Florida Gators football, 1990–99

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 1990s, the Gators competed in Division I-A of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (formerly known as 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 1990 to 1999. During the 1990s, the Gators were coached by Steve Spurrier (1990–2001), who led the Gators to six SEC championships, one consensus national championship and an overall win-loss record of 122–27–1 (.817).

1990

1990 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
AP #12
1990 record 9–2 (6–1 1st* SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Jim Bates
Captain Chris Bromley
Ernie Mills
Godfrey Myles
Glenn Neely
Huey Richardson
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
1990 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#13 Florida 6 – 1 – 0     9 – 2 – 0
#8 Tennessee $ 5 – 1 – 1     9 – 2 – 2
#21 Ole Miss 5 – 2 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Alabama 5 – 2 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
#19 Auburn 4 – 2 – 1     8 – 3 – 1
Kentucky 3 – 4 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
LSU 2 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Georgia 2 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 6 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 6 – 0     1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Florida ineligible for SEC championship due to NCAA probation.
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1990 college football season marked the return of the Gators' Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Steve Spurrier to his alma mater as the new head coach of the Florida Gators football team.[1] Before Spurrier returned to Gainesville, the Gators had never won an officially sanctioned Southeastern Conference (SEC) or national football championship (Florida's first SEC championship was in 1984, but was retroactively vacated by the SEC for infractions incurred by former head coach Charley Pell). Before Spurrier resigned to seek a coaching position in the National Football League in January 2002, the Gators would win six SEC titles, play for two national championships, and win one in 1996.[1]

During Spurrier's first season, he was able to build on the strong talent recruited by departing Gators coach Galen Hall, but the Gators also reaped the benefits of Spurrier's "there are no excuses for losing" mantra.[2] The 1990 season's highlights included a confidence-building 17–13 signature road win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which set the tone for the remainder of the season,[2] followed by conference blowouts of the Mississippi State Bulldogs (34–21), LSU Tigers (34–8), fourth-ranked Auburn Tigers (48–7), Georgia Bulldogs (38–7) and Kentucky Wildcats (47–15). The Gators also suffered two disappointing road losses to the fifth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (3–45) in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the eighth-ranked Florida State Seminoles (30–45) in Tallahassee, Florida.

Even as Spurrier's new "fun 'n' gun" offensive scheme led by quarterback Shane Matthews, wide receiver Ernie Mills and tight end Kirk Kirkpatrick was breaking team scoring and yardage records, defensive coordinator Jim Bates coached one of the best defensive squads in team history, including two first-team All-Americans, defensive end Huey Richardson and safety Will White.[2][3] Matthews finished the season with 2,952 passing yards and twenty-three touchdowns—then the most passing yards in Gators history.[2]

Spurrier's 1990 Florida Gators, while ineligible to win the SEC title or receive a bowl bid because of lingering NCAA probation,[2] nevertheless posted a best-in-the-SEC record of 6–1 and an overall record of 9–2,[3] and laid the foundation for the Gators' run of six SEC championships and a national title during the next decade.[1] They finished twelfth in the season's final AP Poll.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–8–1990 Oklahoma State* Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 50–7   75,428
9–15–1990 Alabama #24 Bryant-Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL TBS W 17–13   70,123
9–22–1990 Furman* #19 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 27–3   71,868
9–29–1990 Mississippi State #17 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL TBS W 34–21   72,943
10–6–1990 Louisiana State #10 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ESPN W 34–8   75,039
10–13–1990 #5 Tennessee #9 Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN ESPN L 3–45   96,874
10–20–1990 Akron* #17 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 59–0   74,558
11–3–1990 #4 Auburn #15 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ESPN W 48–7   75,459
11–10–1990 Georgia #10 Gator Bowl • Jacksonville, FL TBS W 38–7   81,529
11–17–1990 Kentucky #6 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY TBS W 47–15   55,140
12–1–1990 #8 Florida State* #6 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ESPN L 30–45   63,190
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]


1991

1991 Florida Gators football
SEC champions
Sugar Bowl, L 28–39 v. Notre Dame
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches #8
AP #7
1991 record 10–2 (7–0 1st SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Ron Zook
Captain Brad Culpepper
Cal Dixon
Tim Paulk
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
1991 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#7 Florida $ 7 – 0 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#5 Alabama 6 – 1 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
#14 Tennessee 5 – 2 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#17 Georgia 4 – 3 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
Mississippi State 4 – 3 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
LSU 3 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Vanderbilt 3 – 4 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Auburn 2 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Ole Miss 1 – 6 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Kentucky 0 – 7 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1991 college football season was Steve Spurrier's second as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The Gators were led by quarterback Shane Matthews and first-team All-American defensive tackle Brad Culpepper.[4] The highlights of the season included dominating Southeastern Conference (SEC) victories over the seventeenth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (35–0), twenty-first-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs (29–7), LSU Tigers (16–0), fourth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (35–18), Auburn Tigers (31–10) and twenty-third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs (45–13), a hardfought win over the Kentucky Wildcats (35–26) to clinch the Gators' first officially recognized SEC championship, and an upset of the third-ranked Florida State Seminoles (14–9).[3] The 1991 season also included a disappointing 38–21 road loss to the seventeenth-ranked Syracuse Orangemen in the Carrier Dome.[3] As of 2015, that game is still the most recent non-conference road game for the Gators played outside the state of Florida.

Among the Gators' 1991 victories, the 14–9 defensive upset of the Florida State Seminoles was a particularly memorable victory played in front of an overflow home crowd at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Gators scored touchdowns on a first-quarter run by tailback Errict Rhett, and a 72-yard bomb from Shane Matthews to wide receiver Harrison Houston in the third quarter, and held on to win. Gators defensive ends Darren Mickell and Harvey Thomas kept Seminoles quarterback Casey Weldon off balance and on the run in the second half, and, in the fourth quarter, Gators safeties Will White and Del Speer combined to break up a fourth-down pass to the end zone by Weldon, thus saving the victory for Florida.

Spurrier's 1991 Florida Gators compiled the first-ever ten-win season in program history, an overall record of 10–2 and a perfect SEC record of 7–0.[3] The Gators closed out their season with their first New Year's Day bowl appearance since 1974, a 28–39 defeat by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Sugar Bowl, and were ranked seventh in the final Associated Press Poll.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–7–1991 San Jose State* #6 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 59–21   83,067
9–14–1991 #17 Alabama #6 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ESPN W 35–0   85,069
9–21–1991 #17 Syracuse* #5 Carrier Dome • Syracuse, NY ABC L 21–38   49,823
9–28–1991 #21 Mississippi State #14 Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL TBS W 29–7   69,328
10–5–1991 Louisiana State #13 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA PPV W 16–0   72,019
10–12–1991 #4 Tennessee #10 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ESPN W 35–18   85,165
10–19–1991 Northern Illinois* #6 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 41–10   83,708
11–2–1991 Auburn #6 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL ABC W 31–10   83,714
11–9–1991 #23 Georgia #6 Gator Bowl • Jacksonville, FL ESPN W 45–13   81,679
11–16–1991 Kentucky #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 35–26   84,109
11–30–1991 #3 Florida State* #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ABC W 14–9   85,461
1–1–1992 #18 Notre Dame* #3 Superdome • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) ABC L 28–39   76,477
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]


1992

1992 Florida Gators football
SEC Eastern Division champions
Conference Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches #11
AP #10
1992 record 9–4 (6–2 1st East SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Ron Zook
Captain Shane Matthews
Carlton Miles
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
1992 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Eastern Division
#10 Florida xy 6 – 2 – 0     9 – 4 – 0
#8 Georgia x 6 – 2 – 0     10 – 2 – 0
#12 Tennessee 5 – 3 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
South Carolina 3 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Vanderbilt 2 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Western Division
#1 Alabama x$ 8 – 0 – 0     13 – 0 – 0
#16 Ole Miss 5 – 3 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#23 Mississippi State 4 – 4 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Arkansas 3 – 4 – 1     3 – 7 – 1
Auburn 2 – 5 – 1     5 – 5 – 1
LSU 1 – 7 – 0     2 – 9 – 0
Championship: Alabama 28, Florida 21
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1992 college football season was Steve Spurrier's third as the Florida Gators football team's head coach, and the wins were harder to come by as the star-studded senior classes from 1990 and 1991 had graduated. The Gators racked up six tough Southeastern Conference (SEC) wins over the Kentucky Wildcats (35–19), LSU Tigers (28–21), Auburn Tigers (24–9), seventh-ranked Georgia Bulldogs (26–24), South Carolina Gamecocks (14–9), and Vanderbilt Commodores (41–21). They also suffered two crushing SEC losses to the fourteenth-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (14–31) in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the twenty-fourth-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs (6–30) on a Thursday night in Starkville, Mississippi.

The Gators' non-conference schedule included a homecoming victory over the Louisville Cardinals (31–17), and another surprisingly difficult win over Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (24–20). They closed their regular season with a road loss to the third-ranked Florida State Seminoles (24–45) in Tallahassee.

The Gators finished their SEC schedule with a 6–2 conference record, placing first among the six teams of the new SEC Eastern Division and earning a berth in the first-ever SEC Championship Game in Birmingham, Alabama. Spurrier's scrappy young Gators, however, fell short against the SEC Western Division champion, the second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (21–28). The Crimson Tide would later defeat the Miami Hurricanes in the Sugar Bowl to win the 1992 national championship.

Spurrier's 1992 Florida Gators posted a 9–4 overall record, concluding their season with a victory over the twelfth-ranked North Carolina State Wolfpack (27–10) in the Gator Bowl, and ranking tenth in the final AP Poll.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–12–1992 Kentucky #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL JPS W 35–19   84,553
9–19–1992 #14 Tennessee #4 Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN ABC L 14–31   97,137
10–1–1992 #24 Mississippi State #13 Scott Field • Starkville, MS ESPN L 6–30   38,886
10–10–1992 Louisiana State #23 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL JPS W 28–21   83,401
10–17–1992 Auburn #23 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ABC W 24–9   84,098
10–24–1992 Louisville* #20 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 31–17   84,476
10–31–1992 #7 Georgia #20 Gator Bowl • Jacksonville, FL ABC W 26–24   82,429
11–7–1992 Southern Mississippi* #14 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 24–20   82,882
11–14–1992 South Carolina #11 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL JPS W 14–9   84,777
11–21–1992 Vanderbilt #9 Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN JPS W 41–21   32,279
11–28–1992 #3 Florida State* #6 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ABC L 24–45   68,311
12–5–1992 #2 Alabama #12 Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (SEC Championship) ABC L 21–28   83,091
12–31–1992 #12 North Carolina State* #14 Gator Bowl • Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl) TBS W 27–10   71,233
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]

1993

1993 Florida Gators football
SEC champions
SEC Eastern Division champions
Conference Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches #4
AP #5
1993 record 11–2 (7–1 1st SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Ron Zook
Captain William Gaines
Harrison Houston
Errict Rhett
Ed Robinson
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
1993 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Eastern Division
#5 Florida x$ 7 – 1 – 0     11 – 2 – 0
#12 Tennessee 6 – 1 – 1     9 – 2 – 1
Kentucky 4 – 4 – 0     6 – 6 – 0
South Carolina 2 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Georgia 2 – 6 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 7 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Western Division
#4 Auburn 8 – 0 – 0     11 – 0 – 0
#14 Alabama x 5 – 2 – 1     9 – 3 – 1
Arkansas 3 – 4 – 1     5 – 5 – 1
LSU 3 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Ole Miss 3 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 5 – 1     3 – 6 – 2
Championship: Florida 28, Alabama 13
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • Auburn had the best division record, but did not participate in postseason play due to NCAA probation. Alabama later forfeited all 1993 regular season wins and one tie due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1993 college football season was the fourth for Steve Spurrier as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The players' and fans' preseason expectations for the Gators' fourth season under Spurrier were high, and some commentators began to speak openly about the possibility of the Gators making a run for the national title.

The Gators finished the regular season with a conference record of 7–1, and in first place among the six teams of the SEC Eastern Division, thus earning a berth in the second SEC Championship Game in Birmingham, Alabama. The Gators were paired against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the championship game—a rematch of the 1992 SEC Championship Game. The Gators defeated the Crimson Tide 28–13, winning their first SEC Championship Game and their second SEC football championship in three seasons.

Spurrier's 1993 Florida Gators compiled a 10–2 overall record. Although the Gators fell short of their hopes for a national championship, the 1993 season marked the first time that they were ranked in the top ten of the Associated Press Poll during every week of the season, and they were ranked fifth in the final AP Poll, following their 41–7 Sugar Bowl victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–4–1993 Arkansas State* #8 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 44–6   84,051
9–11–1993 Kentucky #7 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY PPV W 24–20   58,175
9–18–1993 #5 Tennessee #9 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ABC W 41–34   85,247
10–2–1993 Mississippi State #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL JPS W 38–24   84,738
10–9–1993 Louisiana State #5 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA ESPN W 58–3   60,060
10–16–1993 #19 Auburn #4 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL L 35–38   85,284
10–30–1993 Georgia #10 Gator Bowl • Jacksonville, FL ABC W 33–26   80,392
11–6–1993 Southwestern Louisiana* #9 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 61–14   83,711
11–13–1993 South Carolina #8 Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC JPS W 37–26   70,188
11–20–1993 Vanderbilt #8 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL JPS W 52–0   83,818
11–27–1993 #1 Florida State* #7 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ABC L 21–33   85,507
12–4–1993 #17 Alabama #9 Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (SEC Championship) ABC W 28–13   76,345
1–1–1994 #3 West Virginia* #8 Superdome • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) ABC W 41–7   75,437
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]


1994

1994 Florida Gators football
SEC champions
SEC Eastern Division champions
Conference Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches #7
AP #7
1994 record 10–2–1 (7–1 1st SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Bob Pruett
Captain Terry Dean
Aubrey Hill
Ellis Johnson
Larry Kennedy
Henry McMillian
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
1994 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Eastern Division
#7 Florida x$ 7 – 1 – 0     10 – 2 – 1
#22 Tennessee 5 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
South Carolina 4 – 4 – 0     7 – 5 – 0
Georgia 3 – 4 – 1     6 – 4 – 1
Vanderbilt 2 – 6 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Kentucky 0 – 8 – 0     1 – 10 – 0
Western Division
#5 Alabama x 8 – 0 – 0     12 – 1 – 0
#9 Auburn 6 – 1 – 1     9 – 1 – 1
#24 Mississippi State 5 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
LSU 3 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Arkansas 2 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Ole Miss 2 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Championship: Florida 24, Alabama 23
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1994 college football season was Steve Spurrier's fifth as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Spurrier's 1994 Florida Gators posted an overall record of 10–2–1 and a 6–1 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), placing first among the six SEC Eastern Division teams and winning the SEC championship.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–3–1994 New Mexico State* #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 70–21   84,721
9–10–1994 Kentucky #2 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ABC W 73–7   85,238
9–17–1994 #15 Tennessee #1 Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN ESPN W 31–0   96,656
10–1–1994 Mississippi #1 Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS JPS W 38–14   38,360
10–8–1994 Louisiana State #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL JPS W 42–18   85,385
10–15–1994 #6 Auburn #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ABC L 33–36   85,562
10–29–1994 Georgia #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ESPN W 52–14   85,604
11–5–1994 Southern Mississippi* #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC) W 55–17   85,448
11–12–1994 South Carolina #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL JPS W 48–17   85,028
11–19–1994 Vanderbilt #3 Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN PPV W 24–7   33,508
11–26–1994 #7 Florida State* #4 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ABC T 31–31   80,210
12–3–1994 #3 Alabama #6 Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA (SEC Championship) ABC W 24–23   74,751
1–1–1995 #7 Florida State* #5 Superdome • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) ABC L 17–23   76,244
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]

1995

1995 Florida Gators football
SEC champions
SEC Eastern Division champions
Fiesta Bowl, L 24–62 vs. Nebraska
Conference Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches #3
AP #2
1995 record 12–1 (8–0 1st SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Bob Pruett
Captain Mark Campbell
Chris Doering
Reggie Green
Ben Hanks
Jason Odom
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
1995 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Eastern Division
#2 Florida x$ 8 – 0 – 0     12 – 1 – 0
#3 Tennessee 7 – 1 – 0     11 – 1 – 0
Georgia 3 – 5 – 0     6 – 6 – 0
South Carolina 2 – 5 – 1     4 – 6 – 1
Kentucky 2 – 6 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 7 – 0     2 – 9 – 0
Western Division
Arkansas x 6 – 2 – 0     8 – 5 – 0
#21 Alabama 5 – 3 – 0     8 – 3 – 0
#22 Auburn 5 – 3 – 0     8 – 4 – 0
LSU 4 – 3 – 1     7 – 4 – 1
Ole Miss 3 – 5 – 0     6 – 5 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 7 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Championship: Florida 34, Arkansas 3
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1995 college football season was the Florida Gators football team's sixth year under head coach Steve Spurrier and was one of the most successful in school history, as the Gators finished the regular season unbeaten and untied for the first time (the 1911 team went 5-0-1). Led by Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Danny Wuerffel, the offense set many school and conference offensive records, including passing touchdowns, passing yards per game, total yards per game, and points per game, among others.[5]

After finishing the regular season 12-0 (8-0 in the SEC), Florida defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 34–3 in the 1995 SEC Championship Game. As the No. 2 ranked team, the Gators were invited to play in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl, which was the Bowl Alliance national championship game. In Tempe, Florida lost 24–62 to the No. 1 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers but remained No. 2 in the final AP poll.

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–2–1995 Houston* #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 45–21   84,672
9–9–1995 Kentucky #5 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 42–7   53,524
9–16–1995 #8 Tennessee #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ABC W 62–37   85,105
9–30–1995 Mississippi #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 28–10   85,174
10–7–1995 #21 Louisiana State #3 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA JPS W 28–10   80,583
10–14–1995 #7 Auburn #3 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL ABC W 49–38   85,214
10–28–1995 Georgia #3 Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA ABC W 52–17   86,117
11–4–1995 Northern Illinois* #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL W 58–20   84,922
11–11–1995 South Carolina #3 Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC ESPN W 63–7   71,638
11–18–1995 Vanderbilt #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL JPS W 38–7   85,248
11–25–1995 #6 Florida State* #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ABC W 35–24   85,711
12–2–1995 #23 Arkansas #2 Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA (SEC Championship) ABC W 34–3   71,324
1–2–1996 #1 Nebraska* #2 Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, AZ (Fiesta Bowl) CBS L 24–62   79,864
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]

1996

1996 Florida Gators football
National Champions
SEC champions
SEC Eastern Division champions
Conference Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches #1
AP #1
1996 record 12–1 (8–0 1st SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Bob Stoops
Captain James Bates
Anthone Lott
Jeff Mitchell
Lawrence Wright
Danny Wuerffel
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

Season overview

The 1996 college football season was Steve Spurrier's seventh as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Spurrier's 1996 Florida Gators posted a 12–1 overall record an 8–0 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), placing first among the six SEC Eastern Division teams and winning the SEC championship.[3] The Gators capped their season by defeating the top-ranked Florida State Seminoles 52–20 in a rematch in the Sugar Bowl and winning the national championship.

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.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]

1997

1997 Florida Gators football
Conference Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches #6
AP #4
1997 record 10–2 (6–2 T-2nd East SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Offensive coordinator Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Bob Stoops
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
1997 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Eastern Division
#7 Tennessee x$   7 – 1         11 – 2  
#10 Georgia   6 – 2         10 – 2  
#4 Florida   6 – 2         10 – 2  
South Carolina   3 – 5         5 – 6  
Kentucky   2 – 6         5 – 6  
Vanderbilt   0 – 8         3 – 8  
Western Division
#11 Auburn xy   6 – 2         10 – 3  
#13 LSU x   6 – 2         9 – 3  
#22 Ole Miss   4 – 4         8 – 4  
Mississippi State   4 – 4         7 – 4  
Alabama   2 – 6         4 – 7  
Arkansas   2 – 6         4 – 7  
Championship: Tennessee 30, Auburn 29
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1997 college football season was the eighth for Steve Spurrier as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Spurrier's 1997 Florida Gators finished with a 10–2 overall record and a 6–2 record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), tying for second place among the six SEC Eastern Division teams.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
8–30–1997 Southern Mississippi* #2 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ESPN2 W 21–6   85,439
9–6–1997 Central Michigan* #2 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL PPV W 82–6   85,347
9–20–1997 #4 Tennessee #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL CBS W 33–20   85,714
9–27–1997 Kentucky #1 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY CBS W 55–28   59,244
10–4–1997 Arkansas #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ESPN2 W 56–7   85,253
10–11–1997 #14 Louisiana State #1 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA ESPN L 21–28   80,677
10–18–1997 #6 Auburn #7 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL CBS W 24–10   85,244
11–1–1997 #14 Georgia #6 Alltel Stadium • Jacksonville, FL CBS L 17–37   84,297
11–8–1997 Vanderbilt #13 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC) JPS W 20–7   85,305
11–15–1997 South Carolina #12 Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC JPS W 48–21   80,072
11–22–1997 #2 Florida State* #10 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL CBS W 32–29   85,677
1–1–1998 #11 Penn State* #6 Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL (Florida Citrus Bowl) ABC W 21–6   72,940
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]

1998

1998 Florida Gators football
Orange Bowl, W 31–10 v. Syracuse
Conference Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches #6
AP #5
1998 record 10–2 (7–1 2nd East SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Offensive coordinator Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Bob Stoops
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
1998 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Eastern Division
#1 Tennessee x$#   8 – 0         13 – 0  
#5 Florida %   7 – 1         10 – 2  
#14 Georgia   6 – 2         9 – 3  
Kentucky   4 – 4         7 – 5  
Vanderbilt   1 – 7         2 – 9  
South Carolina   0 – 8         1 – 10  
Western Division
Mississippi State xy   6 – 2         8 – 5  
#16 Arkansas x   6 – 2         9 – 3  
Alabama   4 – 4         7 – 5  
Ole Miss   3 – 5         7 – 5  
LSU   2 – 6         4 – 7  
Auburn   1 – 7         3 – 8  
Championship: Tennessee 24, Mississippi State 14
  • # – BCS National Champion
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1998 college football season was the Florida Gators football team's ninth under head coach Steve Spurrier. Spurrier's 1998 Florida Gators compiled an overall record of 10–2 and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 7–1, placing second among the six teams of the SEC Eastern Division.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–5–1998 The Citadel* #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL PPV W 49–10   85,061
9–12–1998 Northeast Louisiana* #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL PPV W 42–10   85,228
9–19–1998 #6 Tennessee #2 Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN CBS L 17–20 OT  107,653
9–26–1998 #25 Kentucky #8 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL CBS W 51–35   85,011
10–3–1998 Alabama #8 Bryant-Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL JPS W 16–10   83,818
10–10–1998 #11 Louisiana State #6 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL ESPN W 22–10   85,404
10–17–1998 Auburn #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL CBS W 24–3   85,557
10–31–1998 #11 Georgia #5 Alltel Stadium • Jacksonville, FL CBS W 38–7   84,321
11–7–1998 Vanderbilt #5 Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN W 45–13   33,576
11–14–1998 South Carolina #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC) JPS W 33–14   85,528
11–21–1998 #5 Florida State* #4 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ABC L 12–23   81,614
1–2–1999 #18 Syracuse* #7 Orange Bowl Stadium • Miami, FL (Orange Bowl) ABC W 31–10   67,919
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]

1999

1999 Florida Gators football
SEC Eastern Division champions
Conference Southeastern Conference Eastern Division
Ranking
Coaches #14
AP #12
1999 record 9–4 (7–1 1st East SEC)
Head coach Steve Spurrier
Offensive coordinator Steve Spurrier
Defensive coordinator Jon Hoke
Home stadium Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
1999 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Eastern Division
#12 Florida x   7 – 1         9 – 4  
#9 Tennessee   6 – 2         9 – 3  
#16 Georgia   5 – 3         8 – 4  
Kentucky   4 – 4         6 – 6  
Vanderbilt   2 – 6         5 – 6  
South Carolina   0 – 8         0 – 11  
Western Division
#8 Alabama x$   7 – 1         10 – 3  
#13 Mississippi State   6 – 2         10 – 2  
#22 Ole Miss   4 – 4         8 – 4  
#17 Arkansas   4 – 4         8 – 4  
Auburn   2 – 6         5 – 6  
LSU   1 – 7         3 – 8  
Championship: Alabama 34, Florida 7
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Season overview

The 1999 college football season was Steve Spurrier's tenth as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The Gators returned to the SEC Championship Game after a two-year hiatus, but did not bring home another SEC Championship trophy. After losing the SEC Championship Game 34–7 to the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Gators ended their season with a last-second 37–34 loss to the Michigan State Spartans in the Citrus Bowl. Spurrier's 1999 Florida Gators posted a 9–4 overall record and a 7–1 record in the Southeastern Conference, placing first among the six SEC Eastern Division teams.[3]

Schedule and results

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
9–4–1999 Western Michigan* #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL PPV W 55–26   85,322
9–11–1999 Central Florida* #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL PPV W 58–27   85,346
9–18–1999 #2 Tennessee #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL CBS W 23–21   85,707
9–25–1999 Kentucky #3 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY ESPN W 38–10   70,971
10–2–1999 #21 Alabama #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL CBS L 39–40 OT  85,721
10–9–1999 Louisiana State #8 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA CBS W 31–10   80,255
10–16–1999 Auburn #7 Jordan-Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL ESPN2 W 32–14   85,214
10–30–1999 #10 Georgia #5 Alltel Stadium • Jacksonville, FL CBS W 30–14   84,397
11–6–1999 Vanderbilt #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL (HC) CBS W 13–6   85,117
11–13–1999 South Carolina #4 Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC JPS W 20–3   73,951
11–18–1999 #1 Florida State* #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL CBS L 23–30   85,747
12–4–1999 #7 Alabama #5 Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA (SEC Championship) ABC L 7–34   74,309
1–1–2000 #9 Michigan State* #10 Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL (Citrus Bowl) ABC L 34–37   62,011
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.[3]


See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Norm Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, pp. 104–126 (2007).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault, pp. 105–109.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 112–113 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  4. ↑ Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault, pp. 107–108.
  5. ↑ SEC Record book

Bibliography

External links

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