It was a breakthrough national championship, highlighted by the Fun' N' Gun offense, a Heisman-winning quarterback and a visor-wearing coach with swagger that stretched from Key West to Pensacola.
Florida football won its first national ****** le 30 years ago, capping a 12-1 season in 1996 with a 52-20 win over rival Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.
Two of the three statues erected in front of The Swamp played a key role in the championship season. Heisman winner Steve Spurrier, in his sixth season as UF coach, guided a UF offense that lit up scoreboards like a pinball machine. With Spurrier calling the plays, the Florida Gators led the nation in total offense (503.9 ypg) while leading the SEC in scoring offense (47.0 ppg, an SEC record that still stands).
Starting quarterback Danny Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy in the 1996 season, passing for 3,625 yards and 39 TDs.
Defensively, Florida transformed into a more aggressive, blitzing unit under first-year coordinator Bob Stoops. UF wound up ranking third in the conference in total defense (250.2 yards per game allowed) and third in turnovers forced (2.2 per game).