The University of Florida made a historic comeback to beat Auburn in the Final Four and will now face the University of Houston in the NCAA national championship. And they’ve got a lot of big-name celebrities on their side.
Several talented and well-known public figures are products of Florida, from athletes to broadcasters to musicians and business leaders. Here are some of the biggest names to call themselves Gators.
Famous Florida Gator alumsEmmitt Smith
Graduation year/degree: Left in 1989 after his junior year to join the NFL, but returned and got his bachelor’s degree in public relations in 1996
Why he’s famous: Dallas Cowboys running back and Hall of Famer – holds the NFL record in career rushing yards with 18,355
Tim Tebow
Graduation year/degree: 2009 – BA in family, youth, and community sciences
Why he’s famous: college football career with the Gators – first underclassman to win the Heisman Award; former NFL quarterback
Erin Andrews
Graduation year/degree: 2000 – BA in telecommunications
Why she’s famous: Fox Sports sideline reporter, formerly worked for ESPN, television personality
Bob Bryar
Graduation year/degree: 1990s – Bachelor’s in sound engineering
Why he’s famous: drummer for emo/punk band My Chemical Romance
Titus O’Neil (Thaddeus Bullard)
Graduation year/degree: 2000 – BA in sociology; 2001 – Master of Education, administrative education
Why he’s famous: Professional WWE wrestler and former arena football player
Chris Collinsworth
Graduation year/degree: 1981 – Bacherlor’s in accounting
Why he’s famous: TV commentator for Fox NFL Sunday and HBO’s Inside the NFL; former NFL wide receiver
Faye Dunaway
Years attended/Studies: Late 1950s, early 1960s – education; transferred to Boston University’s School of Fine and Applied Arts
Why she’s famous: Actress; breakout role as Bonnie Parker in the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde”; won an Academy Award for the movie “Network” in 1977
Darrell Hammond
Graduation year/degree: 1978 – Bachelor of Science in advertising
Why he’s famous: Actor, comedian, impressionist, and announcer; best known for his role on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2009; has been an SNL announcer since 2014
Marshall Nirenberg
Graduation year/degree:1948 – Bachelor of Science; 1952 – Master of Science in zoology
Why he’s famous: Won the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine for cracking the genetic code and describing protein synthesis in 1968
Marshall Warren Nirenberg, the American biochemist and geneticist was born on this day in 1927. He was awarded the #Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for “breaking the genetic code” with Har Gobind Khorana and Robert W. Holley. pic.twitter.com/NHonOGYaXc
— The Royal Society (@royalsociety) April 10, 2019
Jesse Palmer
Graduation year/degree: 2001 – BA in political science and BS in marketing
Why he’s famous: TV commentator for ESPN and ABC; NFL Insider for TSN; former NFL quarterback; contestant and host on the ABC reality show “The Bachelor”
Stephen Root
Graduation year/degree: 1972 – Associate of Arts
Why he’s famous: Actor, Emmy-nominated; best known for his role as Milton in “Office Space” in 1999
Hal Steinbrenner
Graduation year/degree: 1994 – Master of Business Administration
Why he’s famous: New York Yankees executive vice president and general partner
Jack Youngblood
Graduation Year/degree: 1972 – BS in finance
Why he’s famous: NFL/College Football Hall of Famer; Emmy-nominated actor; broadcaster; author
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