Florida Gators football, 1980–89

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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 1980s, the Gators competed in Division I-A 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 1980 to 1989. During the 1980s, the Gators were coached by Charles B. "Charley" Pell (1979–1984), Galen S. Hall (1984–1989) and Gary B. Darnell (1989). Pell, Hall and Darnell compiled an overall record of 76–38–3 (.662) during the decade.

1980

1980 Florida Gators football
Tangerine Bowl, W 35–20 vs. Maryland
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #19
1980 record 8–4 (4–2 T-4th SEC)
Head coach Charley Pell
Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan
Captain Rod Brooks
Cris Collinsworth
David Little
Home stadium Florida Field
Seasons
« 1979 1981 »
1980 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#1 Georgia $ 6 – 0 – 0     12 – 0 – 0
#6 Alabama 5 – 1 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#19 Mississippi State 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Florida 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
LSU 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Ole Miss 2 – 4 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Kentucky 1 – 5 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Auburn 0 – 6 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season was the Florida Gators football team's second season under new head coach Charles B. "Charley" Pell, and marked a remarkable one-year turnaround for the Gators from their 0–10–1 record in 1979.[1] The winless 1979 season was the worst season in Gators history, and it was Pell's first campaign as the new head coach of the Gators, after the Gators' previous head coach, Doug Dickey, was fired in the aftermath of a 4–7 season in 1978.[1] Pell's 1980 Florida Gators posted an 8–4 overall record and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 4–2, tying for fourth place in the ten-team SEC.[2] The Gators capped their season with a 35–20 bowl victory over the Maryland Terrapins in the Tangerine Bowl, marking the first time in the history of major college football that a winless team received a bowl bid the following season.[1] Linebacker David Little set the career record for tackles by a Gator and was consensus All-American.[3] Receiver Cris Collinsworth was first-team All-American.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–13–1980 California* Tampa Stadium • Tampa, FL W 41–13   41,388
9–20–1980 Georgia Tech* Grant Field • Atlanta, GA W 45–12   35,165
9–27–1980 Mississippi State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 21–15   56,225
10–4–1980 Louisiana State #19 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 7–24   59,299
10–18–1980 Mississippi Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS W 15–3   36,012
10–25–1980 Louisville* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 13–0   62,687
11–1–1980 Auburn Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 21–10   63,274
11–8–1980 #2 Georgia #20 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL ABC L 21–26   68,528
11–15–1980 Kentucky #20 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 17–15   51,766
11–29–1980 Miami* #18 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL ABC L 7–31   56,437
11–29–1980 #3 Florida State* #19 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ABC L 13–17   53,772
12–20–1980 Maryland* Orlando Stadium • Orlando, FL (Tangerine Bowl) MTN W 35–20   52,541
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]


1981

1981 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1981 record 7–5 (3–3 T-4th SEC)
Head coach Charley Pell
Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan
Defensive coordinator Joe Kines
Home stadium Florida Field
Seasons
« 1980 1982 »
1981 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#7 Alabama + 6 – 0 – 0     9 – 2 – 1
#6 Georgia + 6 – 0 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
Mississippi State 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Auburn 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
LSU 1 – 4 – 1     3 – 7 – 1
Ole Miss 1 – 4 – 1     4 – 6 – 1
Vanderbilt 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season was Charley Pell's third year as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Pell's 1981 Florida Gators posted an overall record of 7–5 and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 3–3, and tying for fourth place among ten SEC teams.[2]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–5–1981 Miami* #17 Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, FL L 20–21   73,817
9–12–1981 Furman* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 35–7   54,439
9–19–1981 Georgia Tech* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 27–6   63,879
9–26–1981 #12 Mississippi State Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, MS ABC L 7–28   45,250
10–3–1981 Louisiana State Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 24–10   73,665
10–10–1981 Maryland* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 15–10   56,319
10–17–1981 Mississippi Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 49–3   64,126
10–31–1981 Auburn Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL L 12–14   65,000
11–7–1981 #4 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL ABC L 21–26   68,648
11–14–1981 Kentucky Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 33–12   60,286
11–28–1981 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 35–3   64,437
12–31–1981 West Virginia* Fulton County Stadium • Atlanta, GA (Peach Bowl) CBS L 6–26   37,582
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]

1982

1982 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #25
1982 record 8–4 (3–3 T-6th SEC)
Head coach Charley Pell
Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan
Defensive coordinator Joe Kines
Home stadium Florida Field
Seasons
« 1981 1983 »
1982 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#4 Georgia $ 6 – 0 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#11 LSU 4 – 1 – 1     8 – 3 – 1
#14 Auburn 4 – 2 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Vanderbilt 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Tennessee 3 – 2 – 1     6 – 5 – 1
Alabama 3 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Ole Miss 0 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Kentucky 0 – 6 – 0     0 – 10 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll


Season overview

The 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season was the fourth for Charley Pell as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Pell's 1982 Florida Gators posted an 8–4 overall record and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 3–3, tying for sixth place in the ten-team SEC.[2]

A highlight of the season was a September 11 clash with No. 10 Southern California at Florida Field. Led by linebacker Wilber Marshall's 14 tackles and four quarterback sacks, the Gators won the nationally televised contest 17-9 in a game that helped to elevate the Florida program back into national prominence.[4]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–4–1982 #15 Miami* #16 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 17–14   71,864
9–11–1982 #10 Southern California* #11 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL ABC W 17–9   73,238
9–25–1982 Mississippi State #5 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 27–17   71,544
10–2–1982 Louisiana State #4 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 13–24   73,152
10–9–1982 Vanderbilt #14 Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN L 29–31   39,726
10–16–1982 West Texas State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 77–14   72,885
10–30–1982 #19 Auburn Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 19–17   73,532
11–6–1982 #3 Georgia #20 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL CBS L 0–44   80,749
11–13–1982 Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 39–13   53,245
11–20–1982 Tulane* Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans, LA W 21–14   27,795
12–4–1982 #15 Florida State* Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 13–10   57,369
12–31–1982 #14 Arkansas* Astrodome • Houston, TX (Bluebonnet Bowl) MTN L 24–28   31,557
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]


1983

1983 Florida Gators football
Gator Bowl, W 14–6 v. Iowa
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #6
AP #6
1983 record 9–2–1 (4–2 T-3rd SEC)
Head coach Charley Pell
Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan
Defensive coordinator Joe Kines
Home stadium Florida Field
Seasons
« 1982 1984 »
1983 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#3 Auburn $ 6 – 0 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#4 Georgia 5 – 1 – 0     10 – 1 – 1
#6 Florida 4 – 2 – 0     9 – 2 – 1
Tennessee 4 – 2 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#15 Alabama 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Ole Miss 4 – 2 – 0     6 – 6 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 0     6 – 5 – 1
Mississippi State 1 – 5 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
LSU 0 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season was Charley Pell's fifth as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Pell's Gators posted a 9–2–1 overall record and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 4–2, placing third among ten SEC teams.[2] Behind a stout defense and a rushing attack led by future pros Neal Anderson, John L. Williams, and Lorenzo Hampton the 1983 Gators were the first squad in program history to be ranked among the top ten teams in the final Associated Press (AP) poll. It was also the second time that the Gators were ranked in every weekly AP Poll throughout the season, (1975 being the first).

The Gators' season opening 28-3 victory over the in-state rival Miami Hurricanes turned out to be bittersweet, as the Hurricanes went on to win their next 11 games and their first national championship.[5] This started a trend in the series, as the loser of the then-annual contest would not lose another regular season game in 1983, 1984, and 1985.[6]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–3–1983 Miami* #16 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 28–3   73,907
9–10–1983 #9 Southern California* #18 Los Angeles Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA T 19–19   53,948
9–17–1983 Indiana State* #15 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 17–13   68,191
9–24–1983 Mississippi State #15 Scott Field • Starkville, MS W 35–12   31,875
10–1–1983 #16 Louisiana State #12 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 31–17   78,616
10–8–1983 Vanderbilt #9 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 29–10   73,764
10–22–1983 East Carolina* #6 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 24–17   73,943
10–29–1983 #4 Auburn #5 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL CBS L 21–28   75,700
11–5–1983 #4 Georgia #9 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL CBS L 9–10   82,166
11–12–1983 Kentucky #14 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 24–7   73,192
12–3–1983 Florida State* #12 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL CBS W 53–14   74,113
12–30–1983 #10 Iowa* #11 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl) ABC W 14–6   81,293
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]

1984

1984 Florida Gators football
*SEC Championship (vacated)
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #7
AP #3
1984 record 9–1–1 (5–0–1 1st* SEC)
Head coach Charley Pell (first 3 games)
Galen Hall (last 8 games)
Offensive coordinator Galen Hall (first 3 games)
Defensive coordinator Joe Kines
Home stadium Florida Field
Seasons
« 1983 1985 »
1984 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#3 Florida $ 5 – 0 – 1     9 – 1 – 1
#15 LSU 4 – 1 – 1     8 – 3 – 1
#14 Auburn 4 – 2 – 0     9 – 4 – 0
Georgia 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 4 – 1
#19 Kentucky 3 – 3 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0     7 – 4 – 1
Alabama 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Vanderbilt 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Ole Miss 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 6 – 1
Mississippi State 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Florida's title was later vacated by the SEC.
Rankings from AP Poll


Season overview

The 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season was Charley Pell's sixth and last as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Pell was fired after the third game of the season due to numerous NCAA violations committed by him and his staff over the previous few years. New offensive coordinator Galen Hall served as interim coach for the remainder of the season. After the Gators began the season as a 1–1–1 team under Pell, Hall's 1984 Florida Gators posted a 9–1–1 overall record and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 5–0–1 (8–0–0 and 4–0–0, respectively, under Hall), finishing first among ten SEC teams,[2] and were recognized as the SEC champions. The Gators finished third in the Associated Press Poll and seventh in the Coaches Poll, and were also named national champions by twenty-two publications including The New York Times and The Sporting News, though Florida does not claim this title.

On May 30, 1985, the presidents of the ten SEC-member universities voted 6–4 to vacate the Gators' 1984 SEC title and declared the team ineligible for the SEC championship during the upcoming 1985 and 1986 seasons because of the rule violations committed under Pell. The retroactive vacating of the 1984 championship, six months after the 1984 football season ended, drew an angry response from University of Florida president Marshall Criser, as well as Gators coaches, players and fans due to the retroactive nature of the decision and its perceived unfairness.[7]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–1–1984 #10 Miami* #17 Tampa Stadium • Tampa, FL ESPN L 20–32   72,813
9–8–1984 Louisiana State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL TBS T 21–21   70,197
9–15–1984 Tulane* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 63–21   65,265
9–29–1984 Mississippi State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 27–12   68,186
10–6–1984 Syracuse* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 16–0   70,189
10–13–1984 Tennessee #18 Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN W 43–30   94,016
10–20–1984 Cincinnati* #17 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 48–17   73,690
11–3–1984 #11 Auburn #13 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL ABC W 24–3   74,397
11–10–1984 #8 Georgia #10 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL CBS W 27–0   82,349
11–17–1984 Kentucky #5 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY TBS W 25–17   52,823
12–1–1984 #12 Florida State* #3 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ABC W 27–17   58,930
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]

1985

1985 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
AP #5
1985 record 9–1–1 (5–1 T-1st* SEC)
Head coach Galen Hall
Defensive coordinator Charlie Bailey
Home stadium Florida Field
Seasons
« 1984 1986 »
1985 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#4 Tennessee $ 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 1 – 2
#5 Florida 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 1 – 1
#13 Alabama 4 – 1 – 1     9 – 2 – 1
#20 LSU 4 – 1 – 1     9 – 2 – 1
Georgia 3 – 2 – 1     7 – 3 – 2
Auburn 3 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Ole Miss 2 – 4 – 0     4 – 6 – 1
Vanderbilt 1 – 4 – 1     3 – 7 – 1
Kentucky 1 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 0 – 6 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Florida ineligible for SEC championship due to NCAA probation.
Rankings from AP Poll


Season overview

The 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season was the second for Galen Hall as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team, having coached the 1984 Gators' final eight games as their interim coach. Because of NCAA probation terms handed down the previous year, Hall's 1985 Florida Gators were ineligible to win the Southeastern Conference (SEC) title, receive a bowl bid, or appear on live television.

After a hard-fought 14-10 road victory over the No. 6 Auburn Tigers in November,[8] the undefeated Gators were elevated to No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time in program history. However, the Gators were knocked from the top spot the following week by a 24–3 upset at the hands of their arch-rivals, the Georgia Bulldogs. The Gators would next sit atop the AP poll during the 1994 season.

The Georgia loss and a surprising tie against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights were the only blemishes on the season, as Florida finished with a 9–1–1 overall record and an SEC record of 5–1, tying for first place in the ten-team SEC.[2] After the season, the Eck Rating System, an NCAA recognized selector created by Steve Eck, named Florida as the 1985 national champions, though Florida does not claim the title.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–7–1985 Miami* #5 Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, FL W 35–23   80,227
9–14–1985 Rutgers* #3 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL T 28–28   71,708
9–28–1985 Mississippi State #11 Scott Field • Starkville, MS W 36–22   34,588
10–5–1985 #8 Louisiana State #11 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 20–0   77,598
10–12–1985 #14 Tennessee #7 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 17–10   74,432
10–19–1985 Southwestern Louisiana* #5 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 45–0   74,369
10–26–1985 Virginia Tech* #2 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 35–18   70,119
11–2–1985 #6 Auburn #2 Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL W 14–10   75,000
11–9–1985 #17 Georgia #1 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL L 3–24   82,327
11–16–1985 Kentucky #11 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 15–13   73,672
11–30–1985 #12 Florida State* #6 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 38–14   74,461
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]

1986

1986 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1986 record 6–5 (2–4 SEC)
Head coach Galen Hall
Defensive coordinator Zaven Yaralian
Captain Scott Armstrong
Dwayne Ferguson
Ricky Nattiel
Home stadium Florida Field
Seasons
« 1985 1987 »
1986 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#10 LSU $ 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#6 Auburn 4 – 2 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#9 Alabama 4 – 2 – 0     10 – 3 – 0
Georgia 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Ole Miss 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 3 – 1
Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Florida 2 – 4 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 4 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 5 – 1
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll


Season overview

The 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season was Galen Hall's third as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Hall's 1986 Florida Gators compiled a 6–5 overall record and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 2–4, tying for seventh place among the ten SEC teams.[2]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
8–30–1986 Georgia Southern* #13 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 38–14   74,221
9–6–1986 #2 Miami* #13 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 15–23   74,875
9–20–1986 #4 Alabama #13 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 7–21   74,685
9–27–1986 Mississippi State Scott Field • Starkville, MS L 10–16   38,625
10–4–1986 #18 Louisiana State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 17–28   74,221
10–11–1986 Kent State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 52–9   73,718
10–18–1986 Rutgers* Giants Stadium • East Rutherford, NJ W 15–3   36,781
11–1–1986 #5 Auburn Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 18–17   74,521
11–8–1986 #19 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL W 31–19   81,957
11–15–1986 Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY L 3–10   52,160
11–29–1986 Florida State* Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL W 17–13   62,307
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]


1987

1987 Florida Gators football
Aloha Bowl, L 16–20 v. UCLA
Conference Southeastern Conference
1987 record 6–6 (3–3 6th SEC)
Head coach Galen Hall
Defensive coordinator Zaven Yaralian
Home stadium Florida Field
Seasons
« 1986 1988 »
1987 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#7 Auburn $ 5 – 0 – 1     9 – 1 – 2
#5 LSU 5 – 1 – 0     10 – 1 – 1
#14 Tennessee 4 – 1 – 1     10 – 2 – 1
#13 Georgia 4 – 2 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Alabama 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0     6 – 6 – 0
Kentucky 1 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Ole Miss 1 – 5 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Rankings from AP Poll


Season overview

The 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season was the fourth for Galen Hall as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Hall's 1987 Florida Gators posted a 6–6 overall record and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 3–3, placing sixth among ten SEC teams.[2]

The season was the debut of freshman running back Emmitt Smith. After playing well off the bench in the first two games, Smith earned his first start against Alabama and immediately broke Florida's 40-year-old all-time single game rushing record, carrying 39 times for 224 yards and two touchdowns as the Gators upset the Crimson Tide in Birmingham. Smith went on to break the 1,000-yard barrier in the seventh game of his freshman season, the fastest any running back had ever broken that barrier to begin his college career, and was named SEC and national freshman of the year.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–5–1987 #10 Miami* #20 Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, FL TBS L 4–31   77,224
9–12–1987 Tulsa* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 52–0   72,173
9–19–1987 #11 Alabama Legion Field • Birmingham, AL TBS W 23–14   75,808
9–26–1987 Mississippi State Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 38–3   74,421
10–3–1987 #7 Louisiana State #19 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA ESPN L 10–13   79,313
10–10–1987 Cal State Fullerton* #18 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 65–0   72,336
10–17–1987 Temple* #14 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 34–3   74,286
10–31–1987 #6 Auburn #10 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL ESPN L 6–29   85,187
11–7–1987 #10 Georgia #17 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL TBS L 10–23   81,975
11–14–1987 Kentucky Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 27–14   73,021
11–28–1987 #3 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL CBS L 14–28   74,613
12–25–1987 #10 UCLA* Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI (Aloha Bowl) ABC L 16–20   24,839
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]

1988

1988 Florida Gators football
GatorsMontanaState.jpg
Conference Southeastern Conference
1988 record 7–5 (4–3 T-4th SEC)
Head coach Galen Hall
Offensive coordinator Lynn Amadee
Defensive coordinator Gary Darnell
Home stadium Florida Field
Seasons
« 1987 1989 »
1988 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#8 Auburn + 6 – 1 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#19 LSU + 6 – 1 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
#15 Georgia 5 – 2 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#17 Alabama 4 – 3 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Florida 4 – 3 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Tennessee 3 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Ole Miss 3 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Vanderbilt 2 – 5 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Mississippi State 0 – 7 – 0     1 – 10 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season was Galen Hall's fifth as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Hall's 1988 Florida Gators finished with a 7–5 overall record and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 4–3, tying for fourth place among the ten SEC teams.[2]

The Gators started the 1988 season 5-0 and were ranked as high as No. 14. During an October game against the Memphis State Tigers, star running back Emmitt Smith injured his knee and was unable to play for a month. Florida lost the Memphis State contest and the next three as well, with the Gator offense unable to score a single touchdown while Smith was sidelined. The offense under coordinator Lynn Amadee struggled all season, with Gator quarterbacks combining to throw three touchdowns and 17 interceptions,[9] leading one Florida sports columnist to dub the offense the "Amadeeville Horror".[10] Defensive tackle Trace Armstrong was All-SEC in 1988, setting a new school, single-season record for tackles for a loss with nineteen, including seven sacks. In both 1987 and 1988, walk-on safety Louis Oliver was an All-American.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–3–1988 Montana State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 69–0   69,121
9–10–1988 Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, MS W 27–15   42,000
9–17–1988 Indiana State* Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 58–0   70,147
9–24–1988 Mississippi State #20 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL W 17–0   73,138
10–1–1988 #14 Louisiana State #17 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL CBS W 19–6   74,264
10–8–1988 Memphis State* #14 Florida Field • Gainesville, FL L 11–17   73,194
10–15–1988 Vanderbilt #20 Dudley Field • Nashville, TN TBS L 9–24   41,000
10–29–1988 #9 Auburn Florida Field • Gainesville, FL (HC) ESPN L 0–16   75,199
11–5–1988 #19 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL TBS L 3–26   81,958
11–12–1988 Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 24–19   51,191
11–26–1988 #5 Florida State* Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ESPN L 17–52   62,693
12–29–1988 Illinois Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (All-American Bowl) ESPN W 14–10   48,218
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]


1989

1989 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1989 record 7–5 (4–3 T-4th SEC)
Head coach Galen Hall (first 5 games)
Gary Darnell (last 7 games)
Offensive coordinator Whitey Jordan
Defensive coordinator Gary Darnell (first 5 games)
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
« 1988 1990 »
1989 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#5 Tennessee + 6 – 1 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#9 Alabama + 6 – 1 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#6 Auburn + 6 – 1 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
Florida 4 – 3 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Ole Miss 4 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
Georgia 4 – 3 – 0     6 – 6 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 5 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
LSU 2 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 6 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 7 – 0     1 – 10 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll


Season overview

The 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season was Galen Hall's sixth and final season as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team; Hall was replaced as the Gators head coach after five games by his defensive coordinator, Gary Darnell. Hall and Darnell's 1989 Florida Gators posted an overall record of 7–5 and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 4–3, tying for fourth place in the ten-team SEC.[2]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–9–1989 Mississippi Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL TBS L 19–24   70,014
9–16–1989 Louisiana Tech* Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 34–7   65,109
9–23–1989 Memphis State* Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium • Memphis, TN W 38–13   25,163
9–30–1989 Mississippi State Tampa Stadium • Tampa, FL W 21–0   68,189
10–7–1989 Louisiana State Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA W 16–13   74,527
10–14–1989 Vanderbilt #25 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 34–11   69,121
10–21–1989 New Mexico* #20 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 27–21   72,578
11–4–1989 #12 Auburn #19 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL ESPN L 7–10   85,214
11–11–1989 Georgia #20 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL TBS L 10–17   81,577
11–18–1989 Kentucky Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 38–28   71,432
12–2–1989 #6 Florida State* Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ESPN L 17–24   75,124
12–30–1989 Washington* Anaheim Stadium • Anaheim, CA (Freedom Bowl) NBC L 7–34   33,858
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Norm Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, pp. 95–96 (2007).
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 111–112 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=14438
  5. ↑ http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9630381/miami-hurricanes-football-dynasty-began-loss-florida-gators-1983-national-championship-season
  6. ↑ http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1986-09-08/sports/0250240159_1_florida-miami-consolation
  7. ↑ Associated Press, "SEC Presidents swipe Florida of football title," Times Daily, p. 5B (May 31, 1985). See also "Gators Stripped of SEC Title," The Palm Beach Post, pp. A1 & A5 (May 31, 1985). Both retrieved May 5, 2011.
  8. ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/1985-11-03/sports/sp-4096_1_bo-jackson
  9. ↑ http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/florida/1988.html
  10. ↑ http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-11-13/sports/os-mike-bianchi-brent-pease-jobs-1114-20121113_1_offensive-coordinator-weis-offense-jeff-bowden

Bibliography

  • 2009 Southeastern Conference Football Media Guide, Florida Year-by-Year Records, Southeastern Conference, Birmingham, Alabama, p. 60 (2009).
  • 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida (2015).
  • Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). ISBN 0-7948-2298-3.
  • Golenbock, Peter, Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory, Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). ISBN 0-9650782-1-3.
  • Hairston, Jack, Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told, Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). ISBN 1-58261-514-4.
  • McCarthy, Kevin M., Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football, Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). ISBN 978-0-7385-0559-6.
  • Nash, Noel, ed., The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football, Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). ISBN 1-57167-196-X.
  • Proctor, Samuel, & Wright Langley, Gator History: A Pictorial History of the University of Florida, South Star Publishing Company, Gainesville, Florida (1986). ISBN 0-938637-00-2.

External links

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