Swamp not sold out

Tickets at Florida home games are limited to 17,000 because of restrictions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, but tickets are still available for the No. 3 Gators’ home opener against South Carolina on Saturday.

It seems a bit surprising considering Florida is 22-5 under Coach Dan Mullen and opened with a 51-35 victory at Ole Miss last week.

“You know it’s going to be great to be home and back to being in the home environment — playing in the Swamp, there is no environment like it,” Mullen said at his Monday news conference. “I can’t wait to see it.”

Others are waiting. “Even though there is a limited capacity at stadiums right now, fans can make a huge difference,” said Mullen, continuing his sales pitch. “We can’t pack the Swamp, but we can maximize what we can do at the Swamp on Saturdays.

“I know there are still tickets available for the game, which is something that is a little bit different, unique. All the Gator Nation out there, if you want to come to the game, please get in touch to the ticket office.”

Apparently ticket sales the early part of the week haven’t been brisk, because Mullen opened his time on the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday by again letting it be known seats are available.

“Any fan that wants to come to the game, they can come see their Gators play,” Mullen said. “Kind of feel normal and get in the Swamp here for a beautiful Saturday afternoon of some fall football.”

South Carolina Coach Will Muschamp, who previously coached at Florida, said it’s not a shock the game isn’t a sellout even with drastically reduced capacity.

“We have a pandemic going on, and I know that we’re playing college football, and I’m glad we are. I think it’s the right decision,” Muschamp said. “But I do think there’s a concern out there in our country with the coronavirus. I think that’s still there. It’s real, and that’s not going away.”