GAINESVILLE -- Last October, reports surfaced that the Florida-Miami rivalry would likely be renewed in 2019.
But after six months of radio silence, Gators athletics director Jeremy Foley essentially confirmed the rumors on Wednesday.
Florida and Miami are close to reaching an agreement to play in football in Orlando in 2019, UF athletic director Jeremy Foley said.
— Robbie Andreu (@RobbieAndreu) April 13, 2016
Foley said renewing the UF-UM football rivalry on a regular basis is not on the agenda.
— Robbie Andreu (@RobbieAndreu) April 13, 2016
Foley said he's confident the game in Orlando will become official in a couple of months. Just a matter of doting some i's, crossing t's.
— Robbie Andreu (@RobbieAndreu) April 13, 2016
The Gators and Hurricanes would meet in Orlando in the newly renovated Citrus Bowl.
Foley told the Sun, “There’s a very good chance it will happen, but that’s not final yet.”
He later added, “I’m confident it will happen. Hopefully we’ll know something in the next couple of months.”
Florida and Miami have played just six times since the annual series was discontinued in 1987. The Hurricane beat the Gators 21-16 in 2013 -- the most recent meeting in the rivalry.
The timing on Foley’s statement comes just one day after Florida head coach Jim McElwain was asked about playing Miami at a campus event Tuesday.
“It’s something we’ve talked about,” McElwain said.
“There might be some things in the works, and yet, I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag there at al. It’s definitely not one of those things that we’re dodging them, I’ll say that.”
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