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Gators flags flying, blue captains chairs set up. As the sun was nearly gone from view, at least a dozen RVs were parked there when I arrived. One of seven campus-operated facilities that allows RV parking, Lot 52 is a small triangular stretch encompassed by Archer Road, SW 16th Avenue, and Shelley Drive. Still, the mission of the day was to get in with the RV people, and by early evening it was time. Blue polos with orange Nike checks, gray t-shirts with the iconic Gators logo and, yes, a little bit of Crimson-colored clothing with the Under Armour logo and block ‘U’ as well. Over the course of an hour in the late afternoon, the place began to fill up. Spurrier will get credit because his name is on it, but whoever First Magnitude’s brewmaster is did a fantastic job. The 52-20 Pale Ale is hoppy, and perfectly so that you’re not overwhelmed by the first sip. The 1966 Lager is on the light side, crisp, refreshing. Lots of taps, but only two of them need attention. Two bartenders, a bar, the draft list, and the taps. The tap room is, as craft brewery tap rooms sometimes tend to be, frills-free and to the point. At Spurrier’s, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, and at the First Magnitude taproom.įirst Magnitude is unassuming and easily missable, tucked away downtown, across from a bus depot, in the middle of a maze of side streets. Those Spurrier-branded beers are only available in three locations. Florida’s first of three national championships came in 1996 after it defeated unbeaten Florida State in the Sugar Bowl, 52-20. There is 1966 Lager, of course for the Heisman Year, and 52-20 Pale Ale. The big recent Spurrier-related news is that a popular local brewery, First Magnitude, has partnered with him to create “Head Beer Coach” selections, a play on his nickname, Head Ball Coach. Gators football is the thing most synonymous with Gainesville, and Spurrier, who has been known to touch tables at his restaurant quite frequently, essentially owns them both.

Two things became clear, if they weren’t already, in walking around the building for 20 minutes. (Josh Newman | The Salt Lake Tribune) A collection of Steve Spurrier's visors and hats at the iconic University of Florida player/coach's Gainesville restaurant The rooftop bar inside the restaurant is aptly named “Visors.” One nice touch is taking the elevator to the second floor, looking to your right, and seeing a hanging glass case with dozens of Spurrier’s trademark visors from years gone by. Conference and national championship rings, Coach of the Year citations, the kicking shoe he used to boot a 40-yard field goal to beat Auburn, 30-27, and clinch that ‘66 Heisman, bowl game watches, a personal letter from President Bill Clinton. His 1966 Heisman Trophy is prominently displayed on the ground floor.

The establishment’s namesake, former Gators Heisman Trophy winner and head coach Steve Spurrier, has quite literally taken six decades worth of memorabilia and sprayed it all over his restaurant. The food is very good, but it might be a better time capsule than a restaurant. In that one year, it has garnered rave reviews for two reasons. Let’s start at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille, an 18,600-square-foot, $12-million restaurant that has billed itself as “polished casual” for the one year it has been open. If you like college football, that’s not hard to do here.