Florida Senate - 2009 (NP) SR 2528 By Senator Oelrich 14-02228-09 20092528__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution congratulating the University of Florida 3 football team for winning the 2009 Bowl Championship 4 Series National Championship Game. 5 6 WHEREAS, the University of Florida Gators have long been 7 recognized for their winning tradition in all sports, and 8 WHEREAS, the University of Florida Gators football team has 9 continued this tradition of athletic excellence, achieved and 10 maintained through its hard work, determination, unselfish play, 11 and team-first attitude, and 12 WHEREAS, the University of Florida football team defeated 13 the then top-ranked University of Alabama 31-20 in the 14 Southeastern Conference Championship Game on December 6, 2008, 15 giving the Gators their eighth conference championship, and 16 WHEREAS, under Athletic Director Jeremy Foley and head 17 coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff, the second-ranked 18 Florida Gator players came together to form a championship team, 19 earning a 24-14 victory over top-ranked University of Oklahoma 20 in the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game on 21 January 8, 2009, and 22 WHEREAS, the Florida Gators previously won BCS Football 23 Championships on January 2, 1997, and January 8, 2007, and 24 WHEREAS, with the 2009 Bowl Championship Series National 25 Championship win, the University of Florida earned its third 26 national football title, and its second in the past three 27 seasons, NOW, THEREFORE, 28 29 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 30 31 That the Florida Senate congratulates the University of 32 Florida football team for winning the 2009 Bowl Championship 33 Series National Championship Game, earning the university's 34 third national football title. 35 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with 36 the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to the President of 37 the University of Florida, Dr. J. Bernard Machen, to Athletic 38 Director Jeremy Foley, to Coach Urban Meyer, and to each 39 assistant coach and member of the Florida Gators football team 40 as a tangible token of the sentiments of the Florida Senate.