Shannon Whitehead is a senior at Florida and a former Sports Illustrated intern.

There's no place in Gainesville that sends chills down your spine more than Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (a.k.a. -- The Swamp). Heinz Kluetmeier/SI

By Shannon Whitehead

School: University of Florida
Location: Gainesville, Fla.
Conference: SEC
Total number of students: Undergrad: 32,680, Total: 45,114

Welcome to Titletown, USA -- a place where merely uttering the words "Ohio State" can cause an eruption of laughter. Football is a way of life, and basketball runs a close second. This college town of 248,000 is the mecca of all things orange and blue (whether it's game day or not).

The home of the current football and back-to-back basketball national champions is also a top 20 public institution with a student body of National Merit Scholars second only to Harvard. Whether its academics or athletics, the University of Florida excels in the center of Gainesville, Fla.

That, combined with a vibrant nightlife Monday thru Saturday, proves a road trip to Gator Nation can't be missed.

Best Place to Get Chills Down Your Spine

Since Steve "the Ol' Ball Coach" Spurrier christened the stadium "The Swamp" in 1991, the sound of the crowd at any big game gets your blood rushing. Take your pick of cheers and fight songs, but on third-and-inches, the electricity of the fans will spark a charge.

Best Nightlife

What's a college town if the main road isn't dripping with alcohol? Bar-hop your way down the strip of cheap sports bars on University Avenue in midtown. Well drinks and beer flow in abundance at Gator City, Balls and Salty Dog. If you're looking to party with the athletes, hit up the Grog House on Tuesday nights. On Mondays join the Greeks at Swamp for an over-priced frat party, but order a basket of the sweet potato fries and it will be worth it. Downtown clubs, such as Rue Bar and Boutiq, boast good crowds Thursday and Saturday nights, as well as the chance to tear up the dance floor.

Best Late-Night Food

Around 2 a.m., walk out any of the bars on the University Avenue strip and you'll smell the steaming cheese and bubbling sauce of Pizza-by-the-Slice. The hole-in-the-wall establishment sells slices for $2 to put the finishing touch on any drunken night. If heartburn isn't really your thing, go around the corner to Pita Pit for a healthy alternative.

Best Chance to See 600 Girls Scream, Cry and Take Off in a Full-Fledged Sprint (all at the same time)

If you happen to see 600 of Florida's finest co-eds running wild through campus, don't fret. It's only the annual "Running of the Bulls." Mike Carlson/Icon SMI

Gainesville's very own "Running of the Bulls" takes place every August when hundreds of sundress-and-pearl-clad sorority hopefuls meet at Norman Field to get their house bids. Drooling fraternity brothers post-up around the fence, coolers of beer fully stocked, to scope out the fresh ... uh ... faces of the Greek community. Depending on the outcome of their bid cards, the new pledges shriek and squeal, hike up their skirts and take off running for sorority row. Watch closely and you may spot a wipeout.

Best Place to Spend a Saturday Afternoon

Round up a few friends, pack a picnic and some sunscreen, and head down the road to Lake Wauburg. The serene setting is the perfect place to work on your tan and forget about classes. Active visitors can start up a game of volleyball, cruise around in a paddleboat or attempt the climbing wall free-of-charge.

Best Way to Burn Calories

If the beer from last night has settled, motivate yourself for a campus run around Lake Alice. The waterfront is bordered with enough foliage to provide some shade from the beating Florida sun. But keep your eye out for alligators; they often lie on the banks.

Best Place to Celebrate a National Championship

Smack dab in the middle of the street. Midtown University Avenue was closed down by police for all three championship wins (basketball, football, then basketball again). As people rushed out of bars, homes and restaurants, the street was flooded with rejoicing fans, toilet paper and homemade fireworks. Daring (and drunk) students climbed street lights and lamp posts while others ran around in a frenzy of celebration. Just for the record: Winning the big game doesn't get old.

Best Kodak Moment

Florida's first couple -- Albert and Alberta -- celebrate the Gators' football national championship.

You can't leave UF without a picture of the school's most famous couple, Albert and Alberta, the Gator mascots. It's not easy being the faces of the No. 1 sports school in America; so if you can't catch them in person, go outside Emerson Alumni Hall and pose with their copper replicas. Cross the street and you're standing in front of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium -- the home of the 1996 and 2006 National Champions -- and it is picture-perfect in itself.

Best Place to Take a Date

Get away from the college atmosphere and take a ride along Main Street to charming downtown Gainesville. With the historic Hippodrome Theater as its centerpiece, the cobblestone streets, high-end restaurants and outdoor cafes make for an especially romantic setting. If you really want to impress her, take her to Dragonfly for unbeatable sushi and an extensive cocktail menu. Not into raw fish? Go to Mark's Prime Steakhouse for filet mignon and a bottle of wine. Don't forget your Visa.

Best Place to Live

Anywhere in Gainesville. According to the book Cities Ranked and Rated, the college town of 248,000 people is considered the best place to live in the nation.

Best Place to Get Free Food

If you're on campus during lunch, avoid scrounging up leftover change from the vending machines and head over to the Plaza of the Americas for a free buffet provided by the Hare Krishnas. It may look sketchy, but I assure you many a Gator grad has saved significant beer money by becoming friends with these singing theologians.

Best Tradition

Alumni and students alike look forward to the 45-minute mark of every home football game. 90,000 fans wrap their arms around each other, sway back-and-forth and belt out the words to We Are the Boys with the help of the Gator band. "In all kinds of weather we'll all stick together for F-L-O-R-I-D-A!"

Best Place to Study

Unlike a certain school in the panhandle that will go unnamed, students at UF actually study. You don't pass classes at the No. 13 public university without a cup of Starbucks and an occasional visit to the newly renovated Library West. The Board of Trustees dropped a few million dollars to accommodate the growing number of books and students. Located on University Avenue, the state-of-the-art building is a central location for group projects, late-night cram sessions, computer help and research.

Best Place to See a Back-to-Back National Champion

The Stephen C. O'Connell Center, a.k.a. the O'Dome, is home to the two-time national champion's men's basketball team. Lucky students can purchase limited season tickets and get the chance to sit in the coveted "Rowdy Reptiles" section while the rest of us are forced to camp outside the ticket office two days prior to the game. A bit of advice ... don't mention the words "Orlando Magic."