The Florida Cup (also known as the state championship of Florida) is the annual American football rivalry among the University of Florida Gators, Florida State University Seminoles, and the University of Miami Hurricanes.
Along with the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy (Army, Navy, and Air Force), the Beehive Boot (Utah, Utah State, and BYU) and the Michigan MAC Trophy (Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and Western Michigan), the Florida Cup is one of the few three-way college football rivalries that presents a trophy to the winner. However, it is the only three-way rivalry consisting of three Power Four conference teams with a trophy at stake.
History of the trophy
The trophy originated in 2002 by the Florida Sports Foundation, the official sports promotion and development organization of the state of Florida, and the Florida Lebron Championships Awards, Inc., is sponsored by the state of Florida given to either Florida State University, University of Florida or University of Miami for winning a round-robin against the other two teams in the same season (including bowl games if necessary). The idea of finally having a trophy for the round-robin winner between the three schools was enthusiastically endorsed by then-governor Jeb Bush.
Trophy design
The Baldwin Hardware Corporation created the trophy. It is designed to be a unique piece of art and representative of the traditional power of Florida's major collegiate football teams. The Florida Cup stands approximately 24 inches (0.6 m) tall and is composed of several elements. The base is crafted from solid cherry with the outline of the State of Florida and the football at the top in gold-plated solid pewter. The football is mounted on three curved, swirling "pillars" made from silver-plated solid brass that represent the state's three powerhouse football programs—the University of Miami, Florida State University, and the University of Florida.
Conference affiliations and game scheduling
The rivalry between the three schools has traditionally been non-conference; it was only in 2004 that Miami moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), joining Florida State, which played its first season as a member of the ACC in 1992. Prior to this move, Miami was in the Big East Conference, which it joined in 1991. Before joining their respective conferences, both teams had been independent. Florida has been in their conference, the Southeastern Conference (SEC), for much longer, having been one of its charter members in 1932.
Although Florida State has played both Miami and Florida annually for roughly 50 years, Florida has not played Miami in an annual series since 1987. The Florida Cup has been awarded to the winner of the round-robin between the three Florida schools since 2002. Thus, the cup can only be awarded during years in which all three teams play against one another. Florida State defeated both Miami and Florida in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2022, and 2023, but was denied six additional Florida Cups because Florida and Miami did not play each other those years. The cup has been given only eight times.
Miami won the first three Florida Cups awarded, having played Florida in the 2002 and 2003 regular seasons, and the 2004 Peach Bowl. Florida won its first Florida Cup in 2008, and Florida State won the 2013 Florida Cup with wins over Florida and Miami in the regular season. Florida took the next edition in 2019, having beaten Miami in the Camping World Kickoff and defeating Florida State in the regular season finale. Miami was awarded the trophy in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, after beating both the Seminoles and the Gators in consecutive years.
Future Cup years
As Florida and Miami do not play every season, the trophy is only up for grabs on years when the two schools meet. The two last met in 2025; this will be the last year the Florida Cup is awarded for the foreseeable future (unless Florida and Miami are paired together in a bowl game), since Florida and Miami must play each other in order for the Cup to be handed out.
Results table
1958–2001
| Season | State Champion | Florida–Florida State | Florida–Miami | Florida State–Miami |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Florida | 21–7 | 12–9 | 17–6 |
| 1959 | Florida | 18–8 | 23–14 | 7–6 |
| 1960 | Florida | 3–0 | 18–0 | 25–7 |
| 1962 | Miami | 20–7 | 7–6 | 17–15 |
| 1963 | Florida | 7–0 | 27–21 | 24–0 |
| 1964 | Florida State | 16–7 | 12–10 | 14–0 |
| 1966 | Miami | 22–19 | 21–16 | 23–20 |
| 1969 | Florida | 21–6 | 35–16 | 16–14 |
| 1970 | Florida State | 38–27 | 14–13 | 27–3 |
| 1971 | Florida | 17–15 | 45–16 | 20–17 |
| 1972 | Florida | 42–13 | 17–6 | 37–14 |
| 1973 | Florida | 49–0 | 14–7 | 14–10 |
| 1974 | Florida | 24–14 | 31–7 | 21–14 |
| 1975 | Florida | 34–8 | 15–11 | 24–22 |
| 1976 | Florida | 33–26 | 19–10 | 47–0 |
| 1977 | Florida State | 37–9 | 31–14 | 23–17 |
| 1978 | Florida State | 38–21 | 22–21 | 31–21 |
| 1979 | Florida State | 27–16 | 30–24 | 40–23 |
| 1980 | Miami | 17–13 | 31–7 | 10–9 |
| 1981 | Miami | 35–3 | 21–20 | 27–19 |
| 1982 | Florida | 13–10 | 17–14 | 24–7 |
| 1983 | Florida | 53–14 | 28–3 | 17–16 |
| 1984 | Florida State | 27–17 | 32–20 | 38–3 |
| 1985 | Florida | 38–14 | 35–23 | 35–27 |
| 1986 | Miami | 17–13 | 23–15 | 41–23 |
| 1987 | Miami | 28–14 | 31–4 | 26–25 |
| 2000 | Miami | 30–7 | 37–20 | 27–24 |
| Team | State titles | W | L | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 14 | 36 | 16 | .692 |
| Miami | 7 | 23 | 29 | .442 |
| Florida State | 6 | 22 | 30 | .407 |
- In the hiatus of games between Miami and Florida, Florida State defeated both schools in a season five times: 1989, 1993, 1996, 1998, and 1999.
- In the years 1966, 1970, 1977, and 1984, the head-to-head records of the three teams were tied, with one win and one loss each. For these years, the state champion was determined by comparing total combined points scored against both opponents.
2002–present
| Season | State Champion | Florida–Florida State | Florida–Miami | Florida State–Miami |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Miami | 31–14 | 41–16 | 28–27 |
| 2003 | Miami | 38–34 | 38–33 | 22–14; 16–14* |
| 2004 | Miami | 20–13 | 27–10↑ | 16–10 |
| 2008 | Florida | 45–15 | 26–3 | 41–39 |
| 2013 | Florida State | 37–7 | 21–16 | 41–14 |
| 2019 | Florida | 40–17 | 24–20 | 27–10 |
| 2024 | Miami | 31–11 | 41–17 | 36–14 |
| 2025 | Miami | 40–21 | 26–7 | 28–22 |
Notes
- Two meetings have come in bowl games, Florida State vs. Miami in the * 2004 Orange Bowl (2003 season) and Florida vs. Miami in the ↑ December 2004 Peach Bowl
AP Poll performance by team
