The High-Five Before the End Zone: Why It Really Was Great to Be a Florida Gator
Vernell Brown III’s first punt-return touchdown against Campbell was already a spectacular play. Then Bailey Stockton appeared beside him at the five-yard line, the two slapped hands before Brown crossed the goal line, and an old Florida chant suddenly had a brand-new image.
The play began as a punt return and ended like two teammates had realized the result before everyone else. Early in the second quarter against Campbell on September 12, Vernell Brown III fielded the ball near Florida’s sideline, escaped the first wave and cut across the field behind a wall of blockers. By the time he reached the final few yards, no defender was catching him.
Bailey Stockton was still finishing the job. Florida’s No. 3 had controlled the last defender near the sideline, creating so much open space that Brown could slow down, turn toward his teammate and high-five him at roughly the five-yard line before completing the 64-yard touchdown.
The Swamp had barely processed that image before Brown did it again. A little more than three minutes later, he returned another Campbell punt 70 yards for a touchdown. He eventually added a 14-yard receiving score, giving him three touchdowns in Florida’s 52–3 victory and transforming what could have been an ordinary early-season rout into the first signature performance of the Jon Sumrall era.
The high-five matters because it happened before the touchdown was technically finished. For a few steps, blocking, speed and celebration all existed inside the same play.
The Exact Image Behind the Graphic
The photograph is almost unusually perfect for a culture design. Brown is still carrying the football in his left arm. Stockton’s No. 3 is completely visible. Both players are in Florida’s orange tops and blue helmets, and the crowd behind them dissolves into the noise of The Swamp.
Most touchdown images document what happens after a score. This one captures certainty before the score. Brown and Stockton already know the return is over even though Brown has not yet reached the orange paint.
Stockton’s Block Is Why the Celebration Means More
It would be easy to treat Stockton as a background figure in a Vernell Brown highlight. Brown himself refused to do that. After the game, he specifically credited the blockers and singled out Stockton’s work near the end of the return.
GatorCountry described Stockton as blocking two potential tacklers on the play. Florida’s own account emphasized the same idea: the return was spectacular because of Brown’s explosiveness, but the final frame also captured how special-teams touchdowns are constructed by players who may never receive the touchdown in the box score.
Brown supplied the burst, vision and finish. His two consecutive punt-return touchdowns made him only the second Florida player known to accomplish that feat in one game.
Stockton supplied the final lane. The transfer receiver’s downfield work turned into the defining supporting role of the image — blocker first, high-five partner second.
Brown Did More Than Create a Viral-Looking Highlight
The numbers turned the play from entertaining to historic. Brown officially returned four punts for 173 yards, breaking Brandon James’ Florida single-game record of 155 set in 2007. His 64- and 70-yard touchdowns came on consecutive returns, matching the type of feat Jacquez Green produced against Kentucky in 1996.
Brown also caught three passes for 43 yards and another touchdown. Two days later, the SEC named him Co-Special Teams Player of the Week.
Through Florida’s first two games, Brown had also moved to the top of the Gators’ receiving totals with nine receptions, 160 yards and two receiving touchdowns. A player already expected to be one of Florida’s primary offensive weapons had added a completely different method of changing games.
An Old Chant Found a New Photograph
“It’s Great to Be a Florida Gator” does not originate with Brown, Stockton or the 2026 team. It is one of the phrases embedded in the culture of Gator Nation. Florida Athletics described it years ago as a time-honored cheer and built a university-wide marketing campaign around it in 2013.
The phrase works because it is less specific than a fight song lyric or championship slogan. Fans use it to name a feeling: an absurd play in The Swamp, a title celebration, a March basketball run or simply the collective identity that comes with orange and blue.
The slogan is traditionally about shared Gator identity. The high-five visual expresses the same idea without explanation: one player finishes the touchdown, another makes the block, and both celebrate the result before the play has technically ended.
The Design Keeps Both Players in the Story
The artwork’s smartest decision is not isolating Brown. Both No. 1 and No. 3 remain at the center of the composition, frozen in the upward high-five. That preserves what made the original image different from any other punt-return graphic.
Around them, collegiate orange lettering curves across the upper half with “IT’S GREAT TO BE A,” while “FLORIDA GATOR!” becomes the heavier visual anchor below. Royal blue acts as the field, allowing the orange helmets, white uniforms and traditional Florida palette to carry the scene.
The graphic pairs a generations-old Florida chant with a September 2026 moment that could only have happened once: Brown and Stockton celebrating the return before the return was finished.
View the high-five piece →Florida’s New Era Needed a Moment Like This
Florida began Jon Sumrall’s first season with consecutive home wins, scoring 66 against Florida Atlantic and 52 against Campbell. The real test begins with SEC competition at Auburn, but early seasons are often remembered by the images that convince fans something feels different.
Brown racing free while Stockton runs beside him is one of those images. It does not prove where Florida will finish in December. It does capture the looseness, energy and teammate involvement that make a fan base feel connected to a new team quickly.
The wider Florida Gators collection follows those Gainesville football moments, traditions and player stories, while Ellie Shirt’s broader NCAA collection connects them to the larger visual culture of college football.
Player-specific designs can also be found through the Vernell Brown III search and Bailey Stockton search.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Vernell Brown III and Bailey Stockton high-five during the Campbell game?
The high-five happened near the goal line during Brown’s 64-yard punt-return touchdown in the second quarter of Florida’s September 12, 2026 win over Campbell.
Why was Bailey Stockton part of the play?
Stockton had blocked downfield and helped clear the final defender, allowing Brown enough separation to celebrate with him before reaching the end zone.
How many punt-return touchdowns did Vernell Brown III score?
Brown returned consecutive Campbell punts for touchdowns of 64 and 70 yards.
What Florida record did Brown set?
His 173 official punt-return yards established a new Florida single-game record.
Is “It’s Great to Be a Florida Gator” an authentic Florida chant?
Yes. Florida Athletics has described it as a time-honored cheer associated with Gator Nation and used the phrase in an official university athletics marketing campaign.
What award did Brown receive after the Campbell game?
The SEC named Vernell Brown III Co-Special Teams Player of the Week following his record-setting performance.
The Vernell Brown III and Bailey Stockton high-five graphic freezes one of the first signature images of Florida’s 2026 season, while the Florida Gators archive follows what comes next in Gainesville.
It’s Great To Be A Florida Gator Shirt captures Vernell Brown III and Bailey Stockton’s mid-return high-five during Brown’s record-setting 64-yard punt-return touchdown against Campbell, pairing a classic Gator Nation chant with one of Florida football’s defining early 2026 images.