Urban Meyer reveals how Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina win nearly broke him before Jarvis Moss saved Florida’s championship hopes

Urban Meyer has opened up about one of the hardest periods of his coaching career, revealing how Florida fans turned against him after a painful loss to South Carolina in 2005. The former Gators coach recalled being booed at his own radio show and receiving hateful messages telling him to leave Gainesville. The experience became so difficult that he began worrying about his family’s future if results did not improve.Urban Meyer reveals how Florida fans turned against him after Steve Spurrier’s 2005 winSpeaking on A Peek Inside Florida Football on November 4, Meyer looked back at his early days in Gainesville and explained how much the criticism affected him. Florida had lost 30-22 to South Carolina on November 12, 2005, ending its 14-game winning streak against the Gamecocks. It was also a special win for Steve Spurrier, who was coaching South Carolina after spending 12 seasons leading Florida.For Meyer, the defeat was difficult for another reason. Spurrier was still a much-loved figure in Gainesville, having led the Gators to their first national championship in 1996. Meyer was trying to build his own legacy while dealing with the pressure of following one of the most successful coaches in the program’s history.The reaction from fans was something Meyer had not expected. Recalling the experience, he said, “I remember the year before when we lost to South Carolina. I went to my radio show, and I got booed.”He also spoke about how the criticism followed him beyond the stadium. “We lost a few games, and you know, Shelley didn’t feel it as much as I did. I couldn’t stand it. You know, I just didn’t feel welcome. I lost to Alabama, lost to LSU, and I couldn’t really go anywhere. Imagine walking into your radio show and getting booed.”The messages he received made the situation even harder. “Emails and letters and Nancy would try to hide them from me,” Meyer said. “You know, about get the hell out of the town and you don’t belong here, and so it was rugged.”He described that period as miserable, admitting that the hostility made it difficult to enjoy life outside football.Jarvis Moss’ block against Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina saved Urban Meyer’s Florida careerA year after the loss, Meyer got another chance to face Spurrier, this time at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 11, 2006. Florida needed a win to secure its place in the SEC Championship Game, but South Carolina made the contest extremely close.The Gamecocks held a 16-10 lead in the fourth quarter before quarterback Chris Leak connected with Dallas Baker for a 21-yard touchdown. Florida took a 17-16 lead, but South Carolina still had an opportunity to win.With eight seconds left, Ryan Succop lined up for a 48-yard field goal. Defensive end Jarvis Moss broke through and blocked the kick, securing Florida’s one-point victory.That win helped Florida finish its SEC East campaign undefeated. The Gators later defeated Arkansas 38-28 in the SEC Championship Game and beat Ohio State 41-14 to win the national championship.However, Meyer revealed that his thoughts at the time were far from celebrating a possible title.“I wasn’t thinking national title,” he recalled. “I was thinking about the ramifications on my family, on me, on our program. And I looked at the livelihood of my family, myself. And the reality was that if we lose this one now, this is going to be tough to rally back.”The memory also comes as Florida tries to recover from a difficult start under first-year head coach Jon Sumrall. The Gators were 5-3 heading into their November 7 game against Oklahoma after losing 27-8 to Georgia on October 31.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.