After 40 years, the epic and controversial 1984 Florida football team is welcomed home

The 1984 Florida football team was arguably the best in school history. It was inarguably the most controversial.

The mixed legacy has made that team an enduringly emotional and touchy topic among UF fans. But after 40 years, the school has decided to embrace the 1984 Gators .

It will welcome that team before the Homecoming game against Kentucky on Oct. 19 ^th . In a way, that means the Orwellian football story of 1984 will come full circle.

The Gators beat Kentucky 25-17 on Nov. 17, 1984, to clinch the school’s first SEC championship. Six months later, SEC presidents voted to strip the title due to NCAA violations committed under Charley Pell.

The cheating scandal had engulfed the whole season, forcing Pell to resign after three games. That turmoil galvanized the players.

“We looked each other in the eye and said, ‘It’s us!’ It was our mantra, ‘Us Against the World,’” said guard Billy Hinson.

Florida won eight straight games under interim coach Galen Hall and finished 9-1-1. But in October, the NCAA banned UF from bowl appearances for two years and reduced scholarships for incoming players.

The SEC sent conference runner-up LSU to the Sugar Bowl. Florida ended its season with a 27-17 win over FSU.

“I truly think we are the best team in the nation,” Hall said after that victory.

The New York Times and Sporting News agreed, placing the Gators No. 1 in their final rankings. But the AP and UPI polls did not consider teams on probation.

“Rules are rules,” Hinson said. “We get it. But at the same time, we did win the championship on the field.”

They did, but the 1984 SEC championship is still officially listed as “Vacated.”

That’s left the school in a ticklish spot for decades when it comes to recognizing the team. Then came Tuesday’s announcement.

“We are excited to welcome the 1984 Gators football team back to campus for the Kentucky game and Homecoming weekend,” athletic director Scott Stricklin said, “It will be a wonderful opportunity to recognize them for their special accomplishments while allowing them to reconnect with their teammates and friends.”

After 40 years, the players will be grateful.

“It will show the present team and future teams that, ‘Hey, we don’t forget our own,’” Hinson said. “That message is a win-win.”

David Whitley is The Gainesville Sun's sports columnist. Contact him at dwhitley@gannett.com. Follow him on X @DavidEWhitley

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: After 40 years, the epic and controversial 1984 Florida football team is welcomed home