The Wandering Disciple

Welcome to the Swamp.... you're in gator country now! As you pass through the tunnel and emerge into the stadium, you enter into one of the most prestigious stadiums in college football. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is home to the Florida Gators and 88,543 screaming fans on game day.  The stadium opened as Florida Field in 1930 and underwent multiple renovations throughout the years to become the facility we know today as the swamp. The stadium is the largest college football stadium in Florida and is consistently rated as one of the toughest stadiums to play in for opponents of the Gators.  Taken: November 10, 2013 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)

Port Charlotte, Florida: While cold winter weather has taken hold of a good chunk of the country, it was still baseball season in South Florida where the boys of summer faced off for a late fall exhibition match-up at Charlotte Sports Park. On Sunday evening it was the USA Baseball 18U National Team hosting the University of Florida Gators. The USA Baseball team is currently playing a series of exhibition games in Florida to evaluate their players and prepare themselves for upcoming tournament play. Tonight they put their unbeaten streak on the line against a tough Gators team. Click on the photo above to view photos from the USA Baseball/Gators photo gallery .

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, commonly known as The Swamp, is one of the toughest college football stadiums for a visiting team to play in the nation.  Home to the Florida Gators, the Swamp can hold over 88,000 screaming Gators fans on game day. (Photo: November 10, 2013)

It may be quiet and empty now but on Saturday afternoons in the fall, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium comes to life with thousands of screaming Gators fans. More commonly known as the “The Swamp” the stadium is rated as one of the toughest places to place because of the crowd noise. (Photo: November 10, 2013)

Gainesville, Florida: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, better known as The Swamp, is the home of the University of Florida football team. Over 88,000 Gators fans flock to the stadium on game day, making it the eleventh largest stadium in college football. The Swamp has been the permanent home of the Gators for over eighty years. Designed by architect Rudolph Weaver, the stadium officially opened in 1930. The stadium has seen many renovations over the years to accommodate the growth of the organization, eventually expanding to the current seating of 88,548 permanent seats. The Gators are the sole occupants of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. In addition to the Gators, they hosted the Tangerine Bowl in 1973 and the Gator Bowl in 1994. On non-game day, the stadium is opened to the public for exercise or sight seeing. Tickets for Florida Gators games can be purchased through the university. The range in price depending on game and seat location.