1996 Florida Gators football team

1996 Florida Gators football
Consensus National Champion Sugar Bowl champion SEC champion
SEC Championship Game, W 45–30 vs. Alabama
Sugar Bowl, W 52–20 vs. Florida State
Conference	Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches	#1
AP	#1
1996 record	12–1 (8–0 1st SEC)
Head coach	Steve Spurrier
Offensive coordinator	Steve Spurrier
Offensive scheme	Pro-set, multiple
Defensive coordinator	Bob Stoops
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

1996 SEC football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Eastern Division
#1 Florida x$		8	–	0					12	–	1
#9 Tennessee		7	–	1					10	–	2
South Carolina		4	–	4					6	–	5
Kentucky		3	–	5					4	–	7
Georgia		3	–	5					5	–	6
Vanderbilt		0	–	8					2	–	9
Western Division
#11 Alabama xy		6	–	2					10	–	3
#12 LSU x		6	–	2					10	–	2
#24 Auburn		4	–	4					8	–	4
Mississippi State		3	–	5					5	–	6
Ole Miss		2	–	6					5	–	6
Arkansas		2	–	6					4	–	7
Championship: Florida 45, Alabama 30
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

The 1996 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 1996 college football season. The 1996 season was the team's seventh under head coach Steve Spurrier. The Gators competed in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The Gators won their fifth consecutive SEC Eastern Division title, their third straight SEC Championship Game, and their first national championship in team history, with a 52–20 Sugar Bowl rout of their in-state rivals, the Florida State Seminoles.

Before the season

The Gators started the season ranked fourth^[1] as they aimed for a fourth straight SEC title.^[2]

Schedule and results

Date	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
8–31–1996	Southwestern Louisiana*	#4	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL		W 55–21	85,050
9–7–1996	Georgia Southern*	#4	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL	SS	W 62–14	84,962
9–21–1996	#2 Tennessee	#4	Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN	CBS	W 35–29	107,608
9–28–1996	Kentucky	#1	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL	CBS	W 65–0	85,422
10–5–1996	Arkansas	#1	Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR	JPS	W 42–7	52,318
10–12–1996	#12 Louisiana State	#1	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC)	CBS	W 56–13	85,567
10–19–1996	#16 Auburn	#1	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL	CBS	W 51–10	85,697
11–2–1996	Georgia	#1	Alltel Stadium • Jacksonville, FL	CBS	W 47–7	84,103
11–9–1996	Vanderbilt	#1	Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN	JPS	W 28–21	40,249
11–16–1996	South Carolina	#1	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL	ESPN	W 52–25	85,701
11–30–1996	#2 Florida State*	#1	Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL	ABC	L 21–24	80,932
12–7–1996	#11 Alabama	#4	Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA (SEC Championship)	ABC	W 45–30	74,132
1–2–1997	#1 Florida State*	#3	Superdome • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl)	ABC	W 52–20	78,344
*Non-conference game. ^#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Game notes

Southwestern Louisiana

1 2 3 4 Total SW Louisiana 0 0 14 7 21 • Florida 7 28 7 14 56 Date: August 31 Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL Game attendance: 85,075

Scoring summary 1 13:34 FLA Terry Jackson 8-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-0 2 14:40 FLA Lawrence Wright 12-yard fumble return (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 14-0 2 8:51 FLA Ike Hilliard 28-yard pass from Brian Schottenheimer (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 21-0 2 8:29 FLA Ike Hilliard 19-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 28-0 2 6:16 FLA Fred Weary 64-yard fumble return (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 35-0 3 9:32 SWL Buford 2-yard pass from Delhomme (Deach kick) FLA 35-7 3 7:13 FLA Brown 26-yard interception return (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 42-7 3 3:18 SWL Jackson 42-yard fumble return (Deach kick) FLA 42-14 4 14:22 SWL Richard 79-yard pass from Delhomme (Deach kick) FLA 42-21 4 9:54 FLA Bart Edmiston 36-yard field goal FLA 45-21 4 7:28 FLA Fred Weary 65-yard interception return (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 52-21 4 2:03 FLA Bart Edmiston 39-yard field goal FLA 55-21

Florida beat Southwestern Louisiana 55–21.^[3]

Georgia Southern

1 2 3 4 Total Ga. Southern 7 0 7 0 14 • Florida 14 21 20 7 62 Date: September 7 Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL Game attendance: 84,962

Scoring summary 1 12:09 FLA Reidel Anthony 32-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-0 1 4:35 GSU Russell 5-yard run (Stalnaker kick) 7-7 1 2:26 FLA Terry Jackson 8-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 14-7 2 10:38 FLA Terry Jackson 12-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 21-7 2 9:57 FLA Davis 40-yard fumble return (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 28-7 2 4:52 FLA Elijah Williams 1-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 35-7 3 13:26 FLA Jacquez Green 28-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 42-7 3 7:02 GSU Cunningham 6-yard run (Stalnaker kick) FLA 42-14 3 5:17 FLA McCaslin 2-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 49-14 3 0:01 FLA Brian Schottenheimer 1-yard run (kick failed) FLA 55-14 4 3:36 FLA McCaslin 63-yard run (Cooper kick) FLA 62-14

Danny Wuerffel had a near perfect game in the 62–14 defeat of Georgia Southern.^[4]

Tennessee

1 2 3 4 Total • Florida 14 21 0 0 35 Tennessee 0 6 10 13 29 Date: September 21 Location: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN Game attendance: 107,608 TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz & Terry Donahue

Scoring summary 1 12:00 FLA Reidel Anthony 35-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-0 1 10:34 FLA Terry Jackson 10-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 14-0 2 11:57 FLA Ike Hilliard 5-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 21-0 2 11:03 FLA Jacquez Green 15-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 28-0 2 10:06 FLA Anthone Lott 27-yard fumble return (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 35-0 2 9:47 TEN Peerless Price 72-yard pass from Peyton Manning (two-point conversion failed) FLA 35-6 3 11:14 TEN Jeff Hall 46-yard field goal FLA 35-9 3 2:21 TEN Andy McCullough 24-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Jeff Hall kick) FLA 35-16 4 8:01 TEN Eric Lane 3-yard pass from Peyton Manning (two-point conversion failed) FLA 35-22 4 0:10 TEN Andy McCullough 14-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Jeff Hall kick) FLA 35-29

The game was a showdown between No. 4 Florida and No. 2 Tennessee. Volunteers quarterback Peyton Manning had not beaten the Gators in two previous attempts, and after a second-half meltdown a year earlier in Gainesville, the Volunteers were looking to exact revenge on their SEC East rival in Knoxville. The game featured two of the top quarterbacks in college football, Manning and Florida's Danny Wuerffel. Both teams featured strong aerial attacks, but Florida's Fred Taylor and Tennessee's Jay Graham were among the SEC's best tailbacks. ESPN's College Gameday was on hand to broadcast their pregame show live from Knoxville.

The tone for the game was set on Florida's first drive, as Spurrier spurned the punt team on a 4th and 10 from the UT 35, and Wuerffel connected with Reidel Anthony for a touchdown to put the Gators up 7-0. Teako Brown intercepted Manning on the Volunteers' first drive, and it took Wuerffel only one play to find the end zone again, hitting Terry Jackson from 10 yards out to extend the lead to 14-0. Florida doubled their lead in a 52-second stretch early in the 2nd quarter, as Ike Hilliard and Jacquez Green became the third and fourth different receivers with touchdown receptions on the afternoon, sandwiched around a James Bates interception of Manning. Antone Lott's 27-yard fumble return stretched the lead to 35-0, before Manning finally got the Vols on the scoreboard before halftime on a 72-yard strike to Peerless Price.

With Florida switching to a more conservative offensive game plan in the second half, Manning cut the lead to 35-22 with 8 minutes left with 2 more touchdown tosses, including a second to Price. Andy McCellough's 14-yard reception brought the Vols within 35-29 with 10 seconds to play, but Florida recovered the ensuing onsides kick to hang on for a six-point win on a rainy Knoxville afternoon. Tennessee bounced back to stay in the national title picture at 6-1 before being stunned on the road at Memphis, and finished 10-2, defeating Northwestern in the Citrus Bowl.

Kentucky

1 2 3 4 Total Kentucky 0 0 0 0 0 • Florida 21 20 17 7 65 Date: September 28 Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL Game attendance: 85,422

Scoring summary 1 13:57 FLA Ike Hilliard 34-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-0 1 FLA Bart Edmiston 39-yard field goal FLA 10-0 1 4:24 FLA Reidel Anthony 15-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 17-0 1 0:10 FLA Bart Edmiston 27-yard field goal FLA 20-0 2 10:54 FLA Reidel Anthony 17-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 34-0 2 7:33 FLA Fred Taylor 21-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 34-0 2 0:00 FLA Elijah Williams 1-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 41-0 3 12:17 FLA Jacquez Green 66-yard punt return (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 48-0 3 9:17 FLA Jacquez Green 79-yard punt return (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 55-0 3 3:13 FLA Bart Edmiston 34-yard field goal FLA 58-0 4 9:56 FLA Richardson 19-yard pass from Doug Johnson (Cooper kick) FLA 65-0

Coming off a big win in Knoxville the week before and being ranked #1 for the first time since 1994, the Gators were looking for somewhat of an easy home game against the Kentucky Wildcats. This would prove true as the Gators scored just 63 seconds into the game with a touchdown pass from Danny Wuerffel to Ike Hilliard. Wuerffel would have 3 touchdown passes in all, but the day belonged to Jacquez Green. In the 3rd quarter, Green took a punt back 66 yards for a touchdown. On Kentucky's next possession, they would punt again and Green, who was still breathing heavy from his first return, weaved his way for another return for a touchdown, this one from 79 yards. In all, the Gators amassed over 300 return yards from punts and kickoffs. In the end the Gators posted their first shutout since a 31-0 drubbing of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1994, with Florida defeating Kentucky 65-0.^[5]

Arkansas

1 2 3 4 Total • Florida 14 0 14 14 42 Arkansas 0 7 0 0 7 Date: October 5 Location: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR Game attendance: 52,318

Scoring summary 1 11:55 FLA Reidel Anthony 56-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-0 1 0:39 FLA Terry Jackson 1-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 14-0 2 5:07 ARK Burks 1-yard run (Latourette kick) FLA 14-7 3 10:03 FLA Reidel Anthony 23-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 21-7 3 5:34 FLA Reidel Anthony 6-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 28-7 4 14:55 FLA Ike Hilliard 7-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 35-7 4 8:52 FLA McCaslin 18-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 42-7

Florida beat Arkansas 42–7. Danny Wuerffel threw for a then-school record of 462 yards.^[6]

LSU

1 2 3 4 Total LSU 0 6 0 7 13 • Florida 14 28 0 14 56 Date: October 12 Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL Game attendance: 85,567

Scoring summary 1 12:53 FLA Reidel Anthony 13-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-0 1 4:29 FLA Danny Wuerffel 1-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 14-0 2 13:34 LSU Foster 8-yard pass from Tyler (Kick blocked) FLA 14-6 2 11:40 FLA Terry Jackson 2-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 21-6 2 7:26 FLA Jacquez Green 7-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 28-6 2 6:27 FLA Ike Hilliard 7-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 35-6 2 3:27 FLA Elijah Williams 45-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 42-6 4 14:36 FLA Ike Hilliard 8-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 49-6 4 11:58 LSU Mealey 2-yard run (Richie kick) FLA 49-13 4 6:13 FLA McCaslin 5-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 56-13

With Florida winning so convincingly all season, the next two weeks might have proved a challenge for the Gators, with #12 LSU and #16 Auburn coming to town. It was business as usual for the Gators. LSU came in undefeated on the campaign and featured an offense that scored 38 points per game. Florida, however, was not thinking upset, as Danny Wuerffel threw three touchdowns, two of them to Ike Hilliard, and ran for another score as the Gators proved to have the better offense. Their defense came to play as well as they forced two turnovers and recorded 7 sacks and held the LSU offense to just 28 rushing yards. In the end, the Gators proved themselves worthy of the #1 ranking as they thumped the Tigers 56-13.^[7]

Auburn

1 2 3 4 Total Auburn 7 3 0 0 10 • Florida 7 14 16 14 51 Date: October 19 Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL Game start: 3:30 p. m. Game attendance: 85,697

Scoring summary 1 12:00 FLA Reidel Anthony 24-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-0 1 3:52 AUB Cooper 7-yard run (Holmes kick) 7-7 2 14:58 FLA Danny Wuerffel 1-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 14-7 2 12:00 FLA Terry Jackson 1-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 21-7 2 3:17 AUB Holmes 41-yard field goal FLA 21-10 3 11:57 FLA Bart Edmiston 25-yard field goal FLA 24-10 3 FLA Reidel Anthony 8-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Kick failed) FLA 30-10 3 7:26 FLA Elijah Williams 14-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 37-10 4 8:32 FLA Ike Hilliard 18-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 44-10 4 5:16 FLA Terry Jackson 10-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 51-10

It was another ranked team and another set of Tigers for Florida. This time, it was 16th ranked Auburn coming to Gainesville. Like the LSU game, the Gators scored quick and often, amassing over 600 yards of offense and holding Auburn to just 173 yards. Danny Wuerffel again threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for another for the red-hot Florida offense.^[8] The first half may have been closer than most would have expected, as Auburn kicked a field goal late to trail just 21-10. But that would be it for the Tigers as the Gators reeled off 30 unanswered points en route to a 51-10 win.^[9]

Georgia

1 2 3 4 Total Georgia 0 0 0 7 7 • Florida 20 14 0 13 47 Date: November 2 Location: Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, FL Game attendance: 84,103

Scoring summary 1 9:19 FLA Fred Taylor 2-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-0 1 8:19 FLA Reidel Anthony 25-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (kick blocked) FLA 13-0 1 2:02 FLA Reidel Anthony 21-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 20-0 2 7:36 FLA Allen 19-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 27-0 2 4:19 FLA Jacquez Green 11-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 34-0 4 14:55 FLA Bart Edmiston 27-yard field goal FLA 37-0 4 4:19 UGA Pass 9-yard run (Hines kick) FLA 37-7 4 2:42 FLA Bart Edmiston 23-yard field goal FLA 40-7 4 2:13 FLA Ross 14-yard pass from Doug Johnson (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 47-7

Top ranked Florida was coming in looking to win its 7th consecutive game against Georgia in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Danny Wuerffel again would have an outstanding game, bolstering his Heisman Trophy candidacy, with 279 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. The Gators also amassed over 200 yards rushing. The Gator defense held the Dawgs to just 272 yards and one touchdown on the day. By the end of the day, Alltel Stadium was half teal (teal seats in the stadium) and half orange and blue as the Gators won 47-7. By this point in the season, Florida was bruising their opponents by an average score of 52-12.^[10]

Vanderbilt

1 2 3 4 Total • Florida 7 14 7 0 28 Vanderbilt 3 0 11 7 21 Date: November 9 Location: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN

Scoring summary 1 10:54 VAN Brett Speakman 27-yard field goal VAN 3-0 1 8:30 FLA Reidel Anthony 14-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-3 2 14:51 FLA Jacquez Green 28-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 14-3 2 8:36 FLA Ike Hilliard 31-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 21-3 3 10:00 VAN Brett Speakman 27-yard field goal FLA 21-6 3 7:04 FLA Jacquez Green 9-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 28-6 3 2:07 VAN Jamie Duncan 31-yard fumble return (Allen pass to Todd Yoder) FLA 28-14 4 13:21 VAN Jason Dunnavant 34-yard run (Brett Speakman kick) FLA 28-21

Hampered by penalties, the Gators survived a scare with the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville 28–21.^[11]

South Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total South Carolina 6 9 7 3 25 • Florida 14 14 7 17 52 Date: November 16 Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL

Scoring summary 1 8:57 SC Wright 7-yard run (Run failed) SC 6-0 1 5:20 FLA Fred Taylor 5-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-6 1 3:20 FLA Jacquez Green 56-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 14-6 2 14:48 FLA Reidel Anthony 52-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 21-6 2 9:59 SC Wright 8-yard run (Run failed) FLA 21-12 2 6:53 FLA Terry Jackson 4-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 28-12 2 0:02 SC Morton 27-yard field goal FLA 28-15 3 13:28 FLA Peterson 9-yard blocked punt return (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 35-15 3 0:51 SC Williams 2-yard run (Leavitt kick) FLA 35-22 4 13:13 FLA Bart Edmiston 21-yard field goal FLA 38-22 4 8:06 FLA Fred Taylor 27-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 45-22 4 3:49 FLA Fred Taylor 25-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 52-22 4 0:03 SC Leavitt 32-yard field goal FLA 52-25

Wuerffel had an off-day but was helped by Fred Taylor to lift the Gators over the South Carolina Gamecocks 52–25.^[12]

Florida State

1 2 3 4 Total Florida 0 14 0 7 21 • Florida St. 17 0 0 7 24 Date: November 30 Location: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL

Scoring summary 1 FSU Bentley 26-yard field goal FSU 3-0 1 FSU Williams 3-yard run (Bentley kick) FSU 10-0 1 FSU Pearsall 1-yard pass from Thad Busby (Bentley kick) FSU 17-0 2 FLA Jacquez Green 1-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FSU 17-7 2 FLA Jacquez Green 9-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FSU 17-14 4 FSU Williams 1-yard run (Bentley kick) FSU 24-14 4 FLA Reidel Anthony 2-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Cooper kick) FSU 24-21

The rival Florida State Seminoles defeated the Gators 24–21, seemingly ending Florida's chance at a national title.^[13]

Alabama (SEC Championship Game)

1 2 3 4 Total Alabama 7 7 14 2 30 • Florida 6 18 14 7 45 Date: December 7 Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA Game attendance: 74,132

Scoring summary 1 8:52 ALA Riddle 36-yard pass from Kitchens (Brock kick) ALA 7-0 1 3:11 FLA Ike Hilliard 46-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (kick blocked) ALA 7-6 2 14:37 FLA Reidel Anthony 21-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Anthony pass from Wuerffel) FLA 14-7 2 12:35 FLA Elijah Williams 45-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Cooper kick) FLA 21-7 2 7:29 FLA Cooper 35-yard field goal FLA 24-7 2 0:39 ALA Vaughn 8-yard pass from Kitchens (Brock kick) FLA 24-14 3 9:12 ALA Riddle 5-yard run (Brock kick) FLA 24-21 3 5:14 FLA Reidel Anthony 13-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Cooper kick) FLA 31-21 3 4:06 ALA Vaughn 94-yard pass from Kitchens (Brock kick) FLA 31-28 3 3:09 FLA Jacquez Green 85-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Cooper kick) FLA 38-28 4 14:54 FLA Reidel Anthony 21-yard pass (Cooper kick) FLA 45-28 4 4:32 ALA Safety, Wuerffel ran out of endzone FLA 45-30

The Gators beat the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship.^[14] Texas also upset Nebraska in the inaugural Big 12 Championship, securing the Gators a spot in the Sugar Bowl .

Florida State (Sugar Bowl, Bowl Alliance National Championship Game)

1 2 3 4 Total • Florida 10 14 14 14 52 Florida St. 3 14 3 0 20 Date: January 2, 1997 Location: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA

Scoring summary 1 9:48 FLA Ike Hilliard 9-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 7-0 1 7:49 FSU Bentley 43-yard field goal FLA 7-3 1 2:44 FLA Bart Edmiston 32-yard field goal FLA 10-3 2 11:28 FLA Fred Taylor 2-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 17-3 2 7:28 FSU E. C. Green 29-yard pass from Thad Busby (Bentley kick) FLA 17-10 2 5:18 FLA Ike Hilliard 31-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 24-10 2 0:40 FSU Warrick Dunn 12-yard run (Bentley kick) FLA 24-17 3 10:45 FSU Bentley 45-yard field goal FLA 24-20 3 5:43 FLA Ike Hilliard 7-yard pass from Danny Wuerffel (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 31-20 3 0:13 FLA Danny Wuerffel 16-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 38-20 4 8:52 FLA Terry Jackson 42-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 45-20 4 2:12 FLA Terry Jackson 1-yard run (Bart Edmiston kick) FLA 52-20

To have a shot at a national title, the Gators needed Ohio State to beat second-ranked Arizona State—the only team to go through the regular season undefeated—in the Rose Bowl, which they did on the final play of the game, setting up the Sugar Bowl as the national championship game. The Gators used the shotgun and defeated FSU in a rematch 52–20 for their first national title.^[15]

Personnel

Depth Chart

Offense WR WR Reidel Anthony Jamie Richardson Nafis Karim Travis McGriff LT LG C RG RT Zach Piller Ryan Kalich Jeff Mitchell Donnie Young Mo Collins Donnie Young Deac Story Corey Yarbrough Cheston Blackshear Scott Bryan TE Tremayne Allen Teras Ross Erron Kinney WR Ike Hilliard Jacquez Green QB Danny Wuerffel Brian Schottenheimer Doug Johnson Noah Brindise TB Fred Taylor Elijah Williams Terry Jackson Eugene McCaslin FB Dwayne Mobley Jerome Evans Terry Jackson

Defense CB Fred Weary Shea Showers DE DT DT DE Tim Beauchamp Ed Chester Reggie McGrew Anthony Mitchell Willie Rodgers Keith Council Mike Moten Cameron Davis CB Anthone Lott Tony George Ronnie Battle FS Shea Showers Teako Brown Mike Harris Will LB Middle LB Sam LB Johnny Rutledge James Bates Mike Peterson Keith Kelsey Dwayne Thomas Jevon Kearse SS Lawrence Wright Demetric Jackson

^[16]

Roster

1996 Florida Gators roster
Quarterbacks 7 Danny Wuerffel - Senior 12 Doug Johnson - Freshman 16 Brian Schottenheimer - Senior 17 Noah Brindise - Junior Running Backs 6 Daymon Carroll - Freshman Tailbacks 3 Eugene McCaslin - Freshman 21 Fred Taylor - Junior 22 Terry Jackson - Sophomore 23 Dwayne Mobley - Senior 25 Elijah Williams - Junior Fullbacks 34 Jerome Evans - Senior 35 Ernie Dubose - Junior 36 Jayme Campbell - Freshman 40 Rod Frazier - Freshman Tight Ends 80 Shawn Nunn - Senior 82 Dwight Edge - Freshman 88 Taras Ross - Junior 89 Erron Kinney - Freshman 91 Tremayne Allen - Senior		Wide Receivers 3 Travis McGriff - Sophomore 5 Jacquez Green - Sophomore 8 Nafis Karim - Sophomore 15 Reidel Anthony - Junior 18 Jamie Richardson - Freshman 19 Ike Hilliard - Junior 20 Tyrone Baker - Junior 31 Craig Dudley - Freshman 83 Jason Dean - Senior 84 David Nabavi - Senior 85 Ian Skinner - Freshman Offensive Line 51 Ryan Kalich - Freshman 57 Scott Bryan - Freshman 59 Wyley Ritch - Junior 62 Corey Yarbrough - Freshman 65 Sean Ladd - Sophomore 69 Zach Piller - Sophomore 70 Cooper Carlisle - Freshman 71 Jeff Mitchell - Senior 72 Deac Story - Sophomore 73 Pat Browning - Sophomore 74 Zac Zedalis - Freshman 75 Donnie Young - Senior 77 Cheston Blackshear - Freshman 78 Todd Holland - Junior 79 Mo Collins - Sophomore		Defensive Line 53 Thaddeus Bullard - Freshman 54 Willie Rodgers - Junior 55 Willie Cohens - Sophomore 56 Cameron Davis - Senior 61 Buck Gurley - Freshman 64 Derrick Chambers - Freshman 66 Keith Council - Junior 90 Mike Moten - Junior 92 Reggie McGrew - Freshman 93 Tim Beauchamp - Sophomore 94 Ed Chester - Sophomore 96 Ernie Badeaux - Freshman 98 Anthony Mitchell - Freshman 99 McDonald Ferguson - Senior Linebackers 4 Jevon Kearse - Freshman 22 Terry Jackson - Sophomore 29 Mike Peterson - Sophomore 30 Daryl Owens - Freshman 39 Teddy Sims - Freshman 41 Keith Kelsey - Freshman 44 James Bates - Senior 46 Xavier McCray - Junior 49 Zuri Buchanan - Freshman 50 Kavin Walton - Junior 52 Dwayne Thomas - Junior 58 Johnny Rutledge - Sophomore		Cornerbacks 2 Shea Showers - Senior 9 Anthone Lott - Senior 10 Ronnie Battle - Junior 24 Fred Weary - Junior 28 Dock Pollard - Freshman 48 Cedric Warren - Freshman Defensive Backs 38 Demetrius Lewis - Freshman Safeties 1 Tony George - Sophomore 4 Lawrence Wright - Senior 13 Mike Harris - Junior 26 Jon Xynidis - Junior 27 Demetric Jackson - Senior 33 Teako Brown - Sophomore 37 Reggie Davis - Freshman 47 Rod Graddy - Freshman 38 James Gray - Sophomore Punters 43 Matt Teague - Senior 87 Robby Stevenson - Sophomore Kickers 14 Bart Edmiston - Senior 43 Matt Teague - Senior Long Snappers 76 Mike Younkin - Freshman 68 Scott Wise - Freshman 60 Fred Hagberg - Junior

Coaching staff

• Steve Spurrier (Florida '67)- Head Coach
• Rod Broadway (North Carolina '77) - Defensive Tackles
• Jim Collins (Elon College '74) - Recruiting Coordinator, Will and Mike Linebackers
• Dwayne Dixon (Florida '85) - Assistant Head Coach, Wide Receivers
• Carl Franks (Duke '82) - Assistant Offensive Coordinator, Running Backs
• Lawson Holland (Clemson '76) - Tight Ends
• Bob Sanders (Davidson '76) - Assistant Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Ends
• Jimmy Ray Stephens (Florida '77) - Offensive Line
• Bob Stoops (Iowa '83) - Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Secondary
• Barry Wilson (Georgia '65) - Special Teams Coordinator, Sam Linebackers

^[17]

Postseason

Awards and honors

National award winners

• Danny Wuerffel - Heisman Trophy,^[18] Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award,^[19] Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award,

Draddy Trophy, National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar, College Football Association Scholar-Athlete Team

• Jeff Mitchell - Outland Trophy semi-finalist (interior lineman)
• Lawrence Wright - Jim Thorpe Award,^[20] College Football Association Scholar-Athlete Team

First round draft picks

• Ike Hilliard, 7th pick to New York Giants
• Reidel Anthony, 16th pick to Tampa Bay Buccaneers^[21]

Team statistics

UF OPP Scoring 559 201 Points per Game 46.6 16.8 First Downs 303 192 Rushing 118 81 Passing 167 87 Penalty 18 24 Total Offense 6047 3373 Avg per Play 7.1 4.1 Avg per Game 503.9 281.1 Fumbles-Lost 16-7 27-14 Penalties-Yards 125-1095 90-748 Avg per Game 91.3 62.3

UF OPP Punts-Yards 38-1475 86-3477 Avg per Punt 38.8 40.4 Time of Possession/Game 28:42 31:18 3rd Down Conversions 59/145 49/189 4th Down Conversions 12/19 8/23 Touchdowns Scored 76 26 Field Goals-Attempts 10-18 7-11 PAT-Attempts 71-75 20-22 Attendance 512424 281107 Games/Avg per Game 6/85404 4/70277

Scores by quarter

1 2 3 4 Total Opponents 57 45 66 60 228 Gators 148 220 117 127 612

Player statistics

Offense

Rushing

Name	#	GP	Att	Gain	Loss	Net	Avg	TD	Long	Avg/G
Wiliams, E.	25	12	106	690	19	671	6.3	4	46	55.9
Taylor, F.	21	9	104	650	21	629	6.0	5	30	69.9
Jackson, T.	22	12	79	398	10	388	4.9	8	34	32.3
McCaslin, E.	32	9	41	301	11	290	7.1	4	63	32.2
Baker, T.	20	11	16	80	0	80	5.0	0	18	7.3
Hilliard, I.	19	11	4	33	0	33	8.3	0	13	3.0
Anthony, R.	15	12	4	27	0	27	6.8	0	21	2.3
Green, J.	5	12	6	24	3	21	3.5	1	10	1.8
Mobley, D.	23	12	2	17	0	17	8.5	0	10	1.4
Evans, J.	34	12	2	11	0	11	5.5	0	9	0.9
Dubose, E.	35	12	2	9	0	9	4.5	0	6	0.8
Schottenheimer, B.	16	9	7	10	7	3	0.4	1	3	0.3
Richardson, J.	18	9	1	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0
Johnson, D.	12	7	3	2	12	-10	-3.3	0	1	-1.4
Brindise, N.	17	3	1	0	10	-10	-10.0	0	0	-3.3
Wuerffel, D.	7	12	63	126	226	-100	-1.6	2	18	-8.3
Team Total		12	442	2378	338	2040	4.6	25	63	170.0

Passing

Name	#	GP	Effic	Cmp-Atm-Int	Pct	Yds	TD	Lng	Avg/ Wuerffel, D.	7	12	170.61	360-207-13	57.5	3625	39	85	302.1
Johnson, D.	12	7	99.87	27-12-3	44.4	171	2	27	24.4
Schotetnheimer, B.	16	9	155.22	21-13-0	61.9	194	1	34	21.6
Brindise, N.	5	3	114.27	3-2-0	66.7	17	0	15	5.7
Jackson, T.	22	12	0.00	1-0-0	0.0	0	0	0	0.0
Team Total		12	164.37	412-234-16	56.8	4007	42	85	333.9

Receiving

Name	#	GP	No.	Yds	Avg	TD	Long	Avg/G
Anthony, R.	15	12	72	1293	18.0	18	56	107.8
Hilliard, I.	19	11	47	900	19.1	10	46	81.8
Green, J.	5	12	33	626	19.0	9	85	52.2
Williams, E.	25	12	14	253	18.1	1	45	21.1
McGriff, T.	3	8	14	167	11.9	0	27	20.9
Jackson, T.	22	12	13	163	12.5	1	43	13.6
Taylor, F.	21	9	8	120	15.0	0	38	13.3
Allen, T.	91	12	7	118	16.9	1	32	9.8
Richardson, J.	18	9	5	75	15.0	1	34	8.3
Ross, T.	88	12	4	93	23.3	1	45	7.8
Mobley, D.	23	12	4	51	12.8	0	19	4.3
Karim, N.	8	9	3	47	15.7	0	27	5.2
McCaslin, E.	3	9	3	40	13.3	1	19	4.4
Kinney, E.	83	11	3	40	13.3	0	15	3.6
Dubose, E.	35	12	1	9	9.0	0	9	0.8
Dean, J.	83	5	1	5	5.0	0	5	1.0
Nabavi, D.	84	9	1	5	5.0	1	5	0.6
Schiralli, N.	81	4	1	2	2.0	0	2	0.5
Total		12	234	4007	17.1	42	85	333.9

Defense

Name	#	GP	Tackles				Sacks	Pass Defense				Fumbles
			Solo	Ast	Total	TFL-Yds	No-Yds	BrUp	QBH	Int.-Yds	TD	Rcv-Yds	FF	Blkd Kick
Bates, J.	44	11	51	74	125	6.0-23	2.0-14	1	6	1-9
Rutledge, J.	58	11	40	59	99	12.0-58	5.0-39		5			1-0	4
Wright, L.	4	11	40	31	71	2.5-15.5	2.5-15.5	3	3			2-12 1TD	1
Showers, S.	2	11	52	16	68	1.0-1		3		1-0			1
Peterson, M.	29	9	27	18	45	3.5-10.5	0.5-1.5	2	3
Lott, A.	9	11	36	8	44	1.0-6	1.0-6	6		2-25		2-26 1TD	1
Kearse, J.	42	10	27	16	43	8.5-38.5	2.5-11.5	2	4				2	1
Chester, E.	94	10	21	20	41	9.0-35	5.0-28		19			1-0	1
McGrew, R.	92	11	23	15	38	3.0-4	1.0-2	1	7			1-0
Weary, F.	24	11	22	10	32			6		5-117	1	1-64 1TD
Harris, M.	13	9	16	14	30			1
Moten, M.	90	11	11	16	27	2.0-7	1.0-5		6
Mitchell, A.	98	10	13	12	25	3.0-14	3.0-14	1	5
Rodgers, W.	54	10	13	9	22	8.0-33.5	4.0-24.5	1	9			1-0	2
Jackson, D.	27	11	13	7	20	1.0-1		4	1	1-0		1-0
Kelsey, K.	41	8	9	10	19	4.0-17	1.0-9		2
Thomas, D.	52	11	12	7	19
Beauchamp, T.	93	10	7	11	18	7.0-43	6.0-40		9			1-6	1
Davis, C.	56	10	6	8	14	9.5-45	5.5-38		7			1-40 1TD	1
Brown, T.	33	6	7	4	11			3		3-73	1
Council, K.	66	10	3	6	9	2.0-9	1.0-7	1	3			1-0
Ferguson, M.	99	8	1	5	6
George, T.	1	11	5	2	7	1.0-7	1.0-7	1	1	1-2
Sims, T.	39	2	1	4	5								1
Owens, D.	30	2	2	1	3			1	1
Cohens, W.	55	3	2		2	1.0-4	1.0-4	2
Jackson, T.	22	11	1	1	2									1
McCray, X.	46	11	2		2
Perry, J.		4	2		2
Walton, K.	50	6		2	2
Badeaux, E.	96	6	1		1
Xynidis, J.	26	10	1		1									1
Battle, R.	10	11						1
Lewis, D.	38	10
Pollard, D.	28	6										1-0
Baker, T.	20	9
Total		11	467	386	853	85-372	43-266	37	93	14-226	2	14-148 4TD	15	3

Defense statistics reflect regular season games only

Special teams

Kicking

Name	#	Punting					Kicking
		No.	Yds	Avg	Long	Blkd	FG	XP
Cooper, C.	70						1-1	7-9
Edmiston, B.	14						9-17	64-66
Stevenson, R.	87	35	1475	42.1	64	0
Teague, M.	43
Total		38	1475	38.8	64	3	10-18	71-75

Returns

Name	#	Punt Returns					Kick Returns
		No.	Yds	Avg	TD	Long	No.	Yds	Avg	TD	Long
Green, J.	5	25	324	13.0	2	79	10	216	21.6	0	40
Anthony, R.	1	8	90	11.3	0	30	7	113	16.1	0	22
Richardson, J.	18	4	46	11.5	0	20	3	79	26.3	0	28
Hilliard, I.	19	1	10	10.0	0	10	5	144	28.8	0	40
Xynidis, J.	26	1	28	28.0	0	28
Jackson, T.	22	1	25	25.0	0	25	1	15	15.0	0	15
Lott, A.	9	1	0	0.0	0	0
Peterson, M.	29	0	9	0.0	1	9
Dubose, E.	35						2	18	9.0	0	16
Total		41	532	13.0	3	79	28	585	20.9	0	36

References

1. "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search".
2. "The Tuscaloosa News - Google News Archive Search".
3. "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search".
4. "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search".
5. "Gainesville Sun - Google News Archive Search".
6. "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search".
7. "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search".
8. "The Tuscaloosa News - Google News Archive Search".
9. "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search".
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11. "Gainesville Sun - Google News Archive Search".
12. "Gainesville Sun - Google News Archive Search".
13. "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search".
14. "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search".
15. "Gainesville Sun - Google News Archive Search".
16. "Florida Gators".
17. "Florida Gators".
18. http://www.heisman.com/winners/hsmn-winners.html
19. "NCAA College Football Awards - ESPN". ESPN.com.
20. James Alder. "College Football Awards - Jim Thorpe Award". About.com Sports.
21. "2002 NFL Draft".