Florida Gators football, 1970–79

The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The University of Florida fielded its first official varsity football team in the fall of 1906, and has fielded a team every season since then, with the exception of 1943. During the 1970s, the Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and played their home games at Florida Field on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus.

This article includes a game-by-game list of the Florida Gators' ten football seasons from 1970 to 1979. During the 1970s, the Gators were coached by Douglas A. "Doug" Dickey (1970–1978) and Charles B. "Charley" Pell (1979–1984). Dickey and Pell compiled an overall record of 58–53–3 (.522) during the decade.

1970

1970 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1970 record 7–4 (3–3 T-3rd SEC)
Head coach Doug Dickey
Offensive coordinator Jimmy Dunn
Defensive coordinator Doug Knotts
Captain Mike Kelley
Donny Williams
Home stadium Florida Field
1970 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#7 LSU $ 5 – 0 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#4 Tennessee 4 – 1 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#10 Auburn 5 – 2 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
#20 Ole Miss 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
Georgia 3 – 3 – 0     5 – 5 – 0
Alabama 3 – 4 – 0     6 – 5 – 1
Mississippi State 3 – 4 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Kentucky 0 – 7 – 0     2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1970 college football season was Florida alumnus Doug Dickey's first of nine as the new head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Dickey had been the starting quarterback for the Gators under coach Bob Woodruff in 1952 and 1953, and had previously served as the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers before returning to his alma mater in 1970. Dickey's 1970 Florida Gators finished with a 7–4 overall record and a 3–3 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), tying for third among ten SEC teams.[1]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–12–1970 Duke* #15 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL W 21–19  
9–19–1970 Mississippi State #14 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 34–13  
9–26–1970 Alabama #13 Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL L 15–46  
10–3–1970 North Carolina State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 14–6  
10–10–1970 Florida State* Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 38–27  
10–17–1970 Richmond* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 20–0  
10–24–1970 #11 Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN ABC L 7–38  
10–31–1970 #12 Auburn Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) L 14–63  
11–7–1970 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL ABC W 24–17  
11–14–1970 Kentucky Tampa Stadium • Tampa, FL W 24–13  
11–28–1970 Miami* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 13–14  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]


1971

1971 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1971 record 4–7 (1–6 T-8th SEC)
Head coach Doug Dickey
Offensive coordinator Jimmy Dunn
Defensive coordinator Doug Knotts
Captain Harvin Clark
Tommy Durrance
John Reaves
Home stadium Florida Field
1971 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#4 Alabama $ 7 – 0 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#7 Georgia 5 – 1 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#12 Auburn 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
#15 Ole Miss 4 – 2 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#9 Tennessee 4 – 2 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#11 LSU 3 – 2 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 6 – 1
Florida 1 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Kentucky 1 – 6 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 7 – 0     2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1971 college football season was Doug Dickey's second as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Dickey's 1971 Florida Gators finished with a 4–7 overall record and a 1–6 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), tying for eighth among ten SEC teams.[1]

The disappointing season ended on a controversial note. With the Gators leading the Miami Hurricanes 45–8 late in the fourth quarter of the last game of the season, senior quarterback John Reaves was just 14 yards short of the NCAA career record for passing yardage, but Miami had the ball and seemed destined to run out the clock. At the urging of Florida defensive captain Harvin Clark, Dickey agreed to permit the Gators defense to allow the Hurricanes to score, thus returning the ball to the Gators offense and giving Reaves a chance to break the record. Dubbed the "Florida Flop" or "Gator Flop," the move worked. When Miami snapped the ball from the Florida 8 year line, the Gators instantly flopped to the turf, allowing Miami quarterback John Hornibrook to walk uncontested into the endzone. Florida's offense got one more possession, and Reeves promptly broke the record with a pass to favorite target Carlos Alvarez. After the game, many Gator players celebrated by jumping into the pool at the Orange Bowl's east end zone used by the Miami Dolphins' live mascot, Flipper.

Miami coach Fran Curci was so angered by the turn of events that he refused to shake Dickey's hand. In a post-game interview, he called the actions "bush league" and declared that "what Doug Dickey did shows absolutely no class."[2][3][4]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–11–1971 Duke* Tampa Stadium • Tampa, FL L 6–12  
9–18–1971 Mississippi State Verterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, MS L 10–13  
9–25–1971 #8 Alabama Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 0–38  
10–2–1971 #12 Tennessee Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 13–20  
10–9–1971 #16 Louisiana State Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA L 7–48  
10–16–1971 #19 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 17–15  
10–23–1971 Maryland* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 27–23  
10–30–1971 #5 Auburn Cliff Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL L 7–40  
11–6–1971 #7 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL L 7–49  
11–13–1971 Kentucky Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 35–24  
11–27–1971 Miami* Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, FL W 45–16  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]


1972

1972 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1972 record 5–5–1 (3–3–1 6th SEC)
Head coach Doug Dickey
Offensive coordinator Jimmy Dunn
Defensive coordinator Doug Knotts
Captain Fred Abbott
Home stadium Florida Field
1972 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#7 Alabama $ 7 – 1 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#5 Auburn 6 – 1 – 0     10 – 1 – 0
#11 LSU 4 – 1 – 1     9 – 2 – 1
#8 Tennessee 4 – 2 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
Georgia 4 – 3 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 1     5 – 5 – 1
Ole Miss 2 – 5 – 0     5 – 5 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 5 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1972 college football season was the third for Doug Dickey as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Dickey's 1972 Florida Gators finished with a 5–5–1 overall record and a 3–3–1 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, tying for sixth among ten SEC teams.[1]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–23–1972 Southern Methodist* Tampa Stadium • Tampa, FL L 14–21  
9–30–1972 Mississippi State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 28–13  
10–7–1972 #13 Florida State* Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 42–13  
10–14–1972 #3 Alabama Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL L 7–24  
10–21–1972 Mississippi Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS W 16–0  
11–4–1972 #11 Auburn Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 20–26  
11–11–1972 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL ABC L 7–10  
11–18–1972 Kentucky Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 40–0  
11–25–1972 #8 Louisiana State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL T 3–3  
12–2–1972 Miami* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 17–6  
12–9–1972 #16 North Carolina* Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL L 24–28  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]

1973

1973 Florida Gators football
Tangerine Bowl, L 7–16 v. Miami (Ohio)
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #20
1973 record 7–5 (3–4 T-5th SEC)
Head coach Doug Dickey
Offensive coordinator Jimmy Dunn
Defensive coordinator Doug Knotts
Captain David Hitchcock
Vince Kendrick
Home stadium Florida Field
1973 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#4 Alabama $ 8 – 0 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#13 LSU 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Ole Miss 4 – 3 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
#19 Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Georgia 3 – 4 – 0     7 – 4 – 1
Florida 3 – 4 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Kentucky 3 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Auburn 2 – 5 – 0     6 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 5 – 0     4 – 5 – 2
Vanderbilt 1 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1973 college football season was Doug Dickey's fourth as the Florida Gators football team's head coach. Dickey's 1973 Florida Gators finished with a 7–5 overall record and a 3–4 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, tying for fifth among ten SEC teams.[1]

The Tangerine Bowl was temporarily moved from Orlando to Gainesville as the completion of the Citrus Bowl expansion was delayed. The fans were greeted by a record cold snap, with gametime temperatures at 25 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-4 degrees Celsius); the cold weather benefited the visiting Miami Redskins, who won 16-7.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–15–1973 Kansas State* #14 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 21–10  
9–22–1973 Southern Mississippi* #15 Tampa Stadium • Tampa, FL W 14–13  
9–29–1973 Mississippi State #16 Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, MS L 12–33  
10–6–1973 #10 Louisiana State Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA L 3–24  
10–13–1973 #3 Alabama Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 14–35  
10–20–1973 Mississippi Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) L 10–13  
11–3–1973 #19 Auburn Cliff Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL W 12–8  
11–10–1973 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL ABC W 11–10  
11–17–1973 Kentucky Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 20–18  
11–24–1973 Miami* Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, FL W 14–7  
12–1–1973 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 49–0  
12–22–1973 #15 Miami (Ohio)* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (Tangerine Bowl) MTN L 7–16  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]


1974

1974 Florida Gators football
Sugar Bowl, L 10–13 v. Nebraska
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #12
AP #15
1974 record 8–4 (3–3 T-4th SEC)
Head coach Doug Dickey
Offensive coordinator Jimmy Dunn
Offensive scheme Wishbone
Defensive coordinator Doug Knotts
Captain Lee McGriff
Ralph Ortega
Home stadium Florida Field
1974 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#5 Alabama $ 6 – 0 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#8 Auburn 4 – 2 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
Georgia 4 – 2 – 0     6 – 6 – 0
#17 Mississippi State 3 – 3 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#15 Florida 3 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Kentucky 3 – 3 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
#20 Tennessee 2 – 3 – 1     7 – 3 – 2
Vanderbilt 2 – 3 – 1     7 – 3 – 2
LSU 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 5 – 1
Ole Miss 0 – 6 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1974 college football season was Doug Dickey's fifth as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Dickey's 1974 Florida Gators finished with an 8–4 overall record and a 3–3 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), tying for fourth among ten SEC teams.[1] Powered by a strong backfield that included Tony Green and Jimmy DuBose, Dickey employed the wishbone offense for the first season in the Gators' history.[5]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–14–1974 California* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 21–17  
9–21–1974 #14 Maryland* Tampa Stadium • Tampa, FL W 17–10  
9–28–1974 Mississippi State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 29–13  
10–5–1974 Louisiana State #13 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 24–14  
10–12–1974 Vanderbilt #8 Dudley Field • Nashville, TN L 10–24  
10–19–1974 Florida State* #14 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 24–14  
10–26–1974 Duke* #12 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 30–13  
11–2–1974 #5 Auburn #11 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL ABC W 25–14  
11–9–1974 Georgia #6 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL L 16–17  
11–16–1974 Kentucky #9 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY ABC L 24–41  
11–30–1974 Miami* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 31–7  
12–31–1974 #8 Nebraska* #18 Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) ABC L 10–13  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]

1975

1975 Florida Gators football
Gator Bowl, L 0–13 v. Maryland
Conference Southeastern Conference
1975 record 9–3 (5–1 T-2nd SEC)
Head coach Doug Dickey
Offensive coordinator Jimmy Dunn
Offensive scheme Wishbone
Defensive coordinator Doug Knotts
Captain Jimmy DuBose
Sammy Green
Home stadium Florida Field
1975 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#3 Alabama $ 6 – 0 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
Florida 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#19 Georgia 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Ole Miss 5 – 1 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Vanderbilt 2 – 4 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
LSU 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 4 – 1     6 – 4 – 1
Auburn 1 – 4 – 1     3 – 6 – 2
Kentucky 0 – 6 – 0     2 – 8 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Mississippi State later forfeited all 1975 wins and one tie due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1975 college football season was Doug Dickey's sixth and most successful season as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Dickey's 1975 Florida Gators finished with a 9–3 overall record and a 5–1 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, tying for second among ten SEC teams.[1] The team featured consensus All-American linebacker Sammy Green.[6]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–13–1975 Southern Methodist* #19 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 40–14  
9–20–1975 North Carolina State* #13 Carter-Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NC L 7–8  
9–27–1975 Mississippi State #19 Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, MS W 27–10  
10–4–1975 Louisiana State #20 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 34–6  
10–11–1975 Vanderbilt #18 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 35–0  
10–18–1975 Florida State* #14 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 34–8  
10–25–1975 Duke* #12 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 24–16  
11–1–1975 Auburn #11 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL W 31–14  
11–8–1975 Georgia #11 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL ABC L 7–10  
11–15–1975 Kentucky #14 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 48–7  
11–29–1975 Miami* #13 Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, FL W 15–11  
12–29–1975 #17 Maryland* #13 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl) CBS L 0–13  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]


1976

1976 Florida Gators football
Sun Bowl, L 14–37 v. Texas A&M
Conference Southeastern Conference
1976 record 8–4 (4–2 4th SEC)
Head coach Doug Dickey
Offensive coordinator Jimmy Dunn
Offensive scheme Wishbone
Defensive coordinator Doug Knotts
Captain Darrell Carpenter
Alvin Cowens
Jimmy Fisher
Home stadium Florida Field
1976 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#10 Georgia $ 5 – 1 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#11 Alabama 5 – 2 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#20 Mississippi State 4 – 2 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
Florida 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
#18 Kentucky 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Ole Miss 3 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
LSU 2 – 4 – 0     6 – 4 – 1
Tennessee 2 – 4 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Auburn 2 – 4 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Mississippi State later forfeited all 1976 wins due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1976 college football season was the seventh for Doug Dickey as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Dickey's 1976 Florida Gators finished with an 8–4 overall record and a 4–2 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), placing fourth among ten SEC teams.[1]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–11–1976 North Carolina* #18 Tampa Stadium • Tampa, FL L 21–24  
9–18–1976 Houston* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 49–14  
9–25–1976 Mississippi State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 34–30  
10–2–1976 #11 Louisiana State #19 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 28–23  
10–16–1976 Florida State* #12 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 33–26  
10–23–1976 Tennessee #11 Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN W 20–18  
10–30–1976 Auburn #12 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 24–19  
11–6–1976 #7 Georgia #10 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL ABC L 27–41  
11–13–1976 Kentucky #15 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY L 9–28  
11–20–1976 Rice* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 50–22  
11–27–1976 Miami* Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL W 19–10  
1–2–1977 #10 Texas A&M* Sun Bowl Stadium • El Paso, TX (Sun Bowl) CBS L 14–37  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]

1977

1977 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1977 record 6–4–1 (3–3 5th SEC)
Head coach Doug Dickey
Offensive coordinator Jimmy Dunn
Offensive scheme Wishbone
Defensive coordinator Doug Knotts
Captain Wes Chandler
Scott Hutchinson
Charlie Williams
Home stadium Florida Field
1977 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#2 Alabama $ 7 – 0 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#6 Kentucky 6 – 0 – 0     10 – 1 – 0
LSU 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Auburn 4 – 2 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0     6 – 4 – 1
Georgia 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Ole Miss 2 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Tennessee 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Kentucky ineligible for SEC championship due to NCAA probation. Mississippi State later forfeited all 1977 wins due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1977 college football season was Doug Dickey's eighth as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Dickey's 1977 Florida Gators finished with a 6–4–1 overall record and a 3–3 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, placing fifth among ten SEC teams.[1]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–17–1977 Rice* #19 Rice Stadium • Houston, TX W 48–3  
9–24–1977 #12 Mississippi State #13 Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, MS ABC W 24–22  
10–1–1977 Louisiana State #9 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA L 14–36  
10–8–1977 #15 Pittsburgh* #20 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL T 17–17  
10–22–1977 Tennessee #19 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 27–17  
10–29–1977 Auburn #18 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL L 14–29  
11–5–1977 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL ABC W 22–17  
11–12–1977 #7 Kentucky Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 7–14  
11–19–1977 Utah* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 38–29  
11–26–1977 Miami* Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, FL W 31–14  
12–3–1977 #19 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL ABC L 9–37  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]


1978

1978 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1978 record 4–7 (3–3 T-4th SEC)
Head coach Doug Dickey
Offensive coordinator Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Doug Knotts
Captain Mike DuPree
Don Swafford
Home stadium Florida Field
1978 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#1 Alabama $ 6 – 0 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#16 Georgia 5 – 0 – 1     9 – 2 – 1
Auburn 3 – 2 – 1     6 – 4 – 1
LSU 3 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0     5 – 5 – 1
Florida 3 – 3 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 4 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Ole Miss 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 0     4 – 6 – 1
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1978 college football season was Doug Dickey's ninth and last year as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The 1978 Florida Gators finished with a 4–7 overall record and a 3–3 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, tying for fourth among ten SEC teams.[1] After a disappointing 1977 season, Dickey had been under pressure to shake up his coaching staff, and he decided to abandon the run-oriented wishbone offense his teams had used for several seasons in favor of a more pro-style system.[7] Former Florida quarterback Steve Spurrier, who had lived in Gainesville since wrapping up his NFL career in 1976, was hired to run the offense in his first coaching job.[8]

However, without the proper talent to run the new scheme, Florida's 1978 scoring output was almost identical to 1977's output - about 22 points per game.[8][9] Florida struggled with consistency, never winning consecutive games, losing to traditional rivals Georgia and Florida State, and enduring their first losing season since 1971. Days before the final game, Dickey (along with Spurrier and the rest of the coaching staff) were told by University of Florida president Robert Q. Marston that they would be let go after the season.[7] Days after the season finale, Florida announced that Clemson coach Charlie Pell had been hired to coach the Gators.[10]

After leaving Florida, Dickey went into private business for several years before becoming the athletic director of the University of Tennessee's Volunteers sports program in 1985. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2003.[11] After a dozen years spent as an offensive assistant and head coach in college football and the USFL, Spurrier would return to become Florida's head coach in 1990.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–16–1978 Southern Methodist* Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL L 25–35  
9–30–1978 Mississippi State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 34–0  
10–7–1978 #11 Louisiana State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 21–34  
10–14–1978 #7 Alabama Bryant-Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL L 12–23  
10–21–1978 U.S. Military Academy* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 31–7  
10–28–1978 Georgia Tech* Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia ABC L 13–17  
11–4–1978 Auburn Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 31–7  
11–11–1978 #11 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL L 22–24  
11–18–1978 Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 18–16  
11–25–1978 Florida State* Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL L 21–38  
12–2–1978 Miami* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 21–22  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]

1979

1979 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1979 record 0–10–1 (0–6 10th SEC)
Head coach Charley Pell
Offensive coordinator Denny Aldrich
Defensive coordinator Dwight Adams
Captain Bill Bennek
Nap Green
Chuck Hatch
Home stadium Florida Field
1979 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#1 Alabama $ 6 – 0 – 0     12 – 0 – 0
Georgia 5 – 1 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
#16 Auburn 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
LSU 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Kentucky 3 – 3 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Ole Miss 3 – 3 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 4 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     1 – 10 – 0
Florida 0 – 6 – 0     0 – 10 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1979 college football season was Charley Pell's first of six as the new head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Pell arrived in Gainesville with a new plan for building the Gators football program—new offensive and defensive schemes, new assistant coaches, a new attitude and new boosters fund-raising model to support the program and improve the stadium and training facilities. Pell's plan would produce many on-the-field victories over the next five years, but his first campaign as the Gators coach produced the most losses in any single season in Gators football history, ending with a winless 0–10–1 overall record and a 0–6 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team, which was plagued by injuries, placed dead last among ten SEC teams.[1] This was the last time until 2013 that Florida fielded a team with a losing record.

The 1979 Florida team had 4 starting quarterbacks: Tim Groves, Tyrone Young, Johnell Brown and Larry Ochab, and John Brantley also played at quarterback, though he did not start. Brantley was supposed to be the starting quarterback, but he was injured in the preseason.

The next year, in 1980, the Florida Gators made a remarkable turnaround. They won the first three games of that season before a loss to Louisiana State crushed Florida's hopes of being undefeated, but they ended the regular season with 7 wins and 4 losses, and in the Tangerine bowl they defeated Maryland 35-20 to improve to 8-4. At the time, this Florida season was an NCAA record turnaround, and this was the first team to make a bowl game after being winless the previous season.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–15–1979 #13 Houston* Jeppesen Stadium • Houston, TX L 10–14  
9–22–1979 Georgia Tech* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL T 7–7  
9–29–1979 Mississippi State Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, MS L 10–24  
10–6–1979 #17 Louisiana State Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA L 3–20  
10–13–1979 #2 Alabama Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 0–40  
10–27–1979 Tulsa* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) L 10–20  
11–3–1979 #20 Auburn Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL L 13–19  
11–10–1979 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL ABC L 10–33  
11–17–1979 Kentucky Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 3–31  
11–24–1979 #5 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL ABC L 16–27  
12–1–1979 Miami* Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, FL L 24–30  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 110–111 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  2. ↑ Paul Lukas, "The stories behind the 1971 Gator Flop," ESPN.com (September 16, 2010). Retrieved March 9, 2012.
  3. ↑ Randall Mell, "It was humiliating," Orlando Sun-Sentinel (December 20, 2000). Retrieved March 30, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Contemporary TV coverage of Florida Flop (youtube)". Retrieved March 30, 2014.
  5. ↑ Tom Cornelison, "Florida Wishbone Here To Stay," Sarasota Journal, p. 3C (September 16, 1974). Retrieved April 30, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Consensus All-America Teams (1970-1979)". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  7. 1 2 UPI (20 November 1978). "No Title so Florida Gives Ax to Dickey". The Evening Independent. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  8. 1 2 "UF Fans can thank Vol's AD for Spurrier". Orlando Sentinel. 29 November 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  9. ↑ Golenbock, Go Gators!, p. 438
  10. ↑ Cobb, Mike (6 December 1978). "UF Unveils Pell as New Head Football Coach". Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  11. ↑ College Football Hall of Fame, Hall of Famers, Doug Dickey. Retrieved September 17, 2010.

Bibliography

External links

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