It’s David versus Goliath this Saturday when Long Island University football takes on the No. 15 Florida Gators in Gainesville.
For the Sharks, who play their home games in front of crowds of fewer than 1,000 on Long Island, this will be their first-ever meeting with Florida — one of college football’s most storied programs. And the payday is historic too.
LIU will pocket $525,000 for the trip, according to The Gainesville Sun.
Big stage, big check
The game will be played at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, better known as The Swamp, which holds more than 90,000 fans.
By contrast, LIU’s home stadium in Brookville has 6,000 seats — and their most recent home game drew just 684 people.
The $525K guarantee dwarfs the $100,000 LIU earned in 2023 for a game at Maine. The Sharks will also collect another $325,000 next week when they travel to Eastern Michigan — money that supports the entire athletic department.
The game comes as LIU enters a new era under athletic director Elliott Charles, a Roosevelt native who was elevated to the role last summer. Charles, who previously served as deputy athletic director at LIU and has held posts at Clemson, Florida A&M, Alabama, and Chicago State, sees marquee matchups like Florida as key to growing the Sharks’ brand.
“This is all about traffic on our social media pages, brand recognition for us,” Charles told The Gainesville Sun. “Obviously the game guarantee is a major factor, but the experience of being able to provide our 15-plus Florida athletes with a chance to come back home … was really huge.”
SEC challenge
LIU head coach Ron Cooper, 63, knows what’s waiting for his players. Cooper has coached in the SEC at South Carolina and LSU, and even served on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama.
“I told them all they can do is put out 11 guys — and we put our 11 out,” Cooper told the New York Post. “So it’s still just 11-on-11 playing together as a team.”
The numbers game
- Roster size: Florida carries over 100 players; LIU, like most FCS teams, is limited to around 85 roster spots and 63 scholarships.
- Program worth: Florida football is valued at $1.08 billion. LIU’s figure isn’t public, but FCS schools on average report about $20 million in revenue against $35 million in expenses, per the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database.
- Program pedigree: Florida boasts three national titles, eight SEC championships, and three Heisman Trophy winners. LIU has been Division I only since 2019.
- Recent results: LIU finished 4-8 last season in the Northeast Conference. Their last two games against power-conference teams were lopsided defeats — 45-0 to TCU in 2024 and 30-7 to Baylor in 2023.
- The odds: ESPN says Florida has a 99% chance to win.
LIU players to watch
- QB Ethan Greenwood: A dual-threat, Greenwood rushed for 913 yards and passed for 921 last season, twice earning NEC player of the week honors.
- DB Todd Bowles Jr.: Son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, the defensive back began his career at Rutgers.
Game time details
- Matchup: LIU Sharks at No. 15 Florida Gators
- When: Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025
- Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla.
- Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
- TV: ESPN+ / SECN+
Top: Long Island University quarterback Luca Stanzani (#11) throwing a pass in a home game against Central Connecticut State. (Credit: LIU Athletics)
