With the creation of the University of Florida via the Buckman act and the establishment of the campus in Gainesville, the university fielded its first football team in 1906 led by former Clemson star Jack “Pee Wee” Forsythe. Forsythe coached for three seasons compiling a 14–6–2 record with a 0.682 winning percentage. In addition to his coaching duties, Forsythe also played on the team as a fullback and was paid $500 for coaching and another $500 for playing. In their first game, the University of Florida football team defeated Gainesville Athletic Club 6-0 on Oct. 5, 1906 in front of a “crowd” of 150 people (the university had 100 students enrolled at the time). The game was played on a fenced in field in Porter's community center in Gainesville so the university could charge admission. The profit from the game was $5.20. The team finished the 1906 season with a 5-3 record. In 1907, the Florida football team posted a 4–1–1 record, due in large part to the play of star Tailback and Quarterback Willie Shands from Gainesville, who later was elected as a state senator and helped found the UF medical school in 1953. The 1908 team featuring Willie Shands finished with a record of 5-2-1. During this time, Earle "Dummy" Taylor became the only UF player to earn five football letters. He played five seasons as a halfback and drop-kicker, beginning with his freshman season in 1908. He ran for touchdowns of 43, 75 and 60 yards in a 28-3 win over Rollins in 1909. His field-goal records for a game (three), season (eight in 1911) and career (16) stood until the mid 1970s.
In 1908, Gainesville merchant Phillip Miller, on a visit to Charlottesville, Va., went to the local Michie Company to see about having banners and pennants made to sell at his store in Gainesville for Florida games. When asked what picture to put on the pennants, Miller reasoning that there were millions of alligators in Florida and that they were native to the state, chose a picture of an alligator. Because the Michie Company already had banners made in Orange and Blue, Miller chose these colors. Displayed in his store, the name "Alligators" was quickly adopted by the student body to describe the Florida football team. In 1911, the team formally adopted the name "Gators" and the school colors of Orange and Blue. Throughout the 1910s, the Gators operated as an independent team and played a number of reputable opponents – including their first game against South Carolina in 1911 and UGA in 1915.
In 1909, George E. Pyle replaced Jack Forsythe as the Florida head coach, and he held that position for five seasons, from 1909 to 1913. In 1911, Pyle led Florida to its first and only undefeated season when the newly-christened Gators posted a 5–0–1 record. In 1912, the Gators became part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, facing Auburn for the first time (UF had played South Carolina for the first time in 1911) and meeting up with Georgia in 1915. Florida posted a 5–2–1 record that year and after the season, the team participated in its first post-season game, the Bacardi Bowl held in Havana, Cuba.
In 1908, Gainesville merchant Phillip Miller, on a visit to Charlottesville, Va., went to the local Michie Company to see about having banners and pennants made to sell at his store in Gainesville for Florida games. When asked what picture to put on the pennants, Miller reasoning that there were millions of alligators in Florida and that they were native to the state, chose a picture of an alligator. Because the Michie Company already had banners made in Orange and Blue, Miller chose these colors. Displayed in his store, the name "Alligators" was quickly adopted by the student body to describe the Florida football team. In 1911, the team formally adopted the name "Gators" and the school colors of Orange and Blue. Throughout the 1910s, the Gators operated as an independent team and played a number of reputable opponents – including their first game against South Carolina in 1911 and UGA in 1915.
In 1909, George E. Pyle replaced Jack Forsythe as the Florida head coach, and he held that position for five seasons, from 1909 to 1913. In 1911, Pyle led Florida to its first and only undefeated season when the newly-christened Gators posted a 5–0–1 record. In 1912, the Gators became part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, facing Auburn for the first time (UF had played South Carolina for the first time in 1911) and meeting up with Georgia in 1915. Florida posted a 5–2–1 record that year and after the season, the team participated in its first post-season game, the Bacardi Bowl held in Havana, Cuba.