There are a few reasons why a Gators season ticket holder would not want to attend Saturday's game against USF; the hot-as-hell noon kickoff, the compelling 3:30 TV games, a boring offense and a cult leader making Gainesville look bad that night.
I understand. As a student who had season tickets, I missed one game in my sophomore year (FAMU) and missed half of the LSU game my junior year to watch a Yankees playoff game. Here's the thing; I never sold my ticket. One look at Stub Hub today and you see plenty of season ticket holders who are selling their tickets. Since the beginning of the season, the USF tickets have cost as much as LSU.
You know what that means. The commuters at USF will have no problem getting on I-75 and treating Gainesville like they did Tallahassee last season. This is their field trip to a real football school in a real college town. Last season, about 15,000 USF fans showed up to see the Bulls upset FSU. I was at the game, and while I was pleased to see FSU football dying in front of me, the amount of USF fans floored me. Not only that, they ripped off their hand sign from Texas and spelling chant from FSU, which makes them easy to be annoyed by.
This isn't the first time a commuter school came to Gainesville thinking they had a chance to win. In 2006, the Gators defeated UCF, 42-0. UCF kids came to Gainesville hoping to party and maybe see their team win. But when the Gators easily took over, the UCF fans turned. I remember at least four fights in the UF student section. At halftime, my friend Natalie asked me to sit with her in the north end zone student section because guys were harassing her. I realized what she meant when I got there and she was surrounded by about 20 UCF fans. After shouting down a few UCF fans, we left. Yes, a Gator fan, in their own stadium, had to leave because of the visiting fans.
I'm not saying USF fans will do the same, but I'm thinking the pilgrimage of USF fans will rival Miami in 2002 and 2008. It is better to take the loss and not sell your tickets, than to contribute to allowing visiting fans in your stadium. You wouldn't let strangers sit in your La-z-boy, why would you let them sit in your bleacher seat? If you really have to get rid of your ticket, give them to future Gators who can't afford a ticket.