Remember when Florida football decided “Gator Bait” was too controversial?
Yeah. That’s over.
The chant returned to The Swamp Saturday night for the first time since 2020, and the reaction was exactly what you’d expect from 90,000 Gator fans who had been waiting six years to get it back.
And honestly?
Good.
College football is supposed to have traditions that are loud, ridiculous and deeply ingrained in a school’s identity.
“Gator Bait” is Florida.
It was part of the atmosphere. It was part of the culture. It was something fans did together on Saturdays.
Now it’s back.
Florida’s new president Stuart Bell said traditions matter and specifically noted that the cheer was meaningful to the Gator family. Apparently, enough people finally decided that maybe preserving college football traditions isn’t such a terrible idea after all.
The political arguments surrounding it will probably continue.
Fine.
Let people argue.
Meanwhile, Florida fans get to yell GATOR BAIT again.
And The Swamp is better for it.
