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Season In Review: Florida Gators Football

Our favorite images from the Florida Gators Football 2019 Season

By Matt Pendleton Photography

December 31^st, 2019

Season In Review

We're back in action after sitting out the 2018 season. This year we shot on assignment for 247Sports Florida and The Gainesville Sun. The Gators entered the 2019 season with extraordinarily high expectations following a very successful first-year from Head Coach Dan Mullen. The hype leading up to the first day of open practice was immense.

The Gators ended the regular season 10-2 with their only two losses to #1 LSU (with Heisman winner Joe Burrow) and #5 Georgia. Thy earned a New Year's Six Bowl Game at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL against the Virginia Cavaliers. The Gators defeated the Cavaliers 36-28 to win the Orange Bowl and finish the season with a 11-2 record. This completed back-to-back 10-win seasons for Dan Mullen.

Scroll down to see our favorite images from the season and make sure to tap ENJOY in the top right corner to show our story some love!

Photographers: Matt Pendleton and Chris Gomez (Assistant)
Locations: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at University of Florida in Gainesville, FL

Season In Review: Florida Gators Football

The Gear

It takes a ton of gear to ensure we're ready to create football images. Here's the gear we used this season:

Cameras: Canon 1D-X Mark II, Canon 1D-X
Lenses: Canon 85mm f1.4L IS, Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II, Canon 70-200mm f2.8L II, Canon 200-400mm f4L IS w 1.4x extender, Canon 300mm f2.8L
Gear: Lexar 32GB Memory Cards and Readers, Tiffen UV filters, Hoodman eyecups
Grip and Support: Black Rapid Double Breathe camera straps, Oben monopods
Weather Protection: Columbia outerwear rain jacket and pants, ThinkTank Hydrophobia camera rain protective gear
Lighting: Available light and Profoto A1X

Full Gear List

Practice, Practice, Practice

We were able to cover two open practices prior to the season. Both were held at the Indoor Practice Facility at the Sanders Practice Fields.

Week 0: Miami

The Gators kicked off the season in Week 0 in Orlando at the Camping World Kickoff versus the University of Miami. This game was part of the kickoff for the 150th year of college football and they were the only college game that weekend. ESPN College GameDay was on-site too.

In just the third meeting between both teams since 2005 and first since 2013, this game was highly anticipated and the stadium was packed with Florida fans. The Gators defeated the Hurricanes 24-20 to go 1-0 on the season.

Game 2: UT Martin

The best part of home games occurs before it even starts: Gator Walk. The team takes a ceremonious walk from their bus down the brick walk outside the north end of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium high-fiving and cheering the fans who have lined the streets. For this game, we had some really beautiful light.

Their second game of season and first home game, the Gators took on the UT-Martin Skyhawks. They defeated the Skyhawks 45-0 to go 2-0 on the season.

Pre-game always gives us some great images from fireworks to candids.

Game 4: Tennessee

The Tennessee game is a fan favorite especially when it's in Gainesville. This game was even more special as it was Kyle Trask's first college start at QB. He took over for the injured Feleipe Franks vs Kentucky the previous week and earned a comeback win.

The Gators defeated the Vols 34-3 to go 4-0 on the season.

The light just kept getting better and better as the game progressed. The images towards the end of the game were some of the best lit.

Post-game you could see that the team was rallying behind new QB Kyle Trask and also supporting QB Feleipe Franks, who was ruled out for season with a dislocated ankle injury.

Game 5: Towson

The Towson Tigers came to town (one of three back-to-back teams the Gators will play with a Tiger as a mascot) and it was a good warmup for the Gators. The next game would be top-ranked Auburn.

The Gators defeated the Tigers 38-0 to go 5-0 on the season.

Game 6: Auburn

Homecoming is such a fun week! Add in top-ranked Auburn and you have one of the loudest games ever at The Swamp. Prior to the game, former Gators RB Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith and celebrity Two-Bits, former Gator golfer Billy Horschel, were getting hyped.

The team entrance was one of the loudest we've heard and the stadium truly shaked as 90,584 fans roared. The Gators wore throwback uniforms that became an instant classic.

The Gators defeated the Tigers 24-13 to go 6-0 on the season.

Game 9: Florida-Georgia

The annual World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party takes place in Jacksonville, FL at TIAA Bank Field versus the Georgia Bulldogs. This year, SEC Nation (SEC Network's College GameDay equivalent), took over the west side of the stadium. We were able to capture images during the filming of the morning segments.

Inside, the stadium was split between blue and red. Blanco Brown performed his hit song "The Git Up" and Gator Hall of Famer, Tim Tebow, made an appearance.

The Gators lost to the Bulldogs 17-24 to go 7-2 on the season.

Game 10: Vanderbilt

The Vanderbilt Commodores came to town for the Saluting Those Who Serve game on Veteran's Day weekend. The Gators bounced back from the loss in Jacksonville. Pre-game festivities included a flyover by military helicopters and beautiful light.

The Gators defeated the Commodores 56-0 to go 8-2 on the season.

This wild play resulted in a turnover but was really fun to capture. It's amazing how quick a touchdown switches into a turnover.

Game 12: Florida State

The Florida State game caps the regular season and is normally a very contentious game due to the rivalry. 2019 was a down year for FSU but the game still produced some great highlights.

The Gators defeated the Seminoles 40-7 to go 10-2 on the season.

We evan had a surprise visit from The Bachelorette Season 13's Rachel Lindsay and her husband, Bryan Abasolo (UF grad).

Jon Greenard was a fun player to cover this season. He was part of an electrifying Florida defense that ranked in the Top-10.

We ran all the way up to Row 90 to capture these two images. The first is from the new tradition that occurs between the 3rd and 4th quarters where the fans sing to Gainesville native Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" song.

The second is from fireworks at the end of the song.

Behind The Lens

Here are some of our good photographer friends who work just as hard as the rest capture amazing images for their media outlets.

Until Next Year

A big thanks to our partners who hired us to work for their outlets. We are especially thankful for Thomas Goldkamp and Pat Tholey (247Sports) and Brad McClenny, Arnold Feliciano, and Doug Engle (The Gainesville Sun) who are great partners!

We're looking forward to another year covering the Florida Gators and college football. We are always looking for new opportunities covering sports. Feel free to reach out to hire us to cover your team!