the start of the game, through the postgame press conference, way into the 15-hour drive back to Austin and sitting with me even today as I sit here and attempt to meet my deadline.
If anyone deserved the win, it was Florida’s fans. Yes, that team left its heart out on the field, but the energy, the atmosphere and the very presence of every Gators fan was palpable. It was real. It was dominating.
It rang through my ears so clearly through that entire game that I can still clearly remember the deafening sound of every voice in the stadium singing “I Won’t Back Down” nearly a week later.
Even when we were driving through campus on our way to the stadium, winding through insane tailgate setups and college kids piled in the backs of trucks, all I could think of was, “Wow. This is football culture. This is a Southeastern Conference game.”
And I know I’ll get a lot of flack for this statement — my articles usually get a lot of incendiary comments on Facebook even when I’m not being controversial — but Texas fans just don’t bring that same heat.
I’m talking about a fanbase that stayed all four quarters — a fanbase that roared an ear-splitting roar on every Texas third down and suddenly fell to a quiet hush when the Gators offense took the field, then celebrated every yard won as if it was a touchdown.
It could be a literal two-yard run, yet the sound in the stadium made it feel like a defensive turnover, and don’t get me started on when Texas started incurring penalties.
“Move back, you suck! Move back, you suck!” It was an endless, monotonous chant that never relented in volume, only ending with explosive cheers as Texas’ offense left the field.
Where is our pride? I’ve spent my time sitting in the student section, watching it slowly empty out. Sitting in the press box now, I can barely hear the calls from below of “Texas, fight!” I see the comments on X and Facebook as people, wearing burnt orange in their profile pictures, relentlessly trash on the very team they claim to root for.
College football, especially SEC football, is about traditions. I think we’ve all forgotten what the real beauty of college football is. It’s not the money. It’s not just winning. It’s not having an undefeated season.
It’s the traditions — the tie between the fans and the team that makes every person in the stands want to stay, from the first chorus of “The Eyes of Texas” to the last as the football team comes to the endzone to join.
It’s remembering that this is your team. They play for you! Take pride in the traditions that come with Texas football, in the privilege of being able to have a college football team you get to resonate with — win or lose.
Florida was 1-3 as its fans filled The Swamp and yelled for all their might. Texas was ranked No. 1 preseason, and yet the fanbase’s dedication continued to waver with each good or bad play before hitting rock bottom with this unranked team.
Now, we head into the Red River Rivalry. Nothing screams tradition more than this matchup, from the drive to Dallas to the State Fair and the game itself. More than ever, Texas fans have the opportunity to show up and create an atmosphere of unity and pride.
Buy back into the culture, Longhorns. Find joy — not just in watching this team collect wins, but in supporting all this team could be.
