Florida Gators football, 1970–1979
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
Season overview
The 1970 college football season was Florida alumnus Doug Dickey's first of ten 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, Florida |
|
W 21–19 |
9–19–1970 |
Mississippi State |
#14 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 34–13 |
9–26–1970 |
Alabama |
#13 |
Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
|
L 15–46 |
10–3–1970 |
North Carolina State* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 14–6 |
10–10–1970 |
Florida State* |
|
Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida |
|
W 38–27 |
10–17–1970 |
Richmond* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 20–0 |
10–24–1970 |
#11 Tennessee |
|
Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee |
ABC |
L 7–38 |
10–31–1970 |
#12 Auburn |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
L 14–63 |
11–7–1970 |
Georgia |
|
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
ABC |
W 24–17 |
11–14–1970 |
Kentucky |
|
Tampa Stadium • Tampa, Florida |
|
W 24–13 |
11–28–1970 |
Miami* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 13–14 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1971
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]
Schedule and results
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
9–11–1971 |
Duke* |
|
Tampa Stadium • Tampa, Florida |
|
L 6–12 |
9–18–1971 |
Mississippi State |
|
Verterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, Mississippi |
|
L 10–13 |
9–25–1971 |
#8 Alabama |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 0–38 |
10–2–1971 |
#12 Tennessee |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 13–20 |
10–9–1971 |
#16 Louisiana State |
|
Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
|
L 7–48 |
10–16–1971 |
#19 Florida State* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 17–15 |
10–23–1971 |
Maryland* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
W 27–23 |
10–30–1971 |
#5 Auburn |
|
Cliff Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama |
|
L 7–40 |
11–6–1971 |
#7 Georgia |
|
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
|
L 7–49 |
11–13–1971 |
Kentucky |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 35–24 |
11–27–1971 |
Miami* |
|
Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida |
|
W 45–16 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1972
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, Florida |
|
L 14–21 |
9–30–1972 |
Mississippi State |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 28–13 |
10–7–1972 |
#13 Florida State* |
|
Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida |
|
W 42–13 |
10–14–1972 |
#3 Alabama |
|
Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
|
L 7–24 |
10–21–1972 |
Mississippi |
|
Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi |
|
W 16–0 |
11–4–1972 |
#11 Auburn |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 20–26 |
11–11–1972 |
Georgia |
|
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
ABC |
L 7–10 |
11–18–1972 |
Kentucky |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
W 40–0 |
11–25–1972 |
#8 Louisiana State |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
T 3–3 |
12–2–1972 |
Miami* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 17–6 |
12–9–1972 |
#16 North Carolina* |
|
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
|
L 24–28 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1973
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]
Schedule and results
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
9–15–1973 |
Kansas State* |
#14 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 21–10 |
9–22–1973 |
Southern Mississippi* |
#15 |
Tampa Stadium • Tampa, Florida |
|
W 14–13 |
9–29–1973 |
Mississippi State |
#16 |
Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, Mississippi |
|
L 12–33 |
10–6–1973 |
#10 Louisiana State |
|
Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
|
L 3–24 |
10–13–1973 |
#3 Alabama |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 14–35 |
10–20–1973 |
Mississippi |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
L 10–13 |
11–3–1973 |
#19 Auburn |
|
Cliff Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama |
|
W 12–8 |
11–10–1973 |
Georgia |
|
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
ABC |
W 11–10 |
11–17–1973 |
Kentucky |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 20–18 |
11–24–1973 |
Miami* |
|
Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida |
|
W 14–7 |
12–1–1973 |
Florida State* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 49–0 |
12–22–1973 |
#15 Miami (Ohio)* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Tangerine Bowl) |
MTN |
L 7–16 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1974
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.[2]
Schedule and results
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
9–14–1974 |
California* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 21–17 |
9–21–1974 |
#14 Maryland* |
|
Tampa Stadium • Tampa, Florida |
|
W 17–10 |
9–28–1974 |
Mississippi State |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 29–13 |
10–5–1974 |
Louisiana State |
#13 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 24–14 |
10–12–1974 |
Vanderbilt |
#8 |
Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee |
|
L 10–24 |
10–19–1974 |
Florida State* |
#14 |
Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida |
|
W 24–14 |
10–26–1974 |
Duke* |
#12 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
W 30–13 |
11–2–1974 |
#5 Auburn |
#11 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
ABC |
W 25–14 |
11–9–1974 |
Georgia |
#6 |
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
|
L 16–17 |
11–16–1974 |
Kentucky |
#9 |
Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky |
ABC |
L 24–41 |
11–30–1974 |
Miami* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 31–7 |
12–31–1974 |
#8 Nebraska* |
#18 |
Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans, La. (Sugar Bowl) |
ABC |
L 10–13 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1975
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]
Schedule and results
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
9–13–1975 |
Southern Methodist* |
#19 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 40–14 |
9–20–1975 |
North Carolina State* |
#13 |
Carter-Finley Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina |
|
L 7–8 |
9–27–1975 |
Mississippi State |
#19 |
Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, Mississippi |
|
W 27–10 |
10–4–1975 |
Louisiana State |
#20 |
Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
|
W 34–6 |
10–11–1975 |
Vanderbilt |
#18 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 35–0 |
10–18–1975 |
Florida State* |
#14 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 34–8 |
10–25–1975 |
Duke* |
#12 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
W 24–16 |
11–1–1975 |
Auburn |
#11 |
Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama |
|
W 31–14 |
11–8–1975 |
Georgia |
#11 |
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
ABC |
L 7–10 |
11–15–1975 |
Kentucky |
#14 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 48–7 |
11–29–1975 |
Miami* |
#13 |
Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida |
|
W 15–11 |
12–29–1975 |
#17 Maryland* |
#13 |
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Fla. (Gator Bowl) |
CBS |
L 0–13 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1976
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, Florida |
|
L 21–24 |
9–18–1976 |
Houston* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 49–14 |
9–25–1976 |
Mississippi State |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 34–30 |
10–2–1976 |
#11 Louisiana State |
#19 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 28–23 |
10–16–1976 |
Florida State* |
#12 |
Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida |
|
W 33–26 |
10–23–1976 |
Tennessee |
#11 |
Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, Tennessee |
|
W 20–18 |
10–30–1976 |
Auburn |
#12 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 24–19 |
11–6–1976 |
#7 Georgia |
#10 |
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
ABC |
L 27–41 |
11–13–1976 |
Kentucky |
#15 |
Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky |
|
L 9–28 |
11–20–1976 |
Rice* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
W 50–22 |
11–27–1976 |
Miami* |
|
Citrus Bowl • Orlando, Florida |
|
W 19–10 |
1–2–1977 |
#10 Texas A&M* |
|
Sun Bowl Stadium • El Paso, Texas (Sun Bowl) |
CBS |
L 14–37 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1977
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, Texas |
|
W 48–3 |
9–24–1977 |
#12 Mississippi State |
#13 |
Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, Mississippi |
ABC |
W 24–22 |
10–1–1977 |
Louisiana State |
#9 |
Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
|
L 14–36 |
10–8–1977 |
#15 Pittsburgh* |
#20 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
T 17–17 |
10–22–1977 |
Tennessee |
#19 |
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 27–17 |
10–29–1977 |
Auburn |
#18 |
Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama |
|
L 14–29 |
11–5–1977 |
Georgia |
|
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
ABC |
W 22–17 |
11–12–1977 |
#7 Kentucky |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 7–14 |
11–19–1977 |
Utah* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
W 38–29 |
11–26–1977 |
Miami* |
|
Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida |
|
W 31–14 |
12–3–1977 |
#19 Florida State* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
ABC |
L 9–37 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1978
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. Dickey's 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 leaving Florida, Doug Dickey later became the long-time athletic director of the University of Tennessee's Volunteers sports program, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2003.[3]
Schedule and results
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
9–16–1978 |
Southern Methodist* |
|
Citrus Bowl • Orlando, Florida |
|
L 25–35 |
9–30–1978 |
Mississippi State |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 34–0 |
10–7–1978 |
#11 Louisiana State |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 21–34 |
10–14–1978 |
#7 Alabama |
|
Bryant-Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
|
L 12–23 |
10–21–1978 |
U.S. Military Academy* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
W 31–7 |
10–28–1978 |
Georgia Tech* |
|
Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia |
ABC |
L 13–17 |
11–4–1978 |
Auburn |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
W 31–7 |
11–11–1978 |
#11 Georgia |
|
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
|
L 22–24 |
11–18–1978 |
Kentucky |
|
Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky |
|
W 18–16 |
11–25–1978 |
Florida State* |
|
Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida |
|
L 21–38 |
12–2–1978 |
Miami* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 21–22 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1979
Season overview
The 1979 college football season was Charles B. "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) and placing dead last among ten SEC teams.[1]
Schedule and results
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
9–15–1979 |
#13 Houston* |
|
Jeppesen Stadium • Houston, Texas |
|
L 10–14 |
9–22–1979 |
Georgia Tech* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
T 7–7 |
9–29–1979 |
Mississippi State |
|
Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, Mississippi |
|
L 10–24 |
10–6–1979 |
#17 Louisiana State |
|
Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
|
L 3–20 |
10–13–1979 |
#2 Alabama |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 0–40 |
10–27–1979 |
Tulsa* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) |
|
L 10–20 |
11–3–1979 |
#20 Auburn |
|
Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama |
|
L 13–19 |
11–10–1979 |
Georgia |
|
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida |
ABC |
L 10–33 |
11–17–1979 |
Kentucky |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
|
L 3–31 |
11–24–1979 |
#5 Florida State* |
|
Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida |
ABC |
L 16–27 |
12–1–1979 |
Miami* |
|
Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida |
|
L 24–30 |
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
See also
|
American football portal |
|
College football portal |
|
Florida portal |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 116–125 (2011). Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ Tom Cornelison, "Florida Wishbone Here To Stay," Sarasota Journal, p. 3C (September 16, 1974). Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ^ College Football Hall of Fame, Hall of Famers, Doug Dickey. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
Bibliography
- 2010 Southeastern Conference Football Media Guide, Florida Year-by-Year Records, Southeastern Conference, Birmingham, Alabama, p. 60 (2010).
- 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 116–125 (2011).
- Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). ISBN 0794822983.
- 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.
- McEwen, Tom, The Gators: A Story of Florida Football, The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). ISBN 0-87397-025-X.
- Nash, Noel, ed., The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football, Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). ISBN 1-57167-196x.
- 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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National championship seasons in bold
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