The Florida Gators colors are orange and blue. The University of Florida lists them as Core Orange (#FA4616, PMS 172) and Core Blue (#0021A5, PMS 287).
Short answer done. Now for the part where we explain why a school full of alligators picked a palette with zero green. Spoiler: the story starts with two schools that merged.
By the editorial team. Facts below come from the UF Brand Center and the university's own pages. Where sources disagree, we say so.
Florida Gators Colors at a Glance
UF calls its palette "orange and blue" and says it is the core of the brand. The Brand Center states that these two primaries have not changed in its latest guide.
| Color | Pantone | HEX | RGB | CMYK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Orange | PMS 172 | #FA4616 | 250, 70, 22 | 0, 70, 100, 0 |
| Core Blue | PMS 287 | #0021A5 | 0, 33, 165 | 100, 60, 0, 20 |
UF warns that its color builds are tuned for screen and print. They may not match Pantone Color Bridge breakdowns, so use the listed values.
A Quick Warning About Blue Codes
Some third-party sites list the blue as #003087. That does not match UF's own table. When in doubt, trust the school.
Where the Orange and Blue Came From
The modern university opened in Gainesville in 1906. It merged older schools, and two of them mattered most for colors: the East Florida Seminary and the Florida Agricultural College.
UF's College of Public Health and Health Professions says the school fielded its first football team in fall 1906 and adopted orange and blue then. It describes the palette as a mix of the two predecessor schools' colors.
The Merger Math
- East Florida Seminary (Gainesville): orange and black.
- Florida Agricultural College (Lake City): blue and white.
- The result: orange and blue. Black and white took the bench.
Do Sources Agree? Not Entirely
Accounts differ on the year and on which school owned which color. Some histories say the colors became official in 1906. Others say 1911, the same year the "Gators" nickname took hold.
Wikipedia's page on the 1906 Florida football team notes that early squads were often just called "the Orange and Blue." That fits either date. The safest claim is that the colors blend two predecessor schools and date to the university's first years.
Timeline: Colors, Gators and Growing Up
- 1853: East Florida Seminary is founded in Ocala. It later moves to Gainesville.
- 1884: Florida Agricultural College opens in Lake City.
- 1905: The state merges several schools into one university.
- 1906: The university opens and fields its first football team.
- 1908: A Gainesville merchant puts an alligator on pennants, with no official approval.
- 1911: The football team begins calling itself the Gators.
Sources for the 1908 and 1911 entries: UF PHHP. Dates for 1853 and 1884 come from a UF history summary.
What the Colors Mean Today
UF says the blue and orange evoke a deep emotional connection for Floridians. That is brand language, so read it as pride rather than science.
The practical meaning is simpler. Orange and blue sit opposite each other on the color wheel, so they pop together. Crowds can spot a Gators fan from a parking lot away.
What Do the Colors Signal?
- Heritage: a nod to the two schools that formed UF.
- Identity: the brand guide opens with "at our core, we are orange and blue."
- Unity: colleges and units must keep orange and blue most prominent.
How UF Uses Its Colors
The Brand Center sets clear rules. Secondary colors support the primaries but should never take over. Large fields of secondary colors should be avoided.
| Name | HEX | PMS |
|---|---|---|
| Bottlebrush | #D32737 | 1795 |
| Alachua | #F2A900 | 130 |
| Gator | #22884C | 7731 |
| Dark Blue | #002657 | 655 |
| Perennial | #6A2A60 | 7651 |
Yes, there is a color named "Gator," and it is green. Even so, it is a supporting act, not the headliner.
Brand Rules Worth Knowing
- Web ads should feature only the orange and blue.
- White should appear more than neutral colors.
- Black is for long passages of body copy only.
- Hex values are adjusted to meet WCAG AA text contrast.
The AA standard comes from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. UF points designers to the WebAIM contrast checker to test every pairing.
Tips for Using Gators Colors in Your Own Project
- Copy the codes from the official table above, not from a fan site.
- Check contrast before putting text on either color.
- Keep orange and blue dominant. Use extras sparingly.
- For commercial products, ask the university about licensing first.
UF runs a trademark and licensing program. Personal fan art is one thing, but selling merchandise is another. See the Brand Center trademarks page for the rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the official Florida Gators colors?
Orange (#FA4616, PMS 172) and blue (#0021A5, PMS 287), according to the UF Brand Center.
Why are the Gators orange and blue?
The colors most likely blend those of two predecessor schools. One used orange and black, the other blue and white.
When did UF adopt orange and blue?
Sources say 1906 or 1911. UF's own health college page points to 1906, the first football season.
What Pantone colors match the Gators?
PMS 172 for orange and PMS 287 for blue. UF notes its screen and print builds can differ slightly from Pantone breakdowns.
Is green a Gators color?
Green appears only in UF's secondary palette, as "Gator" (#22884C). The primary colors stay orange and blue.
Final Takeaway
The Florida Gators colors are orange and blue, built from two merged schools. For design work, use the official codes and keep the primaries in charge.
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Sources
The Florida Gators colors are orange and blue. The University of Florida lists them as Core Orange (#FA4616, PMS 172) and Core Blue (#0021A5, PMS 287).
Short answer done. Now for the part where we explain why a school full of alligators picked a palette with zero green. Spoiler: the story starts with two schools that merged.
By the editorial team. Facts below come from the UF Brand Center and the university's own pages. Where sources disagree, we say so.
Florida Gators Colors at a Glance
UF calls its palette "orange and blue" and says it is the core of the brand. The Brand Center states that these two primaries have not changed in its latest guide.
| Color | Pantone | HEX | RGB | CMYK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Orange | PMS 172 | #FA4616 | 250, 70, 22 | 0, 70, 100, 0 |
| Core Blue | PMS 287 | #0021A5 | 0, 33, 165 | 100, 60, 0, 20 |
UF warns that its color builds are tuned for screen and print. They may not match Pantone Color Bridge breakdowns, so use the listed values.
A Quick Warning About Blue Codes
Some third-party sites list the blue as #003087. That does not match UF's own table. When in doubt, trust the school.
Where the Orange and Blue Came From
The modern university opened in Gainesville in 1906. It merged older schools, and two of them mattered most for colors: the East Florida Seminary and the Florida Agricultural College.
UF's College of Public Health and Health Professions says the school fielded its first football team in fall 1906 and adopted orange and blue then. It describes the palette as a mix of the two predecessor schools' colors.
The Merger Math
- East Florida Seminary (Gainesville): orange and black.
- Florida Agricultural College (Lake City): blue and white.
- The result: orange and blue. Black and white took the bench.
Do Sources Agree? Not Entirely
Accounts differ on the year and on which school owned which color. Some histories say the colors became official in 1906. Others say 1911, the same year the "Gators" nickname took hold.
Wikipedia's page on the 1906 Florida football team notes that early squads were often just called "the Orange and Blue." That fits either date. The safest claim is that the colors blend two predecessor schools and date to the university's first years.
Timeline: Colors, Gators and Growing Up
- 1853: East Florida Seminary is founded in Ocala. It later moves to Gainesville.
- 1884: Florida Agricultural College opens in Lake City.
- 1905: The state merges several schools into one university.
- 1906: The university opens and fields its first football team.
- 1908: A Gainesville merchant puts an alligator on pennants, with no official approval.
- 1911: The football team begins calling itself the Gators.
Sources for the 1908 and 1911 entries: UF PHHP. Dates for 1853 and 1884 come from a UF history summary.
What the Colors Mean Today
UF says the blue and orange evoke a deep emotional connection for Floridians. That is brand language, so read it as pride rather than science.
The practical meaning is simpler. Orange and blue sit opposite each other on the color wheel, so they pop together. Crowds can spot a Gators fan from a parking lot away.
What Do the Colors Signal?
- Heritage: a nod to the two schools that formed UF.
- Identity: the brand guide opens with "at our core, we are orange and blue."
- Unity: colleges and units must keep orange and blue most prominent.
How UF Uses Its Colors
The Brand Center sets clear rules. Secondary colors support the primaries but should never take over. Large fields of secondary colors should be avoided.
| Name | HEX | PMS |
|---|---|---|
| Bottlebrush | #D32737 | 1795 |
| Alachua | #F2A900 | 130 |
| Gator | #22884C | 7731 |
| Dark Blue | #002657 | 655 |
| Perennial | #6A2A60 | 7651 |
Yes, there is a color named "Gator," and it is green. Even so, it is a supporting act, not the headliner.
Brand Rules Worth Knowing
- Web ads should feature only the orange and blue.
- White should appear more than neutral colors.
- Black is for long passages of body copy only.
- Hex values are adjusted to meet WCAG AA text contrast.
The AA standard comes from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. UF points designers to the WebAIM contrast checker to test every pairing.
Tips for Using Gators Colors in Your Own Project
- Copy the codes from the official table above, not from a fan site.
- Check contrast before putting text on either color.
- Keep orange and blue dominant. Use extras sparingly.
- For commercial products, ask the university about licensing first.
UF runs a trademark and licensing program. Personal fan art is one thing, but selling merchandise is another. See the Brand Center trademarks page for the rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the official Florida Gators colors?
Orange (#FA4616, PMS 172) and blue (#0021A5, PMS 287), according to the UF Brand Center.
Why are the Gators orange and blue?
The colors most likely blend those of two predecessor schools. One used orange and black, the other blue and white.
When did UF adopt orange and blue?
Sources say 1906 or 1911. UF's own health college page points to 1906, the first football season.
What Pantone colors match the Gators?
PMS 172 for orange and PMS 287 for blue. UF notes its screen and print builds can differ slightly from Pantone breakdowns.
Is green a Gators color?
Green appears only in UF's secondary palette, as "Gator" (#22884C). The primary colors stay orange and blue.
Final Takeaway
The Florida Gators colors are orange and blue, built from two merged schools. For design work, use the official codes and keep the primaries in charge.
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