Florida Gators football, 1960–69

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 1960s, the Gators competed in the University Division 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 1960 to 1969. During the 1960s, the Gators were coached by S. Ray Graves (1960–1969), who compiled an overall record of 70–31–4 (.686) during the decade, making Graves the winningest coach in the history of the Gators football program until that time.

Contents: 1960  · 1961  · 1962  · 1963  · 1964  · 1965  · 1966  · 1967  · 1968  · 1969

1960

1960 Florida Gators football
Gator Bowl, W 13–12 vs. Baylor
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #16
AP #18
1960 record 9–2 (5–1 2nd SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Defensive coordinator Jack Green
Home stadium Florida Field
1960 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#2 Ole Miss † 5 – 0 – 1     10 – 0 – 1
#18 Florida 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
#9 Alabama 5 – 1 – 1     8 – 1 – 2
#13 Auburn 5 – 2 – 0     8 – 2 – 0
Tennessee 3 – 2 – 2     6 – 2 – 2
Georgia 4 – 3 – 0     6 – 4 – 0
Georgia Tech 4 – 4 – 0     5 – 5 – 0
LSU 2 – 3 – 1     5 – 4 – 1
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 1     5 – 4 – 1
Tulane 1 – 4 – 1     3 – 6 – 1
Mississippi State 0 – 5 – 1     2 – 6 – 1
Vanderbilt 0 – 7 – 0     3 – 7 – 0
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1960 college football season was Ray Graves' first of ten and one of his three most successful as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Graves was a former Tennessee Volunteers lineman and assistant under coach Robert Neyland, and became a long-time Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive assistant for coach Bobby Dodd.[1] Graves' arrival in Gainesville heralded a change in the Gators' football outlook: no longer would the Gators espouse Bob Woodruff's conservative, ball control, "go for the tie" philosophy. Among the 1960 season's many highlights was the Gators' 18–17 upset of Dodd's tenth-ranked Yellow Jackets, in which the Gators, led by option quarterback Larry Libertore, drop-back passer Bobby Dodd, Jr., and running back Lindy Infante, gambled on a successful two-point conversion for the last-minute win.[2] The Gators' sole Southeastern Conference (SEC) loss was a 7–10 heartbreaker to the Auburn Tigers, which cost the Gators a share of their first-ever SEC football championship. Graves' 1960 Florida Gators finished with a 9–2 overall record a 5–1 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), placing second among the twelve SEC teams[3]—their best-ever SEC finish to date. The Gators capped their first-ever nine-win season with a hard-fought 13–12 victory over the twelfth-ranked Baylor Bears in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Eve 1960.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–17–1960 George Washington* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 30–7  
9–24–1960 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 3–0  
10–1–1960 #10 Georgia Tech Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 18–17  
10–8–1960 Rice* #18 Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida L 0–10  
10–15–1960 Vanderbilt Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 12–0  
10–22–1960 Louisiana State Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana W 13–10  
10–29–1960 #14 Auburn Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida L 7–10  
11–5–1960 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida W 22–14  
11–12–1960 Tulane #20 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) W 21–6  
11–26–1960 Miami* #19 Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida W 18–0  
12–31–1960 #12 Baylor* Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Fla. (Gator Bowl) CBS W 13–12  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

1961

1961 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1961 record 4–5–1 (3–3 6th SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Defensive coordinator Jack Green
Home stadium Florida Field
1961 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#1 Alabama § 7 – 0 – 0     11 – 0 – 0
#4 LSU § 6 – 0 – 0     10 – 1 – 0
#5 Ole Miss 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
#13 Georgia Tech 4 – 3 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
Tennessee 4 – 3 – 0     6 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0     4 – 5 – 1
Auburn 3 – 4 – 0     6 – 4 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 0     5 – 5 – 0
Georgia 2 – 5 – 0     3 – 7 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 5 – 0     5 – 5 – 0
Tulane 1 – 5 – 0     2 – 8 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 6 – 0     2 – 8 – 0
§ – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1961 college football season was Ray Graves' second as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team, and the Gators posted their only losing season in Graves' ten years as their coach. Graves' 1961 Florida Gators finished with a 4–5–1 overall record and a 3–3 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), placing sixth among the twelve SEC teams.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–23–1961 Clemson* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 21–7  
9–30–1961 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida T 3–3  
10–6–1961 Tulane Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, Louisiana W 14–3  
10–14–1961 Rice* Rice Stadium • Houston, Texas L 10–19  
10–21–1961 Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee W 7–0  
10–28–1961 #7 Louisiana State Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) L 0–23  
11–4–1961 #7 Georgia Tech Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia L 0–20  
11–11–1961 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida W 21–14  
11–25–1961 Auburn Cliff Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama L 15–32  
12–2–1961 Miami* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida            L 6–15  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

1962

1962 Florida Gators football
Gator Bowl, W 17–7 vs. Penn State
Conference Southeastern Conference
1962 record 7–4 (4–2 5th SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Offensive coordinator Pepper Rodgers
Defensive coordinator Jack Green
Home stadium Florida Field
1962 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#3 Ole Miss † 6 – 0 – 0     10 – 0 – 0
#5 Alabama 6 – 1 – 0     10 – 1 – 0
#7 LSU 5 – 1 – 1     9 – 1 – 1
Georgia Tech 5 – 2 – 0     7 – 3 – 1
Florida 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
Auburn 4 – 3 – 0     6 – 3 – 1
Georgia 2 – 3 – 1     3 – 4 – 3
Kentucky 2 – 3 – 1     3 – 5 – 2
Mississippi State 2 – 5 – 0     3 – 6 – 0
Tennessee 2 – 6 – 0     4 – 6 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 6 – 0     1 – 9 – 0
Tulane 0 – 7 – 0     0 – 10 – 0
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1962 college football season was the third of Ray Graves' ten seasons as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Graves' 1962 Florida Gators posted a 7–4 overall record and a 4–2 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), placing fifth in twelve-team SEC.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–22–1962 Mississippi State Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, Mississippi W 19–9  
9–29–1962 #8 Georgia Tech Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida L 0–17  
10–6–1962 Duke* Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida L 21–28  
10–13–1962 Texas A&M* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 42–6  
10–20–1962 Vanderbilt Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) W 42–7  
10–27–1962 #6 Louisiana State Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana L 0–23  
11–3–1962 #10 Auburn Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 22–3  
11–10–1962 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida W 23–15  
11–17–1962 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 20–7  
12–1–1962 Miami* Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida L 15–17  
12–30–1962 #9 Penn State* Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Fla. (Gator Bowl) CBS W 17–7  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game; from 1962 to 1967, AP only ranked the top ten teams.


1963

1963 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1963 record 6–3–1 (3–3–1 7th SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Offensive coordinator Pepper Rodgers
Defensive coordinator Gene Ellenson
Home stadium Florida Field
1963 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#7 Ole Miss † 5 – 0 – 1     7 – 1 – 2
#5 Auburn 6 – 1 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
#8 Alabama 6 – 2 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
Mississippi State 4 – 1 – 2     7 – 2 – 2
LSU 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
Georgia Tech 4 – 3 – 0     7 – 3 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 1     6 – 3 – 1
Tennessee 3 – 5 – 0     5 – 5 – 0
Georgia 2 – 4 – 0     4 – 5 – 1
Vanderbilt 0 – 5 – 2     1 – 7 – 2
Kentucky 0 – 5 – 1     3 – 6 – 1
Tulane 0 – 6 – 1     1 – 8 – 1
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1963 college football season was Ray Graves' fourth as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The Gators started their season 1–1–1, the Gators having eked out their single win over the Richmond Spiders (35–28). Before the fourth game against coach Bear Bryant's third-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, Gators defensive coordinator Gene Ellenson challenged his shaky team's manhood and they rose to the occasion. The highlight of the season followed: a 10–6 upset of the Joe Namath-quarterbacked Crimson Tide on their home field in Tuscaloosa, Alabama—one of only two home losses in Denny Stadium during Bryant's twenty-five years as the Crimson Tide's coach. Graves' 1963 Florida Gators won their last three games over the Georgia Bulldogs (21–14), Miami Hurricanes (27–21) and Florida State Seminoles (7–0) to finish 6–3–1 overall and 3–3–1 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), placing seventh of twelve SEC teams.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–14–1963 Georgia Tech Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia ABC L 0–9  
9–28–1963 Mississippi State Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida T 9–9  
10–5–1963 Richmond* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 35–28  
10–12–1963 #3 Alabama Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama W 10–6  
10–19–1963 Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee W 21–0  
10–26–1963 Louisiana State Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) L 0–14  
11–2–1963 #5 Auburn Cliff Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama L 0–19  
11–9–1963 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida W 21–14  
11–23–1963 Miami* Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida W 27–21  
11–30–1963 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 7–0  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game; from 1962 to 1967, AP only ranked the top ten teams.

1964

1964 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1964 record 7–3 (4–2 T-2nd SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Offensive coordinator Pepper Rodgers
Defensive coordinator Gene Ellenson
Home stadium Florida Field
1964 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#1 Alabama † 8 – 0 – 0     10 – 1 – 0
Georgia 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 3 – 1
Florida 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 3 – 0
Kentucky 4 – 2 – 0     5 – 5 – 0
#7 LSU 4 – 2 – 1     8 – 2 – 1
Auburn 3 – 3 – 0     6 – 4 – 0
Ole Miss 2 – 4 – 1     5 – 5 – 1
Mississippi State 2 – 5 – 0     4 – 6 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 4 – 1     3 – 6 – 1
Tennessee 1 – 5 – 1     4 – 5 – 1
Tulane 1 – 4 – 0     3 – 7 – 0
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1964 college football season was the fifth for Ray Graves as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Graves' 1964 Florida Gators posted an overall record of 7–3 and a 3–3 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, tying for second among the eleven SEC teams. This season was also notable as the first in which the Florida State Seminoles defeated the Gators, and as future Heisman Trophy winner Steve Spurrier's first season as quarterback.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–19–1964 Southern Methodist* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida ABC W 24–8  
9–26–1964 Mississippi State Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, Mississippi W 16–13  
10–10–1964 Mississippi Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 30–14  
10–17–1964 South Carolina* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) W 37–0  
10–24–1964 #3 Alabama #9 Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama L 14–17  
10–31–1964 Auburn #10 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 14–0  
11–7–1964 Georgia #9 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida L 7–14  
11–21–1964 Florida State* Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida L 7–16  
11–28–1964 Miami* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 12–10  
12–5–1964 Louisiana State Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana W 20–6  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game; from 1962 to 1967, AP only ranked the top ten teams.

1965

1965 Florida Gators football
Sugar Bowl, L 18–20 vs. Missouri
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #12
1965 record 7–4 (4–2 3rd SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Offensive coordinator Ed Kensler
Defensive coordinator Gene Ellenson
Home stadium Florida Field
1965 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#1 Alabama † 6 – 1 – 1     9 – 1 – 1
Auburn 4 – 1 – 1     5 – 5 – 1
Florida 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
#7 Tennessee 3 – 1 – 2     8 – 1 – 2
Ole Miss 5 – 3 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
#8 LSU 3 – 3 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
Kentucky 3 – 3 – 0     6 – 4 – 0
Georgia 3 – 3 – 0     6 – 4 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 5 – 0     2 – 7 – 1
Tulane 1 – 5 – 0     2 – 8 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 6 – 0
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1965 college football season was Ray Graves's six year as the Florida Gators football team's head coach. The highlights of the season included an intersectional road victory over the Northwestern Wildcats of the Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference (SEC) wins over the Louisiana State (14–7), Ole Miss Rebels (17–0), Georgia Bulldogs (14–10) and Tulane Green Wave (51–13), and a sound thumping of the in-state rival Florida State Seminoles (30–17). The Gators also lost close matches against the Mississippi State Bulldogs (13–18) and the Miami Hurricanes (13–16). Graves' 1965 Florida Gators finished 7–4 overall and 4–2 in the SEC, placing third in the eleven-team conference.[3] At the end of the season, the Gators played the Missouri Tigers in the Gators' first-ever major bowl game, the Sugar Bowl, on January 1, 1966. Despite a three-touchdown second-half effort from the Gators, they lost to the Tigers 18–20 after they failed to score on three consecutive two-point conversion attempts after each of their touchdowns. Following the game, Gators quarterback Steve Spurrier was recognized as the game's Most Valuable Player—the only MVP selected from the losing team in the history of the Sugar Bowl.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–18–1965 Northwestern* Dyche Stadium • Evanston, Illinois W 24–14  
9–25–1965 Mississippi State #8 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida L 13–18  
10–2–1965 #5 Louisiana State Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 14–7  
10–9–1965 Mississippi #10 Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi W 17–0  
10–16–1965 North Carolina State* #9 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) W 28–6  
10–30–1965 Auburn #7 Cliff Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama ABC L 17–28  
11–6–1965 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida W 14–10  
11–13–1965 Tulane Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 51–13  
11–20–1965 Miami* #10 Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida L 13–16  
11–27–1965 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 30–17  
1–1–1966 #6 Missouri* Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, La. (Sugar Bowl) NBC L 18–20  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game; from 1962 to 1967, AP only ranked the top ten teams.

1966

1966 Florida Gators football
Orange Bowl, W 27–12 vs. Georgia Tech
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #11
1966 record 9–2 (5–1 3rd SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Offensive coordinator Ed Kensler
Defensive coordinator Gene Ellenson
Home stadium Florida Field
1966 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#3 Alabama § 6 – 0 – 0     11 – 0 – 0
#4 Georgia § 6 – 0 – 0     10 – 1 – 0
Florida 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
Ole Miss 5 – 2 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
Tennessee 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
LSU 3 – 3 – 0     5 – 4 – 1
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 0     3 – 6 – 1
Auburn 1 – 5 – 0     4 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 0 – 6 – 0     2 – 8 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     1 – 9 – 0
§ – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1966 college football season was Ray Graves' seventh as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The Gators were led by senior quarterback Steve Spurrier, who would take the Gators to new heights while winning the Heisman Trophy in December. Among the season's many highlights was the Gators' intersectional opener against the Northwestern Wildcats (43–7) of the Big Ten, followed by their Southeastern Conference (SEC) victories over the Mississippi State Bulldogs (28–7), Vanderbilt Commodores (13–0), LSU Tigers (28–7), Auburn Tigers (30–27) and Tulane Green Wave (31–10). The lowpoint was the Gators 10–27 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, which cost them a share of their first-ever SEC football championship. Spurrier sealed his Heisman bid with a 22–19 come-from-behind win over the rival Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee, Florida, and a last-minute field goal to defeat the Auburn Tigers at Florida's Homecoming. Graves' 1966 Florida Gators finished 9–2 overall and 5–1 in the SEC, placing third among the ten conference teams.[3] The Gators capped their season with a New Year's victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the 1967 Orange Bowl, the Gators' first-ever major bowl victory, and a Number 11 ranking in the final UPI Coaches' Poll, their highest final poll ranking to date.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–17–1966 Northwestern* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 43–7  
9–24–1966 Mississippi State Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 28–7  
10–1–1966 Vanderbilt Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee W 13–0  
10–8–1966 Florida State* #10 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida W 22–19  
10–15–1966 North Carolina State* #8 Carter-Finley Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina W 17–10  
10–22–1966 Louisiana State #8 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana W 28–7  
10–29–1966 Auburn #7 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) W 30–27  
11–5–1966 Georgia #7 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida L 10–27  
11–12–1966 Tulane Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 31–10  
11–26–1966 Miami* #9 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida L 16–21  
1–1–1967 #8 Georgia Tech* Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Fla. (Orange Bowl) NBC W 27–12  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game; from 1962 to 1967, AP only ranked the top ten teams.


1967

1967 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1967 record 6–4 (4–2 T-3rd SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Offensive coordinator Ed Kensler
Defensive coordinator Gene Ellenson
Home stadium Florida Field
1967 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#2 Tennessee † 6 – 0 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
#8 Alabama 5 – 1 – 0     8 – 2 – 1
Florida 4 – 2 – 0     6 – 4 – 0
Ole Miss 4 – 2 – 1     6 – 4 – 1
Georgia 3 – 2 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
LSU 3 – 2 – 1     7 – 3 – 1
Auburn 3 – 3 – 0     6 – 4 – 0
Kentucky 1 – 6 – 0     2 – 8 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0     2 – 7 – 1
Mississippi State 0 – 6 – 0     1 – 9 – 0
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1967 college football season was the eighth for Ray Graves as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Graves' 1967 Florida Gators posted a 6–4 overall record and a 4–2 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), tying for third among the ten SEC teams.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–23–1967 Illinois* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 14–0  
9–30–1967 Mississippi State Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, Mississippi W 24–7  
10–7–1967 Louisiana State Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida L 6–37  
10–14–1967 Tulane* Tulane Stadium • New Orleans, Louisiana W 35–0  
10–28–1967 Vanderbilt Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) W 27–22  
11–4–1967 Auburn Cliff Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama L 21–26  
11–11–1967 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida ABC W 17–16  
11–18–1967 Kentucky Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 28–12  
11–25–1967 Florida State* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida L 16–21  
12–10–1967 Miami* Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida ABC L 13–20  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game; from 1962 to 1967, AP only ranked the top ten teams.

1968

1968 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
1968 record 6–3–1 (3–2–1 T-6th SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Offensive coordinator Ed Kensler
Defensive coordinator Gene Ellenson
Home stadium Florida Field
1968 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#8 Georgia † 5 – 0 – 1     8 – 1 – 2
#13 Tennessee 4 – 1 – 1     8 – 2 – 1
#17 Alabama 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
LSU 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
#16 Auburn 4 – 2 – 0     7 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 2 – 1     6 – 3 – 1
Ole Miss 3 – 2 – 1     7 – 3 – 1
Vanderbilt 2 – 3 – 1     5 – 4 – 1
Mississippi State 0 – 4 – 2     0 – 8 – 2
Kentucky 0 – 7 – 0     3 – 7 – 0
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1968 college football season was Ray Graves' ninth of ten years as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The Gators offense was led by senior tailback Larry Smith, a first-team All-American. Among the season's highlights were the Gators' conference wins over the Mississippi State Bulldogs (31–14), Tulane Green Wave (24–7) and Kentucky Wildcats (16–14), and victories over the in-state rival Florida State Seminoles (9–3) and Miami Hurricanes (14–10). The Gators also suffered their worst loss since 1942—a 0–51 blowout by the Georgia Bulldogs. Graves' 1968 Florida Gators finished 6–3–1 overall and 3–2–1 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), tying for sixth among the ten teams of the SEC.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–21–1968 U.S. Air Force Academy* #6 Tampa Stadium • Tampa, Florida W 23–20  
9–28–1968 Florida State* #5 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida ABC W 9–3  
10–5–1968 Mississippi State #4 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 31–14  
10–12–1968 Tulane #7 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 24–7  
10–19–1968 North Carolina #7 Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, North Carolina L 7–22  
10–26–1968 Vanderbilt #15 Dudley Field • Nashville, Tennessee T 14–14  
11–2–1968 Auburn #20 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) L 13–24  
11–9–1968 #9 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida L 0–51  
11–16–1968 Kentucky McLean Stadium • Lexington, Kentucky W 16–14  
11–30–1968 Miami* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 14–10  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.


1969

1969 Florida Gators football
Gator Bowl, W 14–13 vs. Tennessee
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #17
AP #14
1969 record 9–1–1 (3–1–1 4th SEC)
Head coach Ray Graves
Offensive coordinator Fred Pancoast
Defensive coordinator Gene Ellenson
Home stadium Florida Field
1969 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#15 Tennessee † 5 – 1 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
#10 LSU 4 – 1 – 0     9 – 1 – 0
#20 Auburn 5 – 2 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
#14 Florida 3 – 1 – 1     9 – 1 – 1
#8 Ole Miss 4 – 2 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
Georgia 2 – 3 – 1     5 – 5 – 1
Vanderbilt 2 – 3 – 0     4 – 6 – 0
Alabama 2 – 4 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Kentucky 1 – 6 – 0     2 – 8 – 0
Mississippi State 0 – 5 – 0     3 – 7 – 0
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1969 college football season was the tenth, last, and arguably most successful season for Ray Graves as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Graves' final Gators squad was led by a surprising group of second-year offensive players known as the "Super Sophs," that included quarterback John Reaves, wide receiver Carlos Alvarez and tailback Tommy Durrance. In the opening game against the seventh-ranked Houston Cougars, the unranked Gators debuted a new passing offense and upset the Cougars 59–34. The Houston game set the tone of success for the rest of the season, although a Southeastern Conference (SEC) loss to the Auburn Tigers and a tie with the rival Georgia Bulldogs cost the Gators a share of their elusive first SEC football championship. Graves' 1969 Florida Gators finished their regular season with an overall record of 8–1–1 and an SEC record of 3–1–1, placing fourth among the ten SEC teams.[3] In a strange twist, the Gators were invited to play coach Doug Dickey's SEC champion Tennessee Volunteers in the December 1969 Gator Bowl.[4] In a game dominated by a Gators defense led by linebacker Mike Kelley (the game's MVP), defensive back Steve Tannen and defensive end Jack Youngblood, the Gators upset the Volunteers 14–13 to cap their 9–1–1 season—the Gators' best ever single-season record to that time.[4] After the Gator Bowl, Ray Graves resigned as the head coach of the Gators football team, but continued as the athletic director of the Florida Gators sports program until 1979.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–20–1969 #7 Houston* Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 59–34  
9–27–1969 Mississippi State #12 Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, Mississippi W 47–35  
10–4–1969 Florida State* #12 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 21–6  
10–11–1969 Tulane* #12 Tampa Stadium • Tampa, Florida W 18–17  
10–18–1969 North Carolina* #10 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida (Homecoming) W 52–2  
10–25–1969 Vanderbilt #10 Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 41–20  
11–1–1969 #17 Auburn #7 Cliff Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama L 12–38  
11–8–1969 #16 Georgia #13 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Florida ABC T 13–13  
11–15–1969 Kentucky Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida W 31–6  
11–29–1969 Miami* Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, Florida W 35–16  
12–27–1969 #11 Tennessee* #15 Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, Fla. (Gator Bowl) NBC W 14–13  
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Julian M. Pleasants, Gator Tales: An Oral History of the University of Florida, University of Florida, Gainesvile, Florida, p. 189 (2006).
  2. ↑ Noel Nash, ed., The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football, Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois, pp. 24–26 (1998).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 2012 Florida Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 107–116 (2012). Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Nash, The Gainesville Sun Presents, pp. 73–76.

Bibliography

External links