GAINESVILLE — Florida coach Dan Mullen spent Saturday at the third round of the Players Championship, watching the world’s top golfers and mingling among a throng of enthusiastic fans.
The energy of a crowd — in this case reduced to 20% due to COVID-19 concerns — and experience of being on-site is central to sports. It was noticeably missing during the 2020 season, when massive stadiums around the SEC were sparsely populated.
Mullen hopes there is enough time before the Gators’ Sept. 4 season-opener against FAU to reestablish the Swamp as one of best home-field advantages in college football.