1977 Florida Gators football team
The 1977 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. The 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.[2]
1977 Florida Gators football | |
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Conference | Southeastern Conference |
Record | 6–4–1 (3–3 SEC) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | 8th |
Offensive scheme | Wishbone |
Defensive coordinator | Doug Knotts (8th season) |
Captain | Wes Chandler Scott Hutchinson Charlie Williams |
Home stadium | Florida Field (capacity: 62,800)[1] |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 2 Alabama $ | 7 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 6 Kentucky | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Auburn | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LSU | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Florida | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mississippi State | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ole Miss | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tennessee | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vanderbilt | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Before the season
Florida had several quarterbacks, with Terry LeCount starting.[3]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 17 | at Rice* | No. 19 | W 48–3 | 24,000 | ||
September 24 | at No. 12 Mississippi State | No. 13 | ABC | W 24–22 | 36,000 | |
October 1 | at LSU | No. 9 | L 14–36 | 68,029 | ||
October 8 | No. 15 Pittsburgh* | No. 20 | T 17–17 | 62,724 | ||
October 22 | Tennessee | No. 19 |
| W 27–17 | 62,711 | |
October 29 | at Auburn | No. 18 | L 14–29 | 57,000 | ||
November 5 | vs. Georgia | ABC | W 22–17 | 68,538 | ||
November 12 | No. 7 Kentucky |
| L 7–14 | 58,125 | ||
November 19 | Utah*![]() |
| W 38–29 | 56,055 | ||
November 26 | at Miami (FL)* | W 31–14 | ||||
December 3 | No. 19 Florida State* |
| ABC | L 9–37 | 63,563 | |
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Primary source: 2016 Florida Gators Football Media Guide[2]
Attendance figures: 1978 University of Florida Press Guide.[4]
Roster
1977 Florida Gators football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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- Other: Tim Aydp
Game summaries
Rice
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Florida opened the season in Houston with a non-conference game against Rice. Former all-conference safety Terry LeCount started at quarterback in the Gators' wishbone offense, but the most notable play at the position came in the 4th quarter, when third-string freshman Cris Collinsworth tossed an NCAA record 99-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Gaffney on his first collegiate attempt.[2][5]
Mississippi State
In the second week of play, Florida edged Mississippi State 24–22.yepremian junior kicker comes through again keeping Florids hopes alive
LSU
Louisiana State beat Florida 36–14. Wes Chandler had 146 yards receiving, including an 85-yard reception from Terry LeCount.[2]
Pittsburgh
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Florida and Pitt tied 17–17.
Tennessee
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The Gators called a timeout in the final seconds of a 27–17 win over the Tennessee Volunteers. Tennessee coach Johnny Majors was furious, and the post-game handshake ritual became a shoving match between coaching staffs.[8]
Auburn
The Auburn Tigers upset Florida 29–14.[9]
Georgia
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Kentucky
The seventh-ranked Kentucky Wildcats defeated Florida 14–7.
Utah
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The Gators ran over the Utah Utes for 531 yards and won 38–29.[11]
Miami (FL)
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Florida defeated the Miami Hurricanes 31–14.[12]
Florida State
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Bobby Bowden got his first win over the Gators, as Florida State beat Florida 37–9.[13]
Postseason
Four Gators made All-SEC.[14]
References
- Sports Publicity Department. "1977 University of Florida Press Guide" (PDF). floridagators.com. University Athletic Association, Inc. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- 2016 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 110–111 (2015). Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- Jim Smith (September 16, 1977). "John: Ready to go". Ocala Star-Banner – via Google News Archive Search.
- Sports Publicity Department. "1978 University of Florida Press Guide" (PDF). floridagators.com. University Athletic Association, Inc. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- "Gators Blitzkrieg Swamps Rice". Ocala Star-Banner. AP. September 18, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- Ocala Star-Banner. 1977 Oct 9. Retrieved 2018-Nov-03.
- Ocala Star-Banner. 1977 Oct 23. Retrieved 2018-Nov-03.
- "The Weekly List: Florida-Tennessee Boils Blood Before and After Game".
- "Auburn's Miamian gives boot to Florida (October 30, 1977)".
- "What Furor? Gators Get It Together." Ocala Star-Banner. 1977 Nov 6.
- Palm Beach Post. 1977 Nov 20.
- Palm Beach Post. 1977 Nov 27.
- Sentinel, Orlando. "1977 FSU team ended losing streak to Florida".
- "Four Gators selected for all-SEC squad". Boca Raton News. November 29, 1977 – via Google News Archive Search.