The Universities in Florida and Miami do not meet on the football field on a regular basis, but that doesn’t mean that this rivalry is any less intense. These two teams and their fanbases severely dislike each other, which was proven during the recent interactions between Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin and Florida Gators legend Tim Tebow. However, their back-and-forth was rooted in friendly competition while one incident that occurred on Saturday was far more violent.
According to CollegeMarching.com, the University of Florida band was attacked by a group of Miami Hurricanes fans following the 24-20 game at Camping World Stadium. As the report said, the fans tried to force their way into the Gators marching formation before the altercation grew violent.
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According to multiple sources, the University of Florida Gator Band was in their parade order marching to their buses after the game outside of the stadium when a group of University of Miami fans tried to push their way into the band block. The director of the Gator Band, Dr. Jay Watkins, saw the group and ran towards them to help stop the altercation.
Unfortunately for the band director, he was reportedly placed in a chokehold and had his head slammed into the concrete. Another member of the band ended up with a bloody nose after being punched in the face. No information has been provided about their status after the attack.
While there is certainly no love lost between the two teams and the fanbases, having the game devolve into violence was an unfortunate end to the evening. There is no report at this time whether or not charges will be filed against the Miami students that attacked the band. No arrests have been made by Orlando police.
Violence during and after football games, while unfortunate, has become a part of the sport. Whether it’s the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers fans clashing during Bay Area battles or college teams fighting in the stands, these violent encounters are becoming more frequent with each passing season. The attack on the Gators Band is just the latest example.
