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What's normal in 2024 was scandalous for the 1984 Florida Football squad

The 1984 Florida Gators won the SEC title before it was taken away in a 6-4 vote

By Benjamin Henderson

Sep 17, 1988; Gainesville, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Florida Gators head coach Galen Hall prior a game against Indiana State at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Imagn Images © Copyright Imagn Images
Sep 17, 1988; Gainesville, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Florida Gators head coach Galen Hall prior a game against Indiana State at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Imagn Images © Copyright Imagn Images / RVR Photos-Imagn Images
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In 2024, it is commonplace for Florida Football to pay and house players in the nicest facilities. In fact, if the Gators don't do that, they fall behind in the world of recruiting, and we, as fans, ask questions as to where the money is to keep up.

40 years ago, this was considered taboo, and sheer pettiness from the SEC robbed Florida of an accomplishment many others have been able to hold on to.

Florida Football: Welcome Back

This Saturday, Florida will welcome back the 1984 team as part of the homecoming festivities. The squad began the season with Charlie Pell in charge, but he was invited to leave in the wake of 107 infractions that ranged from paying players to putting walk-ons in athletic dorms.

Galen Hall finished out the season, and with Kerwin Bell at the helm at QB, the Gators finished the season 9-1-1 and 5-0-1 in SEC play. The Gators won the SEC for the first time in school history, were ranked third in the country in the AP poll, and had the New York Times and The Sporting News declare Florida as the number one team in the country.

Then, 193 days later, it was taken away.

In a 6-4 vote at SEC Spring Meetings, it is believed that LSU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Georiga, Ole Miss, and Kentucky all got together to strip Florida of the 1984 SEC title. To this day, the title is still listed as "Vacant."

The Times They Are A Changing

Almost everything Florida was accused of doing under Charlie Pell is commonplace now in college football. Even spying allegations aren't met with as harsh punishment as they are today (AKA Michigan).

The shame of it is guys like John Williams, Neal Anderson, Lorenzo Hampton, Ricky Nattiel, Lomas Brown, Tim Newton, Alonzo Johnson, and Bell should be held in the same regard as we remember the 1996, 2006, and 2008 squads.

And if Florida really wanted to, they could take what the Heisman committee did as precedent to formally honor the team.

Reggie Bush had his 2005 Heisman taken away after allegations of impermissible benefits. But this past April, the committee reinstated the award, stating that "Recognizing that the compensation of student athletes is an accepted practice and appears here to stay, these fundamental changes in college athletics led the Trust to decide that now is the right time to return the Trophy to Bush, who unquestionably was the most outstanding college football player of 2005."

Florida was the most outstanding team on the field in 1984.

It's time to do what is right and give those Gators their flowers.

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