History of Florida Gators football

2087:, who had just arrived for the 1984 season and was not involved with the rule violations, was named interim head coach before the season's fourth game. Hall rallied his players after a 1–1–1 start to win eight consecutive games for a 9–1–1 record (including an undefeated 5–0–1 SEC record), all but ensuring that he would become the permanent coach after the season. The SEC banned the Gators from the Sugar Bowl, and LSU went in their place. Two weeks after the end of the season, the NCAA imposed two years of probation (a third year was suspended) and banned the Gators from bowl games and live television in 1985 and 1986. The most damaging sanctions in the long run were a limit of 20 new scholarships in 1985 and 1986 and a reduction to 85 total scholarships in 1985 and 75 in 1986. In the spring of 1985, the SEC university presidents voted 6–4 to vacate the Gators' 1984 SEC championship. Florida posted another 9–1–1 record in 2761: 238: 1729: 986: 1390: 872: 1571: 2857: 2971:

offense–among the worst rankings for a team in a power conference, and actually lower than where they had ranked in the latter years of Muschamp's tenure. At the time of his ouster, the Gators were 112th in total offense. They only scored 30 or more points seven times, a marked turnabout from the "Fun and Gun" days. Off the field, McElwain rankled administrators with his criticisms of the state of the program. According to ESPN, McElwain's comments about the alleged death threats convinced UF officials that "this was not going to work". Defensive coordinator

6929: 5655: 5598: 5466: 5252: 5203: 5059: 4808: 4631: 4593: 4462: 4304: 4875: 1682: 1056: 2823: 1824: 1919:) jumped off its perch and began clawing his shoulder pads. In the next game, against Georgia game, the Gators led 27–13 at halftime and an upset seemed possible. After Georgia scored midway through the third period, Dickey gambled on fourth down with one yard to go; his play failed. Florida never recovered, and Georgia won 41–27; the play became known as "Fourth and Dumb." The Gators had a 6–4–1 season in 1977, and Chandler was 10th in balloting for the Heisman Trophy. He resigned after a 4–7 season in 1267: 2528: 852: 3103: 2391: 2122:, Smith injured his knee and was unable to play for a month. Florida lost that game and the next three, with the Gator offense unable to score a touchdown while Smith was sidelined. Another NCAA infraction scandal would end Hall's tenure at Florida. In 1989, he admitted supplementing his assistant coaches' salaries with his own funds and was accused of paying child support-related legal expenses for one of his players, a charge he denied. Interim university president 2967:, McElwain led the Gators to a 3–4 (3–3 SEC) record through the end of October. He came under fire after claiming to have been targeted with death threats against himself and his players, a claim that university officials were unable to substantiate. On October 29–less than 24 hours after his Gators were drilled 42-7 by Georgia–McElwain and school officials mutually agreed to part ways. His 34-game tenure was the shortest for a non-interim coach in over 80 years. 2624: 2091:, Hall's first full season as head coach, and was briefly ranked number one in the AP Poll for the first time in school history. The Gators finished the season atop the SEC standings, but were ineligible for the conference title. Although he never had a losing season, Hall's subsequent teams did not match his early success when the scholarship losses for Pell's violations took their full effect; his first two recruiting classes had only 25 players. The unranked 2152: 1843:'s NCAA record for career passing yardage; Miami had the ball. Several of Florida's defensive players convinced Dickey that the only way for Reaves to set the mark would be for Miami to score quickly. Dickey refused twice before he agreed. With the Hurricanes near the Florida end zone, the entire Gator defense except one player fell to the ground and allowed Miami to score a touchdown. Florida then got the ball back, and Reaves completed a 15-yard pass to 3089: 3016: 3117: 383: 3069:. After a 33–14 loss to Kentucky, the Gators then defeated Vanderbilt 38–14 and South Carolina 41–39. But that would be the final win of the season for the Gators, as their remaining 2023 games were all losses; 43–20 to #1 Georgia, 39–36 to Arkansas in overtime, 52–35 to #18 LSU, 33–31 to #11 Missouri and 24–15 to #5 Florida State. On November 27, 2023, on the heels of another disappointing season, Billy Napier fired defensive coordinator 653: 573:, a two-game series against two Cuban athletic clubs. During the first quarter of the second game Pyle and his team left, alleging that the Cuban team persisted in playing by the old rules, and the coach was arrested for violating a Cuban law prohibiting a game's suspension after money was charged. When his trial was delayed, Pyle and the Gators quickly left the island and he was branded a "fugitive from justice". The 2707: 1169: 2943: 720: 507: 2721:. Although the Gators began with a 4–0 record and were ranked as high as third in media polls, a mid-season slump in which they lost three of four games to conference foes ended their hopes for another national championship. They finished with a 9–4 record and a # 13 final ranking, but Tebow's record-setting season earned him the Heisman Trophy; he was the first sophomore to receive the honor. 4880: 8309: 1093:(opposite Van Sickel) on the 1928 team, replaced Bachman as coach in the first SEC football season in 1933. The 26-year-old Stanley brought an all-Gator-alumni coaching staff to the program, and the team had a two-year revival after two consecutive losing seasons under Bachman. Stanley's Gators posted 5–3–1 and 6–3–1 records in 2807:. In the last game of his college career, Tebow broke the Sugar Bowl record for passing yards (482) and set a BCS bowl record for total offense (533). With the Sugar Bowl victory, the Gators became the first Division I team with consecutive 13-win seasons. The 2008 and 2009 teams included consensus All-American linebacker 1942: 484: 2566:, and the seventh-ranked class in 2004. Zook's tenure was modestly successful, but well short of what Gator fans had come to expect. Although they were talented, Zook's teams were noted for inconsistency; they typically dominated their opponents in the first half and collapsed in the second. They defeated 3451:

The NCAA embraced a set of new rules requiring the use of the one-platoon system, primarily due to financial reasons. The system allowed only one player to be substituted between plays, which effectively put an end to the use of separate specialized units. Tennessee's coach Neyland praised the change

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and tested it on the football team in the consistent heat and humidity in which they played. Gatorade was a success, and Florida developed a reputation as a "second-half team". Among the 1960 season's highlights was the Gators' 18–17 upset of Dodd's tenth-ranked Yellow Jackets and a hard-fought 13–12

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was the first sophomore in SEC history to throw for more than 1,000 yards in a season. He set nine then-school records. These included average (50.3%), yardage (1,170), and average for a single game (7 for 7 against Kentucky). With victories over Auburn and Vanderbilt, it was the Gators' first season

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Despite winning two division titles, McElwain came under fire for his teams' lackluster offensive performance. He had been tasked with reviving an offense that had become moribund under Muschamp. However, in his two full seasons in Gainesville, the Gators were 111th and 116th, respectively, in total

2732:, 30–6, followed by a 31–30 upset by Ole Miss. In an emotional press conference after the game, Tebow promised that no team would play harder than Florida for the rest of the season. The Gators then earned their second national-championship berth in three years. They beat defending national champion 863:

was close, 14–7, with Newton returning the second-half kickoff 102 yards for the Gator touchdown. Van Fleet swore biased officiating cost his Gators the victory. The week after the loss to Army, the team was defeated by Mercer 10–0 after about 5,000 miles of travel in three weeks. Florida was ranked

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On December 26, 2009, Meyer announced he would resign as the Gators' head coach after their bowl game due to health and family concerns. However, the next day he said he would not resign but instead take an indefinite leave of absence. Despite uncertainty about Meyer, the Gators signed the nation's

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head coach Steve Spurrier returned to Gainesville as the Gators' "head ball coach". Since his return, the Gators rank among the three Division I (FBS) programs with the most wins. Spurrier is credited with changing SEC football. He used a pass-oriented offense (known in the media as "fun 'n' gun"),

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for what would have been its first SEC championship until Georgia executed one of the most famous plays in college-football history. The Bulldogs were trailing 21–20 with time running out, facing a third down and long yardage from their seven-yard line. After scrambling around his end zone, Georgia

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sparked a Florida comeback with a 57-yard touchdown catch-and-run. The Gators kicked a field goal with 34 seconds left to upset the Bulldogs, 17–16. Graves signed Leonard George and Willie Jackson Sr., the Gators' first two black football players, on December 17 and 18, 1968. Since the NCAA did not

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was introduced as Muschamp's replacement. In his first year at Florida, he was the third coach in SEC history (and the first in the SEC East) to go to the SEC championship game in his first year. McElwain, the first Gator coach to win more than nine games in his first year at Florida, finished his

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Gators struggled in the fall, especially on offense, and their final record (8–5) was the worst of Meyer's head-coaching career. Florida finished the season unranked for the first time since 1989. On December 8, 2010, Meyer again announced his resignation, citing many of the concerns he had a year

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offensive players were returning upperclassmen, who set dozens of team scoring records as they began the season with a 10–0 record. During this stretch, Spurrier became the Gators' all-time winningest coach, surpassing Ray Graves' 70 career wins. The Gators were only seriously threatened twice: by

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and 24–17 over Missouri. Florida then dropped two straight rivalry games; 45–35 to LSU and 42–20 to #1 Georgia. After a 41–24 win over Texas A&M and a 38–6 win over South Carolina, the Gators dropped their last two regular season games with a 31–24 upset loss to Vanderbilt and a 45–38 loss to

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ruled several players ineligible for academic reasons, forcing the cancellation of four out of five games. Just half of season's final contest was played; it was suspended when it was discovered that Florida's opponent, The Julian Landon Institute of Jacksonville, included a professional player.

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schools that did not field a squad during the 1943 season. The 1945 backfield was made up entirely of freshmen. During the war, Tiger Mayberry's fighter plane was shot down over the Pacific and he died in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp; Fergie Ferguson was seriously wounded leading an infantry

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ran 94 yards for a touchdown while struggling to keep his pants up. His 187 yards rushing resulted in him being named the game's "Outstanding Player." Spurrier won the Heisman Trophy and was a unanimous All-American after waving off Florida's kicker and booting a 40-yard field goal for a 30–27

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played with a broken jaw as the Bulldogs romped over the Gators, 19–3. However, Florida honored its second first-team All-SEC selection: senior end Fergie Ferguson, who led the team in points scored (36) and minutes played (420). Ferguson also received honorable mention All-America honors from

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In each of his first two seasons as the Florida's head coach, the Gators won double-digit games, including their bowl berths, and finished the season ranked in the AP's Top 10. In 2020, the Gators would lose 3 consecutive games to end the season, including their SEC Championship berth against

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defense was much improved. Behind a defense which had grown into one of the nation's best and a ball-control offense, Florida outscored their opponents 115–30 in the fourth quarter, posted an 11–1 regular-season record and earned their first top-five ranking since 2009. The offense, under new

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ranked the Gators as the best team in the nation. Pell did not finish the 1984 season with the team. Due to reports of serious recruiting and other NCAA rule violations by the coach and his staff, he announced in August 1984 that he would retire at the end of the season. When school officials

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was interim head coach for the rest of the season. The NCAA imposed two years' probation and banned the Gators from bowl consideration in 1990. The NCAA deemed Hall's actions egregious enough that it would have banned the Gators from live television in 1990 if he had remained as coach.

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meets were held at University Athletic Field, a grassy playing surface flanked by low bleachers on West University Avenue just north of the present stadium site. Permanent bleachers were installed in 1911, and the facility was renamed Fleming Field in honor of former Florida governor

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as part of the State Fair, the first known intercollegiate football game in Florida. Stetson won 6–0, after a sure FAC score was blocked by a tree stump. The game sparked interest in football in the state; several other colleges organized intercollegiate games, including the

2335:(35–29) and Vanderbilt (28–21). After racing to a 35–0 lead at halftime against Tennessee, the Gators held on for the win after Tennessee scored 29 unanswered points in the second half. Against Vanderbilt, the Gators were held to 28 points due to the Commodores' relentless 428:, Florida's football squads posted a 49–7–1 record at Fleming Field. Because of the facility's limited capacity (about 5,000) and the relative inaccessibility of Gainesville in the early 20th century, most home games against top opponents were scheduled at larger venues in 2371:(the only team undefeated in the regular season) in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State won on the game's final play, setting up the Sugar Bowl as the national championship game. The Gators seized the moment, defeating FSU 52–20 for their first national championship as quarterback 2018:, 17–9, in a nationally-televised game which helped return Florida football to national prominence. The 1983 team finished sixth in the final AP Poll, the highest final ranking in school history to date. The 1982 and 1983 teams included consensus All-American linebacker 2872:

as the Gators' new head coach. Muschamp, a veteran defensive coordinator with stints at both LSU and Auburn, was also the Longhorns' designated "head coach-in-waiting". Muschamp arrived in Gainesville with no prior head coaching experience. Partly because of this,

2844:. Meyer finished his six years at Florida with two BCS national championships, two SEC championships, a 5–1 bowl record (.8333), and an overall win–loss record of 65–15 (.8125). Additionally, offensive coordinator Steve Addazio left Gainesville to take the 1334:, to replace Lieb. The Gator football program slid further under Wolf, posting a 13–24–2 record in four losing seasons (the low point of the Gator football program), and is ironically known as the "golden era". The first season for Wolf was poor; the 1080:

raised funds and oversaw the project. To expedite construction, Tigert borrowed $ 10,000 and he and ten supporters of Florida's athletic program took out personal loans to raise the $ 118,000 required for the 22,800-seat facility. UF joined the new

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for one season in 2017. Upon arriving in Gainesville, Napier sought to encourage a new culture of toughness, discipline and accountability. When he was hired by Florida, Naper signed a seven-year contract worth $ 51.8 million excluding incentives.

480:, played on the 1907 and 1908 teams. During these early years the Florida sports teams adopted their orange-and-blue team colors, reportedly a combination of school's predecessors: the blue and white of the FAC and the orange and black of the EFS. 2963:

first regular season with a 10–2 record. National champion Alabama easily beat the Gators in the SEC Championship 29–15. In 2016, the Gators again were SEC East champions but again lost big to Alabama in the SEC Championship, 54–16. During the

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opened in 1930. Despite their new home stadium, Gator teams did not find much success on the field through the 1930s and 1940s and had only four winning seasons in those decades. The period did see the beginning of a long annual series with the

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51–21, got revenge against Georgia, handed Steve Spurrier (now back in the college ranks at South Carolina) the worst loss of his career, and defeated FSU 45–15. Florida earned the second spot in the BCS poll, beating previously undefeated

2652:. Meyer chose Florida over competing Notre Dame, and he was announced as Florida's new head coach in December 2004. When he was hired by the Gators, Meyer signed a seven-year contract worth about $ 2 million annually excluding incentives. 628:, UF's first scholarship athlete, Florida defeated Tulane 14–7. In pouring rain, "Rammy" scored the winning touchdown; he also scored a school-record four touchdowns against Mercer. McCoy felt he had the makings of a great Gators squad in 2163:

finished first in the SEC for the third time in their history, and for the third time they were ineligible for the SEC title because of NCAA probation. Just before Spurrier's Gator coaching debut, the Gainesville campus was rocked by the

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in contrast with the ball-control, rush-oriented offense traditionally played in the conference. Spurrier's Gators won four consecutive SEC championships (1993–1996), and he once said when the Gators posed for their championship photo: "

2046:(who ran 96 yards for a touchdown). Until then, Vanderbilt was the only other charter SEC member to have never won a conference title. The Gator offense was formidable behind a line (the "Great Wall of Florida") which paved the way for 1071:

halfback, was appointed UF president and began a drive to build a larger stadium. By 1930 he was responsible for the construction of Florida Field, the Gators' permanent stadium. With state funding unavailable at the beginning of the

887:, the 1925 Gators finished 8–2 (the first season with that many wins). Jones and Goldstein repeated as composite All-Southern. Jones scored a school-record 108 points that season, a record which stood for 44 years. The injury-plagued 2481:

won Spurrier's sixth SEC championship, with one conference loss; Mississippi State defeated the Gators 47–35, breaking Florida's 72-game win streak against unranked teams. Spurrier, frustrated, rotated three quarterbacks (including

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for the first time. The ill-fated 1916 team lost every game, faced multiple transfers, began the season with an injury to Ramsdell and ended it with one to Farrior. The Gators were shut out in all but the last game, a 14–3 loss to

3077:. Will Harris was hired to replace Corey Raymond and Gerald Chatman took over Sean Spencer's responsibilities. Two disappointing seasons to start Napier's tenure have led to speculation that he is on the "hot seat" entering 2024. 3064:

Napier's Gators struggled to a 5–7 record in 2023. They started the season with a 24–11 loss to #14 Utah. Florida then reeled off three straight wins; 49–7 over FCS opponent McNeese State, 29–16 over #11 Tennessee and 22–7 over

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Florida's squad refused to take the field for the second half, and the game was suspended with Florida holding a 6-0 lead. The state university's football team began varsity play when the Gainesville campus opened in September

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when Rockne was ill. Despite fans' early hopes for a return to a Bachman-like "Notre Dame system" and Lieb's previous success, the Gators posted a 20–26–1 record in five seasons. Lieb's best season was probably his first, in

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was a make-or-break year for Zook. He got into a heated argument with members of a campus fraternity after he was called in to defuse a dispute between the fraternity and his players. Following a 38–31 road loss to the 1–5

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for the first time in 23 meetings. Muschamp's 2013 Gators finished with a 4–8 record and missed a bowl game for the first time since 1990. After the lackluster 2013 season, Muschamp fired Brent Pease and replaced him with

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was considered by many the best in school history. The Gators won their first SEC championship, completing an undefeated conference schedule for the first time in school history. Florida sealed its 27–0 victory against

1548:, "There should be a law to prevent things like that. We were supposed to run plays where Heckman wasn't, and he's there now." Woodruff finished his Gator career with a 53–42–6 record. Despite his success, UF president 40:. The program started small, usually playing six to eight games per season against small colleges and local athletic club teams in north Florida and south Georgia. The Orange and Blue developed early rivalries with the 1101:. The 1934 team won hard-fought, consecutive victories against Auburn and Georgia Tech. Dutch Stanley resigned as head coach in response to fan pressure after the 1935 season and became an assistant to his successor, 10277: 3221:" that existed before the American football reforms of 1906. In that game, Florida defeated the Vedado Tennis Club, 28–0. Five days later Florida played the Cuban Athletic Club of Havana, ostensibly under new rules. 1914:

before Florida won six straight games. In the win against Auburn Chandler scored a touchdown on a short pass, running 64 yards through the Auburn defense. When Chandler ran out of the end zone, Auburn's mascot (the

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The Gators finished a 6–7 record in 2022. They began the season with a 29–26 upset victory over #7 Utah. After a 26–16 loss to Kentucky in the season's second game, the Gators narrowly defeated in-state opponent

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schools and twice to Miami. The Gators lost six games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, one more than they had in 12 years under Spurrier. On January 9, 2004, the Gators signed Zook to a two-year contract extension.

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sports editor Pete Norton called Newton "Florida's greatest football player." The 1920s and early 1930s saw the Gators' first inter-sectional victories and their first wins over several regular opponents. The

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In 1903, Bridges at Cumberland and Forsythe at Clemson tied in the first organized Southern championship game. Forsythe was the only one on Heisman's Clemson teams to spend every minute of his career on the

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56–23. Grossman was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. In a surprise move, on January 4, 2002 Spurrier stunned Florida fans by resigning as the Gators' head coach; ten days later, he became head coach of the

2286:, overruling nine assistants who begged him to go for the win (there was no overtime in college football at the time). The kick was good, tying the game at 31 and completing FSU's comeback. Florida edged 1192:

was the Gators' defensive star in the game. Florida failed to win a conference game in 1939, and Cody left Gainesville with a 17–24–2 win–loss–tie record in four seasons to become an assistant coach at

1085:(SEC) in December 1932 with 12 other former members of the Southern Conference. Tigert, who was instrumental in the organization of the new conference, served four terms as SEC president. Gator alumnus 2909:, remained unimpressive, however, finishing 116th in the NCAA in passing with less than 2,000 yards. The sole regular-season loss was to Georgia, 17–9. Although the Gator season ended with an upset by 56:. During the 1910s, Florida began playing a wider range of opponents from more established football programs across the southeastern United States and faced off against several future rivals - such as 2239:. The Gators never led, although they had cut the score to 27–21. With just under six minutes left and the crowd roaring, FSU faced third down at its 21-yard-line. Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback 8167:"FLORIDA ASSISTANT TO RETURN TO DUKE\ CARL FRANKS, AN ASSISTANT OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND TOP RECRUITER FOR STEVE SPURRIER AT FLORIDA, WILL BE NAMED HEAD COACH AT DUKE, WHERE HE PLAYED AND COACHED" 935:

Gator squads finished 8–1 and 8–2, respectively, the Gators' highest season-win totals for 32 years. Both seasons included the first defeats of the Georgia Bulldogs. Driven by the "Phantom Four"

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for the first time, salvaging the season with a 7–3 record. The 1927 Gators won more conference games than they had in any two previous seasons combined. Sebring graduated from the university's

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Coach Ray Graves' Gators football teams of the 1960s produced fifteen first-team All-Americans. From 1906 to 1959, the Gators only had five players who received first-team All-American honors.

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completed the drive with a touchdown, and Florida took the lead for good 32–29. FSU's final comeback attempt was stymied when senior linebacker Dwayne Thomas intercepted a third-down pass from

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permit freshmen to play on varsity teams, Jackson became the first black player (and starter) for the Gators during the 1970 season and Florida integrated black players into the team. Graves'

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during its first year of existence (1905–06), while the first buildings of its new campus were constructed in Gainesville. The 1905 football season was a lost one, since university president

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Rex Farrior became a name partner in a prominent Tampa law firm with 1910 quarterback Bob Shackleford, and remained one of the biggest boosters of the Gators sports program until his death.

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dropped the Gators to their lowest ranking (10th) of the season. Tied 35–35 late in the game, Auburn kicked a 41-yard field goal to win 38–35. Florida's other loss was to national champion

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known as the "greatest game ever played in the Swamp." The Seminoles were driving late in the fourth quarter when the Gator defense stopped them at the 5-yard line, and they settled for a

6957: 2067: 7406: 12049: 11522: 10452: 5265: 7775: 739:, "Florida, for the first time, had a strong team ... they combined a kicking game and a well-diversified offense to good advantage." The team was captained by center and guard 8246: 8123: 4037: 1820:, agreeing to a five-year contract. Dickey was the head coach of Tennessee for the previous six seasons, winning two SEC championships and taking the Volunteers to five bowl games. 189:, who was the school's third Heisman Trophy winner. After a decline for several seasons after Meyer's departure in 2010, Florida returned to top-10 rankings and major bowl games in 5687: 3140: 2402:

seemed poised for another title, never trailing Manning-led Tennessee at home to regain the top spot in the polls. They struggled midway through the schedule, however, losing to

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was a defensive standout, the last Gator player to play an entire 60-minute game. The Gators lost their last three games, and Wolf's contract was not renewed. Iconic cheerleader

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all told me that Mayberry was the best back in the South, one of the best they have seen in half a dozen years and certainly the best that Florida has produced in a decade." The

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on the road to finish the regular season. With several blocking errors, the Gators fell behind in the first quarter and left Tallahassee with a 24–21 loss. Florida defeated

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and assistant football coach under McGugin. Cody left Vanderbilt in 1936 and, with McGugin's recommendation, became athletic director and head football coach at Florida. In

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was named interim coach for the remainder of the season, and led the Gators to a 1-3 record. Overall, the Gators finished 4-7, only their second losing record in 38 years.

1910:, widely considered one of Florida's best all-around football players and voted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015. The 1976 season opened with a 24–21 loss to 10504: 8437: 1362:

and a number of Florida alumni called for Wolf to step down after the 1948 season, but player-led support rallies led to a one-year contract extension. Gator running back

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and the College of Charleston (the self-proclaimed "champions of South Carolina"), finishing the season with a 5–0–1 record—the Gators' only undefeated football season.

1207:, replaced Cody as head coach in 1940. Lieb, a former Notre Dame All-American, became Knute Rockne's top assistant in South Bend. He assisted during the Fighting Irish 9899: 9554: 9318: 7067: 5308: 4404: 9389: 7027: 5750: 4339: 10531: 9664: 9288: 5874: 11904: 6378: 3918: 1482:

and one of their two captains. Woodruff never equaled the success of his 1952 team, in part due to a 1953 NCAA rule change forbidding unlimited substitutions. The

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Beginning in 1972, for the first time since 1921, freshmen were permitted to play on southeastern teams. Dickey also brought in 12 African-American players. The

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for the first time. Florida posted a 5–2–1 record, including South Carolina's first defeat. After the season, the team played its first post-season game: the

7607: 7510: 1594:). Under him, the Gators produced three times the number of first-team All-Americans during the 1960s as they had in their previous 54 seasons. At this time, 5355: 1990:

open in the middle of the field. Scott outran everyone else down the sideline, scoring the game-winning touchdown with seconds left. Georgia radio announcer

10365: 7264: 6624: 5821: 5338: 5132: 4736: 4168: 2099:, 18–17. Kerwin Bell led the Gators to overcome a 17–0 fourth-quarter deficit in a game still considered one of the most dramatic in Florida Field history. 2486:). After the game, Mississippi State fans stormed the field and tore down the goalposts (parts of which ended up all over campus). The preseason #1-ranked 10589: 10294: 9580: 7726: 7315: 1153:

finished seventh of 13 SEC teams, Cody's best finish in the conference. The season included the first meeting between the Gators and their in-state rival

9975: 8062:"Looking back on Peyton Manning's four losses to the Florida Gators, 1994-97 | OnlyGators.com: Florida Gators news, analysis, schedules and scores" 2180:, 35–0. Spurrier treasured the wins against the Crimson Tide: "Those victories early – '90, '91 – really got us started there at Florida ..." The 10818: 7805: 7183: 2787:

decreased production. Florida defeated Georgia 41–17 for the 17th time in 20 seasons, and Tebow broke the SEC career rushing touchdown record held by

2002:, the first time a winless team received a bowl invitation the following season. Pell's teams built on that success, leading Florida to seven wins in 1938:(ACC) championship in 1978. Although he helped build Florida's football program, a public scandal and NCAA sanctions crippled it after his departure. 9024: 1386:

attended his first home game during the 1949 season, beginning his 60-year tradition of leading Gator fans in the "two bits" cheer at Florida Field.

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The 1990s brought unprecedented success to Florida football under head coach Steve Spurrier, who returned to lead his alma mater to many firsts. The

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coached the team to three nine-win seasons and a total of 70 victories (a Florida record for 27 years). Graves, former assistant to Tennessee coach

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won the school's first conference title. However, the championship was later stripped due to NCAA infractions committed under Pell, who was fired.

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William Wetmore "Gric" Gibbs is the only known member of the lost 1905 team who played for the new university's team in Gainesville. Football and

258:, which abolished all of the state's publicly supported institutions of higher learning and consolidated the academic programs of four in the new 10427: 10207: 9226: 8850: 7246: 6540: 6480: 3733: 324: 291: 10379: 8805: 7673: 7637: 5017: 2892:. Combined with an inexperienced defense, the Gators finished with a 3–5 record in the SEC, a 7–6 overall record, and a Gator Bowl victory over 1725:, the Gators' first major-bowl appearance. Spurrier was the game's most valuable player, the only MVP from a losing team in Sugar Bowl history. 9175: 1459: 1417:

offered him a seven-year guaranteed contract at $ 17,000 per year; an annual salary $ 5,000 more than that of University of Florida President

1022: 994: 356: 10171: 8756: 7410: 4766: 3163:

The University of Florida would not accept its first black student until 1958, and would not become fully integrated racially until the 1960s.

503:: a loss on the road and a tie in Gainesville. Pyle had a 26–7–3 (.764) record with the Gators, the third-winningest coach in school history. 274:

was the first college to field a football team in the state, playing intramural games as early as 1894. Stetson, West Florida Seminary (later

12085: 7155: 6299: 5918: 2252: 1141:

in a season (6) and a career (11). According to one writer, "I have not seen a better back in six years than Mayberry ... Wallace Wade,

685: 558: 444:. The school's first football coach was "Pee Wee" Forsythe, who led the Florida team for three winning seasons (including a 6–0 win over the 209: 10718: 9623: 8973: 8690: 12754: 12095: 12075: 11897: 7783: 7002: 1282:, most of the university's able-bodied students withdrew and enlisted in the U.S. military. The 1942 Gators lost 75–0 to national champion 1220: 1208: 11576: 9363: 7087: 6322: 5090: 4150: 4034: 12100: 10131: 5964: 5767: 2841: 1632: 165:

won the first official conference title, the first of six SEC titles under Spurrier. The Gators won their first national championship in

10897: 8712: 7961: 7545: 5841: 1934:

was hired as Florida's new head coach for the 1979 season. Pell had coached at Clemson, where he led the Tigers to a 10–1 record and an

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was named the Gators new head football coach. Prior to his head coaching stint with the Ragin' Cajuns, Napier had familiarity with the

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31–28 then lost to rival Tennessee by a score of 38–33. Napier then led the Gators to two straight victories; 52–17 over FCS opponent

2168:

murders. Combatting the gloom, the 1990 Gators opened the season with a no-huddle, 80-yard touchdown drive in six plays to defeat the

339:

the Lake City university's athletic club was reorganized, allowing the first major schedule for a Florida football team. Led by coach

8485: 6979: 6762: 4158:, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 89–95, 116–126, 129–130, 131–132, 152 (2011). Retrieved March 11, 2012. 3000: 8639: 5108: 4645: 10793: 8658: 7104: 3319: 2995:

team. Prior to a successful run at MSU, Mullen had served as Urban Meyer's offensive coordinator for the Gators from 2005 to 2008.

970:

and could throw passes with either hand or punt with either foot, while on the run or stationary, The 1928 team's sole loss was to

360: 344: 332: 320: 308: 304: 10870: 10320: 10105: 8730: 8511: 8084: 6823: 2760: 1994:'s call of the play gave the game its nickname: "Run Lindsay Run." The Gators ended their season with a 35–20 victory against the 708:, as head coach. Kline's first year saw an improved, 6–3 overall record but a 1–3 conference record. He upgraded the team for his 12115: 12105: 11890: 10153: 3492: 2910: 2796: 2738: 2729: 2495: 2466: 2442: 2352: 2344: 2332: 2316: 2302: 2287: 2248: 2228: 2197: 2177: 2173: 1804:. After the game, Graves resigned as head coach (with a 70–31–4 record) but continued as Florida's athletic director until 1979. 1787: 1648: 1491: 1030: 975: 865: 841: 728: 641: 637: 534: 232: 88: 8441: 1526:

and ranked 14th despite a 6–4–1 record. The season included a 12–9 upset of Miami and the first win against new in-state rival

12008: 8999: 4203: 2934:, Muschamp was dismissed as the Florida head coach after a loss to South Carolina. His overall record as head coach was 28–21. 2893: 2700: 2364: 1835:

regular season, the Gators led Miami 45–8 with less than two minutes left. Victory was assured, and Florida senior quarterback

899:. A few days after the Davidson loss, captain Frank Oosterhoudt was declared ineligible. His replacement by unanimous vote was 10691: 6013: 1425:, he emphasized defense, field position and the kicking game over an open offense; however, during Woodruff's first season in 955:, the 1928 Gators led the nation in points scored with 336. The team also produced the Gators' first first-team All-American, 11852: 11754: 11614: 6656: 3936: 2507: 1995: 1438:

again won two SEC games (against Vanderbilt and Alabama in Tuscaloosa), in addition to inter-sectional victories against the

9322: 5316: 3322:, where Wade had coach previously, thus won the conference. It is the most-recent conference title for Vanderbilt football. 2757:

head coaching job. On August 3, 2009, Meyer signed a new six-year contract worth $ 4 million annually excluding incentives.

1831:

A colorful moment during the Dickey era was a play known as the "Florida Flop" or the "Gator Flop." In the last game of the

1302:. Florida did not field a team in 1943 due to the lack of available players, for the first and only autumn since the modern 11983: 11963: 10404: 4336: 3135: 2212: 2047: 618: 287: 259: 61: 11495: 10026: 8576:"Charlie Strong hired as Louisville head coach | OnlyGators.com: Florida Gators news, analysis, schedules and scores" 7943: 1886:. The 1974 Gators posted an 8–4 record (after a 7–1 start) and a Sugar Bowl appearance, a 13–10 loss. Dickey employed the 11968: 9446: 6450: 3801: 3024: 2984: 2964: 2754: 2746: 2742: 2668: 2631: 2596: 2579: 2567: 2407: 2184:

won the team's first official SEC championship, 59 seasons after joining the conference as a charter member. Quarterback

2031: 1978: 1758: 1667: 1479: 1455: 1375: 1283: 1237: 1236:

was disappointing, except for a 14–0 road upset of Miami and a hard-fought 14–7 homecoming victory against Georgia Tech.

1229: 1126: 672:, however, was a 2–4 disappointment. During his three seasons as coach Buser compiled a 7–8 record, including a one-game 614: 578: 352: 275: 10768: 10666: 10479: 9201: 8394: 8381: 8368: 7132: 6375: 4401: 4059:

Football's Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of the Great Game's Outrageous Characters, Fortunate Fumbles, and Other Oddities

3915: 2139:

Despite intermittent success, Florida had never been considered a consistent national power. This changed in 1990, when

751:

called him "Dixie's greatest guard." Perry later returned to Gainesville and was a fixture on the team's sidelines as a

11998: 11703: 9502: 8575: 7979: 7917: 7849: 7589: 7219: 6800: 6355: 6220: 6195: 6084: 5669: 4706: 3218: 3049: 2882: 2063: 1844: 1775: 1462:

needed a last-second field goal to defeat Florida. The Gators received their first bowl-game invitation, defeating the

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major and assistant coach under Kline, coached the 1923 and 1924 teams to 6–1–2 and 6–2–2 records. Both teams lost to

772: 771:

as athletic director. The season saw the Gators' first game against a traditional northeastern power. They played the

744: 606: 500: 469: 457: 312: 295: 10743: 8622: 6109: 1021:

rushed for a single-game school record of 218 yards, a record which stood for 55 years. The 1930 Gators also defeated

12721: 12716: 12711: 12706: 12701: 12696: 12691: 12686: 12681: 12676: 12671: 12666: 12661: 12656: 12651: 12646: 12640: 12634: 12628: 12622: 12617: 12612: 12607: 12602: 12597: 12592: 12587: 12582: 12576: 12570: 12565: 12560: 12555: 12550: 12545: 12540: 12535: 12530: 12525: 12520: 12515: 12510: 12505: 12500: 12495: 12490: 12485: 12480: 12475: 12470: 12465: 12460: 12455: 12450: 12445: 12440: 12435: 12430: 12425: 12420: 12415: 12410: 12405: 12400: 12395: 12390: 12385: 12380: 12375: 12370: 12365: 12360: 12355: 12350: 12345: 12340: 12335: 12330: 12325: 12320: 12315: 12305: 12300: 12295: 12290: 12285: 12280: 12275: 12270: 12265: 12260: 12255: 12250: 12245: 12240: 12235: 12230: 12225: 12220: 12215: 12210: 12205: 12200: 12195: 12190: 12185: 12180: 12175: 12170: 12165: 12160: 12155: 12150: 11958: 11873: 11834: 11796: 11773: 11684: 11654: 11635: 11595: 10923: 9079: 8536: 8140: 7389: 4909: 3862: 3470: 3466: 3462: 3036: 2931: 2914: 2901: 2889: 2836: 2772: 2725: 2718: 2676: 2656: 2604: 2591: 2571: 2563: 2562:

Zook was a strong recruiter, signing the 20th-ranked class in an abbreviated 2002 search, the second-ranked class in

2487: 2478: 2462: 2438: 2399: 2368: 2327: 2298: 2259: 2204: 2189: 2181: 2160: 2115: 2111: 2107: 2092: 2088: 2026: 2011: 2007: 2003: 1970: 1954: 1920: 1911: 1903: 1899: 1883: 1879: 1871: 1867: 1832: 1817: 1767: 1754: 1737: 1710: 1690: 1640: 1624: 1616: 1591: 1553: 1519: 1507: 1499: 1495: 1487: 1483: 1447: 1435: 1426: 1374:, rushing for a career 2,017 yards. In 1949, Hunsinger ran for 174 yards and three touchdowns in a 28–7 victory over 1371: 1367: 1343: 1335: 1279: 1275: 1233: 1225: 1212: 1185: 1150: 1122: 1118: 1098: 1094: 1049: 1034: 1006: 932: 892: 888: 813: 809: 805: 801: 797: 756: 709: 701: 689: 681: 673: 669: 629: 610: 598: 574: 554: 538: 530: 519: 496: 465: 453: 425: 421: 400: 194: 190: 182: 178: 166: 162: 155: 131: 115: 80: 65: 37: 11988: 5000: 3507:

memorably returned an interception 88 yards for a score. Peyton Manning went on to be the first overall pick in the

1790:. The Gator Bowl was dominated by a Gator defense led by linebacker Mike Kelley (the game's MVP) and All-Americans: 12749: 11993: 6600: 5790: 3070: 2930:. Despite the offseason assistant coaching changes, the Gators 2014 season was another disappointment. Late in the 2918: 2491: 2419: 2263: 2232: 2096: 1794: 1750: 1531: 1398: 1331: 1114: 1042: 904: 602: 582: 562: 348: 119: 9793: 4356: 3750: 3252:

According to the F Club, the university's lettermen's association. Perry is also the namesake of the university's

8463: 8423: 8263: 6851: 6621: 5129: 4733: 3504: 3348: 3340: 3003:. The following season, the Gators struggled and Mullen was fired prior to the team's final regular season game. 2917:

was the Gators' worst since 1979. They lost their last seven games (including their first defeat by an FCS team,

2427: 2410:

after defeating both teams the previous year. Florida ended the regular season with a 32–29 upset of top-ranked

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challenged his shaky team's manhood and they rose to the occasion. The Gators won their last three games—against

1503: 1463: 130:

continued the success in the 1960s, with the Gators appearing in the AP top ten rankings for the first time. His

7687: 7368: 2453:

left to take the head coaching position at Duke. Spurrier also lost his defensive coordinator that offseason as

1923:; unable to duplicate his success at Tennessee, the coach had a 58–43–2 record in nine seasons with the Gators. 775:

on the road and were overwhelmed by Harvard substitutes, 24–0, before their largest crowd to date. According to

601:, the team posted a much-improved 5–2 record. Unlike the previous season, the Gators played respectably against 12080: 7734: 3283: 2922: 2015: 1181: 1109:'s Vanderbilt football teams. After coaching Clemson to a 29–11–1 record from 1927 to 1930, he returned to his 1068: 884: 860: 412: 8928: 8025: 7484: 2301:. The Gators' closest victory margin was 11 points as they defeated three top-10 teams. Their victory against 1639:

on the side of their helmets to pump up the southern team facing a favored northern school. Florida began its

1037:

and 1932), Bachman ended his tenure on a high note in his final game with a 12–2 inter-sectional upset of the

10564: 5405: 5167: 3058: 2951: 2816: 2733: 2575: 2403: 2356: 2278:). The Gators led, 31–3, at the beginning of the fourth quarter before FSU scored four touchdowns. FSU coach 2207:

was the first in which the Gators were ranked in the AP top ten every week. In the second week, quarterbacks

1702: 1515: 963: 705: 237: 8554: 7567: 3786: 2779:. Although they had the second undefeated regular season in program history, the departures of All-American 2551:, who served as the Gators defensive coordinator from 1996 to 1998. After both turned him down, Foley hired 173:

became the first Heisman winner to be coached by a Heisman winner when he won the award in that year. Coach

11470:"Florida coach Billy Napier fires assistants Sean Spencer, Corey Raymond with expected staff shakeup ahead" 9135: 3442:

LaPradd became a football coach at FSU and then president of St. John's River Community College in Palatka.

3045: 2955: 2800: 2688: 1999: 1701:, posted a 7–3 record and tied for second place in the SEC. They defeated Sugar Bowl bound, seventh-ranked 697: 283: 11144: 10615: 10052: 8193: 8085:"Florida Football 2012 100 For 100, No. 97: Remember 1997, And The Greatest Game Ever Played In The Swamp" 8043: 7455: 6562: 6070: 1490:' record SEC win–loss record of 5–2, including a win against Georgia Tech and their first victory against 1401:

during the 1950s. His ten-year tenure was notable for a 6–4 record against Georgia, four top-twenty final

747:

selection. Perry played every minute of two seasons and "developed into a wizard at blocking punts"; UF's

11935: 10001: 8784: 7332: 4072: 1782:'s 110-point season scoring record. The 1969 Gators also posted an alltime-best 9–1–1 record and a 14–13 368: 92: 11496:"Billy Napier parts ways with defensive assistants Corey Raymond, Sean Spencer after Gators' 5-7 season" 9528: 9153: 7470: 7433: 5713: 4421: 688:

was the first to a Florida opponent since Stetson in 1909 and was viewed as an unacceptable failure. In

118:

was the first in school history to win a bowl game. The 1950s also saw the beginnings of rivalries with

12145: 12140: 12135: 12130: 12125: 12059: 12054: 11929: 9464: 8218: 7892: 7074:, Florida vs. Georgia (special insert), pp. 10 & 12 (October 28, 1994). Retrieved August 23, 2011. 5616: 3959: 3257: 2792: 2765: 2692: 2612: 2348: 2193: 2071:

received a list of 107 major infractions from the NCAA in mid-September, however, university president

1745: 1608: 1339: 896: 844:

16–6. This, the Tide's only SoCon loss, gave the Gators their first national media coverage. Halfback

665: 590: 523: 404: 83:

led the nation in scoring and were kept from a perfect season and a possible invitation to play in the

11816: 9241: 4521: 4475: 3984: 1506:

and began the season with a 6–1–1 record, they lost the last two games to Georgia Tech and Miami. The

632:, compiling the most ambitious and difficult Gators football schedule to date. The team, captained by 12029: 8809: 5611: 2544: 2458: 2336: 2291: 2140: 2035: 1935: 1671: 1544:, wrote: "Big, fast and tough, he outshone all of Auburn's great linemen." According to Auburn coach 1535: 1154: 646: 585:

beat the Gators 55–0. Florida finished the see-saw season with a 4–3 record, and Pyle left to become

581:

144–0, the widest margin of victory in program history. The following week, the future SIAA champion

477: 101: 57: 10179: 8354: 6928: 6905: 6673: 6424: 5654: 5597: 5479: 5465: 5442: 5251: 5202: 5058: 4874: 4807: 4630: 4592: 4461: 4303: 11941: 7824:"Greatest point ever: Warrick Dunn's touchdown sets up Florida State Seminoles' championship berth" 7163: 6307: 5926: 5631: 3282:

Van Fleet was an active duty U.S. Army officer who was also the senior officer of the university's

3094: 3066: 2897: 2865: 2512: 1856: 1718: 1439: 1414: 1359: 1014: 920: 279: 41: 8698: 7705: 6745:"Gator Bowl Memories: "Super Sophs" Lead Gators to Victory Over Tennessee in Wild 1969 Gator Bowl" 4902:

The Football Encyclopedia: The Complete History of Professional Football, From 1892 to the Present

4008: 3539:

Generations of inspiration: The first black football players at UF remain an inspiration to others

2831:

consensus number-one recruiting class in February 2010. In Meyer's absence, offensive coordinator

2599:, Zook was fired but allowed to finish the regular season. In his final game, the Gators defeated 2359:, leaving the third-ranked Gators the best available opponent for the top-ranked Seminoles in the 1916: 832:, Kline's alma mater, and tied with southern power Georgia Tech. In 1923's final game, on a rainy 386:

1907 UF football team; Forsythe is second from left in the center row, and Shands is bottom right.

11913: 11722:

Kabat, Ric A. (July 1991). "Before the Seminoles: Football at Florida State College, 1902–1904".

9847: 9729: 5838: 5544: 4280: 3253: 3108: 2992: 2683:(27–17). In their final regular-season SEC game, the Gators managed a slender 17–16 victory when 2441:

lost two games to teams which would eventually meet in the first BCS National Championship game:

2119: 1652: 1636: 1540: 1307: 1090: 1082: 956: 817: 677: 437: 408: 205: 19: 7084: 6408:

Robert Cade: Scientist who invented Gatorade, the world's first and biggest-selling sports drink

4224: 4090: 1847:

for the record. After the final whistle, jubilant Florida players jumped into a tank behind the

1458:

33–0 (their largest victory against the Bulldogs for almost forty years), and national champion

915:

led the Gators to national recognition, taking over as head coach in 1928. Bachman, who coached

104:

and the cancelling of a football season when the university did not field a team in 1943 due to

11444: 11419: 11394: 11369: 11344: 11319: 11294: 11269: 11244: 11219: 11194: 11169: 11119: 11094: 11069: 11044: 11019: 10994: 10969: 10944: 9833: 9779: 9715: 8915: 7265:"Florida-Georgia: 30 years ago, Gators QB Kerwin Bell used arm to break six-game losing streak" 5775: 5574: 5087: 4784: 4147: 3032: 2680: 2664: 2615:

against Miami, the first African-American head coach at Florida and the second in SEC history.

1443: 1204: 768: 764: 713: 290:

in 1903) had intramural football teams by the late 1890s or early 1900s. On November 22, 1901,

69: 10769:"South Florida Bulls vs. Florida Gators Live Score and Stats - September 17, 2022 Gametracker" 9414: 9336: 9305: 9262: 9122: 9096: 9050: 8946: 8901: 8875: 8823: 8770: 8410: 7655: 6891: 5418:"Gator Bowl Memories: Victory Over Tulsa in 1953 Gave UF First Bowl Victory in School History" 3892: 3339:

were the first Gators to make the composite All-Southern team. Newton, Goldstein, and lineman

3243:, halfback Ark Newton, tackle Arthur Doty, fullback Ray C. Dickson, and end Lloyd Hockenstadt. 3035:

as an assistant coach at both Alabama and Clemson. He also served as offensive coordinator at

32:

team during its first full academic year of existence. The school's name was shortened to the

11863: 11625: 9900:"Florida AD Jeremy Foley backs Will Muschamp; says Gators coach 'will figure this thing out'" 8716: 8288: 7407:"Florida-Auburn 1986: The Greatest Game Ever in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium? - Gator Tailgating" 6323:"Ray Graves, the father of modern-day Florida Gators football, dies at 96 – Orlando Sentinel" 5228: 5035: 3370: 2835:

served as acting head coach. Meyer returned from his leave of absence on March 18, 2010. The

2275: 1660: 1604: 1406: 1303: 1254: 549:

winner in team history, scored 49 of the season's 84 points (including a school-record eight

445: 429: 263: 255: 49: 33: 10744:"Kentucky Wildcats vs. Florida Gators Live Score and Stats - September 10, 2022 Gametracker" 9529:"Florida football coach Will Muschamp finalizes contract, will make $ 2.75 million annually" 3369:

Sebring was a law student while serving as the Gators' coach. He later was appointed to the

1257:

is named in his honor. He caught both touchdowns in the win against Miami; according to the

10505:"Florida hires Louisiana's Billy Napier as coach: Gators swipe one of most in-demand names" 10349:"Gators, Jim McElwain part ways because coach couldn't do what Scott Frost has done at UCF" 9555:"In search for cure of Gators' offensive problems, Charlie Weis looks in the mirrror first" 7471:"Southeast Roundup : Florida Upset by Memphis State; LSU Beats Auburn With Late Score" 6987: 5179: 4945: 4825: 3558: 2845: 2603:

for their first win on FSU's field since 1986. Zook accepted the head-coaching position at

2499: 2415: 2283: 1418: 1158: 1038: 911:

and left the university in 1928, after recruiting a talented team for his successor. Coach

908: 829: 9924: 5401: 5163: 3382:

Just before Rockne died in a plane crash, he vacationed in Florida and spoke with Bachman.

727:

The 1921 Gators went 6–3–2 overall and 4–1–2 in the conference, including a 9–2 defeat of

8: 11549:"Billy Napier Florida contract, buyout clause: Here's how much Gators owe coach if fired" 8102: 6185:", Florida High School Athletic Association (December 12, 2007). Retrieved May 26, 2011. 3591: 3240: 3054: 2516: 808:

the Gators had the best three-year record in the first 20 years of Florida football. The

760: 668:, who promised to use a Midwestern, power-football style of play to revive the team. The 343:, the team was beaten easily by all its opponents (including out-of-state southern teams 251: 213: 123: 28:

began in 1906, when the newly established "University of the State of Florida" fielded a

7434:"COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Emmitt Smith Rushes for 224 Yards; Gators Upset Alabama, 23-14" 6448: 4504:"Tootie Ready For Welcome: Gators' "Water Boy" Will Be First to Greet New Florida Coach" 3713: 3360:

Jones played a nine-game season, and the record stood until 1969, an eleven-game season.

1338:

finished with a 0–9 record, the worst in school history. Their upset of the 18th-ranked

208:

since 1933, in its eastern division since 1992. Previously, Florida was a member of the

11785: 11731: 10253: 9754: 8734: 8326: 6506: 5417: 4254: 3344: 2649: 2552: 2490:

appeared ready to return to the SEC Championship as favorites, but were upset 23–20 by

2307: 2118:

with a 5–0 record, and were ranked as high as 14th. During an October game against the

1890:

offense for the first season in the Gators' history. The 1975 Gators had a 9–3 record.

1887: 1347: 1189: 417: 391: 216:(SoCon) from 1922 to 1932. There have been 25 head coaches for the team, starting with 6744: 2856: 91:

in Knoxville. The success of the 1928 Gators inspired the school to replace primitive

75:

Florida's football program first rose to national prominence in the 1920s, when coach

11869: 11848: 11830: 11792: 11769: 11750: 11699: 11680: 11650: 11631: 11610: 11591: 10539: 10002:"Florida fires offensive coordinator Brent Pease following 4-8 finish to 2013 season" 9216: 8597: 6770: 6474: 6451:"Gator Bowl Memories: Gators Hold Off Baylor in Wild Finish to Claim 1960 Gator Bowl" 4905: 4691: 3858: 3727: 3303: 2728:

responded as a vastly improved team. Florida won its fourth consecutive game against

2376: 2290:

by one point in the SEC Championship before facing the Seminoles in a rematch in the

2215:. With eight seconds left, Wuerffel threw a pass down the middle to walk-on receiver 1848: 1612: 1194: 1176:

Cody's finest moment as the Gators' head coach may have been the team's 7–0 upset of

1134: 1086: 1048:

The 1930s and 1940s were difficult for the Gators. After posting a six-win season in

784: 586: 473: 241:

The 1899 FAC team, the first football team from any of UF's predecessor institutions.

29: 7688:"Steve Spurrier says early '90s wins over Alabama 'got us started there at Florida'" 6727: 4200: 2687:

blocked a fourth-quarter field-goal attempt by South Carolina. Florida defeated the

2638:

Athletic director Jeremy Foley targeted a higher-profile replacement for Zook: 2004

2223:

shouted, "Doering's got a touchdown!" The next week, Florida recovered and defeated

1570: 966:. Crabtree and Van Sickel were both unanimous All-Southern selections. Crabtree was 763:(SoCon) after their regional rivals' departure from the SIAA in 1921, hiring former 561:(SIAA), the first southern athletics conference, and began the season by facing the 10288: 10286: 6906:"Drastic Rules Are Adopted By New Southern Conference To Keep College Sports Clean" 3511:

and break numerous NFL records, but ended his career without a win against Florida.

3294:

during World War II, and later became a division and corps commander under General

3291: 2503: 2474: 2320: 2192:

won the first of five consecutive SEC Eastern Division titles. They lost the first

2126:

demanded Hall's resignation five games into the 1989 season. Defensive coordinator

1574:

Graves is carried from the field by his players after the 1967 Orange Bowl victory.

1534:, an injury to a Florida tackles led Woodruff to employ the unorthodox strategy of 1471: 1470:

on New Year's Day. The team produced Florida's second first-team All-American: the

1430: 1322:

arrived on the Gainesville campus in the fall of 1946. Dutch Stanley returned from

1290:, it was the most memorable win in Georgia history. Georgia's backfield included 1073: 900: 833: 693: 220: 7593: 6653: 5339:

Florida Eleven to Seek First Grid Victory on Foreign Soil in Chicago Next Saturday

1590:, led the Gators to a series of firsts (including their first nine-win season, in 1402: 985: 11842: 11744: 11714: 11585: 10590:"Gators hire Billy Napier agrees to 7-year, $ 51.8 million contract with Florida" 10532:"Florida hires Louisiana's Billy Napier as next head coach, replacing Dan Mullen" 9450: 9083: 8250: 8127: 7091: 6830: 6807: 6660: 6628: 6382: 6362: 6116: 5845: 5136: 5094: 5004: 4740: 4408: 4343: 4207: 4154: 4057: 4041: 3966: 3922: 3852: 3469:, and ultimately won a total of 122 games as the Gators' head coach from 1990 to 3343:

were among the first Gators to play professional football, as teammates with the

3336: 3307: 2804: 2788: 2360: 2247:

up the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown and a 33–21 FSU win. The Gators defeated

2123: 2072: 2019: 1974: 1957:

was a 0–10–1 disaster, but Pell's Gators improved after he hired offensive coach

1946: 1801: 1783: 1728: 1722: 1706: 1628: 1475: 1467: 1363: 1323: 959: 952: 912: 821: 732: 661: 449: 376: 271: 267: 76: 45: 11677:

Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told

10412: 10283: 9200:

Post, Special to The Denver Post | Special to The Denver (March 18, 2010).

1315:

landings in France and died from complications of his injuries ten years later.

871: 518:

face many of their current rivals and regular opponents for the first time. The

6921: 5647: 5590: 5458: 5244: 5195: 5051: 4800: 4623: 4454: 4296: 4073:

Football Row in Havana; Florida University Students Hooted for Breaking Up Game

3508: 3430: 3332: 3287: 3270: 3130: 3122: 2812: 2808: 2608: 2540: 2384: 2372: 2312: 2208: 2185: 1852: 1791: 1779: 1694: 1583: 1549: 1422: 1389: 1379: 1299: 1295: 1291: 1246: 1241: 1130: 1064: 1005:, a major inter-sectional victory. Another inter-sectional victory followed in 979: 971: 948: 944: 940: 916: 845: 625: 546: 515: 492: 433: 170: 143: 139: 84: 53: 9443: 8004: 7201: 6458: 3805: 3715: 3015: 2527: 2155:

Spurrier called Florida Field "the Swamp"... "only Gators get out alive."

1538:

Heckman between right and left tackle. Bill Kastelz, the sports editor of the

812:

was one of the greatest in Gator history, at least until the 1960s. After the

605:

despite a 20–0 loss. The following year, McCoy also became the school's first

491:

The new university's name was shortened to University of Florida in 1909, and

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Creating the Big Game: John W. Heisman and the Invention of American Football

10543: 6774: 4528:, p. 6 (November 3, 1932). Retrieved October 3, 2014 (subscription required). 3295: 3074: 2972: 2869: 2832: 2640: 2423: 2271: 2216: 2165: 2051: 2043: 1987: 1958: 1798: 1762: 1681: 1663: 1410: 1138: 1026: 364: 340: 319:, an English professor from South Carolina, who led the team to victory over 316: 96: 11787:

The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football

9716:"2012 FBS (I-A) College Football Team Statistics Leaders for Passing - ESPN" 7638:"If he couldn't win big at South Carolina, Steve Spurrier wasn't interested" 4607: 4438: 4062:, Brassey's, Dulles, Virginia, pp. 191–192 (2000). Retrieved March 1, 2010. 1562:, Tennessee, in 1963 and was the school's athletic director for many years. 1129:

and produced the Gators' first first-team All-SEC selection: senior captain

804:

teams received national media coverage for the first time, and from 1923 to

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for the SEC championship, their first since 2000. The Gators played in the

2660: 2536: 2483: 2380: 2279: 2244: 2240: 2224: 2127: 2103: 2059: 1991: 1931: 1907: 1895: 1840: 1770:(his last) is remembered for the "Super Sophs", which included quarterback 1714: 1698: 1620: 1545: 1511: 1383: 1327: 1259: 1142: 967: 928: 837: 780: 740: 566: 542: 526: 395: 372: 299: 217: 151: 111: 105: 11882: 11665: 10228: 10208:"Florida's Jim McElwain becomes first coach to win SEC East in first year" 9076: 9025:"College football: Florida assistant Charlie Strong heading to Louisville" 2418:

field goal for a 29–25 lead. On first down of the next drive, quarterback

1413:'s Army teams. In order to induce Woodruff to coach the Florida team, the 1405:

rankings, and only two losing seasons. Woodruff, who came to Florida from

1266: 1041:. After the season, Bachman accepted an offer to become head coach of the 1017:

19–0. It was the Gators' first inter-sectional victory outside the South.

12034: 12002: 11977: 9444:

One-Time Gainesville Native Will Muschamp Returns To Coach Florida Gators

4997: 4585: 4175:, Sporting Section, p. 3 (September 20, 1914). Retrieved March 23, 2010. 3426: 3391: 2906: 2684: 2645: 2627: 2583: 2450: 2220: 2055: 2039: 1966: 1891: 1836: 1813: 1771: 1741: 1656: 1595: 1523: 1486:

was a year of rebuilding and backsliding after LaPradd's graduation. The

1421:. As a former Tennessee football player and disciple of Volunteers coach 1355: 1351: 1200: 1177: 1146: 1106: 1055: 880: 633: 622: 594: 174: 147: 135: 11735: 8289:"NFL Redskins hire Steve Spurrier as highest-paid coach in pro football" 2888:

In spite of preseason optimism, Weis's offense struggled throughout the

2437:

Florida went three seasons before recapturing an SEC title in 2000. The

1643:

with a 1–1–1 record. The season highlight followed: a 10–6 upset of the

1121:, Cody's first season, Florida had one conference victory. Although the 11607:

University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators

11523:"Florida football coach Billy Napier discusses offseason staff changes" 9154:"Florida's Interim Coach Is Like Meyer, but With a Passion All His Own" 8785:"Steve Spurrier Announced as New Head Football Coach at South Carolina" 5688:"Worth the Wait: Temple stuns Vandy; first win over SEC for since 1938" 4551: 4318: 3754: 3299: 2988: 2927: 2878: 2784: 2750: 2696: 2548: 2454: 2431: 2102:

The greatest player during Hall's tenure was All-American running back

2084: 2042:, dropped back into his own end zone and threw a long pass to receiver 1983: 1860: 1644: 1587: 1579: 1558: 1287: 1162: 1018: 1010: 788: 755:, gaining national media notoriety as the "All-American Waterboy." The 550: 198: 127: 9834:"Georgia Southern vs. Florida - Game Recap - November 23, 2013 - ESPN" 6182: 3491:

Including Red Bethea's single-game yardage record in a 23–14 upset of

1740:, finishing with a 9–2 record and defeating Georgia Tech 27–12 in the 851: 10846:"Takeaways From the Gators' Aggressive Showing in 38-33 Loss to Vols" 5086:

University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Heritage of Leadership,

3413: 3208:

1909 is the last season in which Stetson claims a state championship.

3004: 2714: 2258:

The Gators were first in the preseason AP Poll for the first time in

1962: 1941: 1875: 1823: 1102: 936: 825: 752: 186: 8713:"South Carolina vs. Florida - Game Recap - November 11, 2006 - ESPN" 5734:

Lieb Named Florida Grid Mentor: Former Irish Coach Signs For 3 Years

3053:

archrival Florida State. The Florida Gators accepted a berth in the

982:

berth. The Florida players accused Tennessee of watering the field.

146:

winner. Florida football slipped in the late 1970s under head coach

12044: 10366:"Florida Gators make Mississippi State's Dan Mullen new head coach" 9453:", Gatorzone.com (December 11, 2010). Retrieved December 12, 2010. 9086:", GatorZone.com (December 26, 2009). Retrieved December 12, 2010. 7590:"GatorBytes' Original Sunshine State Scoreboard: Spurrier's Record" 5007:", Gator Country.com (July 22, 2005). Retrieved September 9, 2009. 3934: 3394:

coached Oregon, who had been Army's coach during the Van Fleet era.

3286:(ROTC) program. As a regimental commander, he participated in the 2749:

24–14. After the 2008 season, Meyer lost his offensive coordinator

2556: 1705:

20–6 in a game postponed until weeks after the season ended due to

1599: 1052:, Florida did not win more than five games in a season until 1952. 816:, the Gators joined other major southern programs to establish the 748: 250:

The modern University of Florida (UF) was created in 1905 when the

10819:"Bulls Nearly Down No. 18 Florida In Wild 31-28 Game In The Swamp" 8264:"USATODAY.com - Florida coach Spurrier resigns, could leap to NFL" 6614: 5875:

New Colleges Set Grid Hopes: Florida And Kentucky To Field Elevens

2323:. Despite the decisive loss, they remained second in the AP Poll. 11647:

Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory

10380:"University of Florida Selects Dan Mullen as Head Football Coach" 9289:

Meyer was undoubtedly great, but Florida will survive without him

7881:, pp. 1E & 6E (October 16, 1994). Retrieved August 17, 2011. 7333:"Commentary : What's Florida's Problem? Give the Title Back" 2294:(won by FSU, 23–17). The Gators finished seventh in the AP Poll. 1578:

Florida attained its first consistent success in the 1960s, when

1451: 1319: 9976:"Florida fires Pease, Davis after losing season | NCAA.com" 9665:"Gators hire Boise State's Brent Pease as offensive coordinator" 8757:"Tim Tebow: Heisman Trophy win in 2007 was first by a sophomore" 4319:"'Gators Smash Carolina Defense And Win Brilliant 21-13 Victory" 3787:"Honoring William Wetmore Gibbs – ESSIE – University of Florida" 3650: 2390: 1969:

led the team to an NCAA-record turnaround with an 8–3 season in

1306:

opened its Gainesville campus in 1906. Florida was one of seven

11829:, South Star Publishing Company, Gainesville, Florida (1986). 11827:

Gator History: A Pictorial History of the University of Florida

11580:, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida (2015). 10719:"Florida Gators Fall Back to Earth with 26-16 Loss to Kentucky" 8902:"Florida Gators QB Tim Tebow breaks SEC record for rushing TDs" 5822:

Funeral Rites Held For Forrest Ferguson, Gator Grid All-America

3893:"ISSUU - 2013 Stetson Football by Stetson University Athletics" 2942: 2630:

and the Gators celebrated 100 years of Florida football with a

2434:, costing the Seminoles a chance at the national championship. 1498:

played their only eight-game SEC schedule before the 1990s. In

1168: 1045:

and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

570: 36:

in 1908, and the football team gained the nickname "Gators" in

9780:"Louisville vs. Florida - Game Recap - January 2, 2013 - ESPN" 9125:", ESPN.com (December 30, 2009). Retrieved November 22, 2010. 7247:"Is this the University of Florida's best football team ever?" 6449:

6006:"Gators' Mr. Two-Bits to hang it up after 60 years at Florida" 4439:"Scribes Are Finding Material Plentiful For All-Star Machines" 3714:

2811:. After the 2009 season, Meyer lost his defensive coordinator 2667:. The Gators defeated their three biggest rivals (Tennessee, 2623: 1346:

broke a 13-game postwar losing streak. Wolf failed to use the

1263:, the score was "Forrest Ferguson 14; University of Miami 0." 506: 483: 10278:

Florida coach Jim McElwain on buyout speculation: 'We'll see'

9755:"Gators Come Up Short in Jacksonville, Fall to Georgia, 17-9" 7962:"Nebraska team among college football's greatest of all time" 5612:"Florida Drafted Players/Alumni – Pro-Football-Reference.com" 4009:"Champions of the South regardless of conference affiliation" 2426:

from the Gator 20-yard line for a 62-yard gain. Running back

2219:

for the game-winning touchdown; Gator play-by-play announcer

1502:, although the Gators produced first-team All-American guard 1312: 652: 441: 382: 11746:

Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football

8806:"Florida vs. Oklahoma - Game Recap - January 8, 2009 - ESPN" 6824:

Meyer Isn't Looking Back at History of Florida-Miami Rivalry

6799: