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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 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 Stephen O. "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).


Contents: 1990  • 1991  • 1992  • 1993  • 1994  • 1995  • 1996  • 1997  • 1998  • 1999


1990[]

1990 Florida Gators football
ConferenceSoutheastern
Ranking
APNo. 12
1990 record9–2 (6–1 1st* SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorJim Bates
CaptainChris Bromley
Ernie Mills
Godfrey Myles
Glenn Neely
Huey Richardson
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1989
1991 →
1990 SEC football standings
v · d · e 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 a Southeastern Conference (SEC) or national football championship; 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 last Associated Press Poll.

Schedule and results[]

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–8–1990* Oklahoma State Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida W 50–7  
9–15–1990 Alabama #24 Bryant-Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, Alabama TBS W 17–13  
9–22–1990* Furman #19 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida W 27–3  
9–29–1990 Mississippi State #17 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida TBS W 34–21  
10–6–1990 Louisiana State #10 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN W 34–8  
10–13–1990 #5 Tennessee #9 Neyland StadiumKnoxville, Tennessee ESPN L 3–45  
10–20–1990* Akron #17 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. (Homecoming) W 59–0  
11–3–1990 #4 Auburn #15 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN W 48–7  
11–10–1990 Georgia #10 Gator Bowl StadiumJacksonville, Florida TBS W 38–7  
11–17–1990 Kentucky #6 Commonwealth StadiumLexington, Kentucky TBS W 47–15  
12–1–1990* #8 Florida State #6 Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, Florida ESPN L 30–45  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.


1991[]

1991 Florida Gators football
SEC Champions
Sugar Bowl, L 28–39 v. Notre Dame
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 8
APNo. 7
1991 record10–2 (7–0 1st SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorRon Zook
CaptainBrad Culpepper
Cal Dixon
Tim Paulk
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1990
1992 →
1991 SEC football standings
v · d · e 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]

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
9–7–1991* San Jose State #6 Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida W 59–21  
9–14–1991 #17 Alabama #6 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN W 35–0  
9–21–1991* #17 Syracuse #5 Carrier DomeSyracuse, New York ABC L 21–38  
9–28–1991 #21 Mississippi State #14 Florida Citrus BowlOrlando, Florida TBS W 29–7  
10–5–1991 Louisiana State #13 Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, Louisiana W 16–0  
10–12–1991 #4 Tennessee #10 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN W 35–18  
10–19–1991* Northern Illinois #6 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. (Homecoming) W 41–10  
11–2–1991 Auburn #6 Jordan-Hare StadiumAuburn, Alabama ABC W 31–10  
11–9–1991 #23 Georgia #6 Gator Bowl StadiumJacksonville, Florida ESPN W 45–13  
11–16–1991 Kentucky #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida W 35–26  
11–30–1991* #3 Florida State #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ABC W 14–9  
1–1–1992* #18 Notre Dame #3 Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, La. (Sugar Bowl) ABC L 28–39  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.


1992[]

1992 Florida Gators football
SEC Eastern Division Champions
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 11
APNo. 10
1992 record9–4 (6–2 1st East SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorRon Zook
CaptainShane Matthews
Carlton Miles
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1991
1993 →
1992 SEC football standings
v · d · e Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Eastern Division
#10/11 Florida xy 6 2 0     9 4 0
#8/8 Georgia x 6 2 0     10 2 0
#12/12 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
#1/1 Alabama xy 8 0 0     13 0 0
#16/16 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 Associated Press Poll.[3]

Schedule and results[]

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–12–1992 Kentucky #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida JP W 35–19  
9–19–1992 #14 Tennessee #4 Neyland StadiumKnoxville, Tennessee ABC L 14–31  
10–1–1992 #24 Mississippi State #13 Davis Wade StadiumStarkville, Mississippi ESPN L 6–30  
10–10–1992 Louisiana State #23 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida JP W 28–21  
10–17–1992 Auburn #23 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ABC W 24–9  
10–24–1992* Louisville #20 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. (Homecoming) W 31–17  
10–31–1992 #7 Georgia #20 Gator Bowl StadiumJacksonville, Florida ABC W 26–24  
11–7–1992* Southern Mississippi #14 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida W 24–20  
11–14–1992 South Carolina #11 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida JP W 14–9  
11–21–1992 Vanderbilt #9 Vanderbilt StadiumNashville, Tennessee JP W 41–21  
11–28–1992* #3 Florida State #6 Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, Florida ABC L 24–45  
12–5–1992 #2 Alabama #12 Legion FieldBirmingham, Ala. (SEC Championship) ABC L 21–28  
12–31–1992* #12 North Carolina State #14 Gator Bowl StadiumJacksonville, Florida (Gator Bowl) TBS W 27–10  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

1993[]

1993 Florida Gators football
SEC Champions
SEC Eastern Division Champions
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 5
1993 record11–2 (7–1 1st SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorRon Zook
CaptainWilliam Gaines
Harrison Houston
Errict Rhett
Ed Robinson
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1992
1994 →
1993 SEC football standings
v · d · e 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
Georgia 2 6 0     5 6 0
South Carolina 2 6 0     4 7 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
9–4–1993* Arkansas State #8 Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida W 44–6  
9–11–1993 Kentucky #7 Commonwealth StadiumLexington, Kentucky W 24–20  
9–18–1993 #5 Tennessee #9 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ABC W 41–34  
10–2–1993 Mississippi State #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida JP W 38–24  
10–9–1993 Louisiana State #5 Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, Louisiana ESPN W 58–3  
10–16–1993 #19 Auburn #4 Jordan-Hare StadiumAuburn, Alabama L 35–38  
10–30–1993 Georgia #10 Gator Bowl StadiumJacksonville, Florida ABC W 33–26  
11–6–1993* Southwestern Louisiana #9 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. (Homecoming) W 61–14  
11–13–1993 South Carolina #8 Williams-Brice StadiumColumbia, South Carolina JP W 37–26  
11–20–1993 Vanderbilt #8 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida JP W 52–0  
11–27–1993* #1 Florida State #7 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ABC L 21–33  
12–4–1993 #17 Alabama #9 Legion FieldBirmingham, Alabama (SEC Championship) ABC W 28–13  
1–1–1994* #3 West Virginia #8 Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, La. (Sugar Bowl) ABC W 41–7  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.


1994[]

1994 Florida Gators football
SEC Champions
SEC Eastern Division Champions
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 7
APNo. 7
1994 record10–2–1 (7–1 1st SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorBob Pruett
CaptainTerry Dean
Aubrey Hill
Ellis Johnson
Larry Kennedy
Henry McMillian
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1993
1995 →
1994 SEC football standings
v · d · e 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
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 6–2 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
9–3–1994* New Mexico State #1 Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida W 70–21  
9–10–1994 Kentucky #2 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ABC W 73–7  
9–17–1994 #15 Tennessee #1 Neyland StadiumKnoxville, Tennessee ESPN W 31–0  
10–1–1994 Mississippi #1 Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, Mississippi JP W 38–14  
10–8–1994 Louisiana State #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida JP W 42–18  
10–15–1994 #6 Auburn #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ABC L 33–36  
10–29–1994 Georgia #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN W 52–14  
11–5–1994* Southern Mississippi #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. (Homecoming) W 55–17  
11–12–1994 South Carolina #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida JP W 48–17  
11–19–1994 Vanderbilt #3 Vanderbilt StadiumNashville, Tennessee W 24–7  
11–26–1994* #7 Florida State #4 Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, Florida ABC T 31–31  
12–3–1994 #3 Alabama #6 Georgia DomeAtlanta, Georgia (SEC Championship) ABC W 24–23  
1–1–1995* #7 Florida State #5 Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, La. (Sugar Bowl) ABC L 17–23  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

1995[]

1995 Florida Gators football
SEC Champions
SEC Eastern Division Champions
Fiesta Bowl, L 24–62 vs. Nebraska
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 3
APNo. 2
1995 record12–1 (8–0 1st SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorBob Pruett
CaptainMark Campbell
Chris Doering
Reggie Green
Ben Hanks
Jason Odom
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1994
1996 →
1995 SEC football standings
v · d · e Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Eastern Division
#2/3 Florida x 8 0 0     12 1 0
#3/2 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
#22/21 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. The Gators won their first twelve games of the season, defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 34–3 in the 1995 SEC Championship Game, and were ranked second in the nation, before losing the Bowl Alliance national championship game 24–62 to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl. Spurrier's 1995 Florida Gators compiled an overall record of 12–1 and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 8–0, placing first among the six SEC Eastern Division teams and winning the SEC championship.[3]

Schedule and results[]

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
9–2–1995* Houston #5 Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida W 45–21  
9–9–1995 Kentucky #5 Commonwealth StadiumLexington, Kentucky W 42–7  
9–16–1995 #8 Tennessee #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ABC W 62–37  
9–30–1995 Mississippi #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida W 28–10  
10–7–1995 #21 Louisiana State #3 Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, Louisiana JP W 28–10  
10–14–1995 #7 Auburn #3 Jordan-Hare StadiumAuburn, Alabama ABC W 49–38  
10–28–1995 Georgia #3 Sanford StadiumAthens, Georgia ABC W 52–17  
11–4–1995* Northern Illinois #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. W 58–20  
11–11–1995 South Carolina #3 Williams-Brice StadiumColumbia, South Carolina ESPN W 63–7  
11–18–1995 Vanderbilt #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida JP W 38–7  
11–25–1995* #6 Florida State #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ABC W 35–24  
12–2–1995 #24 Arkansas #2 Georgia DomeAtlanta, Georgia (SEC Championship) ABC W 34–3  
1–2–1996* #1 Nebraska #2 Sun Devil StadiumTempe, Arizona (Fiesta Bowl) CBS L 24–62  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.


1996[]

1996 Florida Gators football
National Champions
SEC Champions
SEC Eastern Division Champions
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 1
APNo. 1
1996 record12–1 (8–0 1st SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorBob Stoops
CaptainJames Bates
Anthone Lott
Jeff Mitchell
Lawrence Wright
Danny Wuerffel
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1995
1997 →
1996 SEC football standings
v · d · e 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  
Georgia   3 5         5 6  
Kentucky   3 5         4 7  
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
8–31–1996* Southwestern Louisiana #4 Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida W 55–21  
9–7–1996* Georgia Southern #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida SS W 62–14  
9–21–1996 #2 Tennessee #4 Neyland StadiumKnoxville, Tennessee CBS W 35–29  
9–28–1996 Kentucky #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS W 65–0  
10–5–1996 Arkansas #1 Razorback StadiumFayetteville, Arkansas JP W 42–7  
10–12–1996 #12 Louisiana State #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. (Homecoming) CBS W 56–13  
10–19–1996 #16 Auburn #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS W 51–10  
11–2–1996 Georgia #1 Alltel StadiumJacksonville, Florida CBS W 47–7  
11–9–1996 Vanderbilt #1 Vanderbilt StadiumNashville, Tennessee JP W 28–21  
11–16–1996 South Carolina #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN W 52–25  
11–30–1996* #2 Florida State #1 Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, Florida ABC L 21–24  
12–7–1996 #11 Alabama #4 Georgia DomeAtlanta, Georgia (SEC Championship) ABC W 45–30  
1–2–1997* #1 Florida State #3 Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, La. (Sugar Bowl) ABC W 52–20  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

1997[]

1997 Florida Gators football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 6
APNo. 4
1997 record10–2 (6–2 T-2nd East SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Offensive coordinatorSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorBob Stoops
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1996
1998 →
1997 SEC football standings
v · d · e Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Eastern Division
#7 Tennessee x   7 1         11 2  
#4 Florida   6 2         10 2  
#10 Georgia   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
8–30–1997* Southern Mississippi #2 Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida ESPN2 W 21–6  
9–6–1997* Central Michigan #2 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida W 82–6  
9–20–1997 #4 Tennessee #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS W 33–20  
9–27–1997 Kentucky #1 Commonwealth StadiumLexington, Kentucky CBS W 55–28  
10–4–1997 Arkansas #1 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN2 W 56–7  
10–11–1997 #14 Louisiana State #1 Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, Louisiana ESPN L 21–28  
10–18–1997 #6 Auburn #7 Jordan-Hare StadiumAuburn, Alabama CBS W 24–10  
11–1–1997 #14 Georgia #6 Alltel StadiumJacksonville, Florida CBS L 17–37  
11–8–1997 Vanderbilt #13 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. (Homecoming) JP W 20–7  
11–15–1997 South Carolina #12 Williams-Brice StadiumColumbia, South Carolina JP W 48–21  
11–22–1997* #2 Florida State #10 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS W 32–29  
1–1–1998* #11 Penn State #6 Citrus BowlOrlando, Florida (Florida Citrus Bowl) ABC W 21–6  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

1998[]

1998 Florida Gators football
Orange Bowl, W 31–10 v. Syracuse
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 6
APNo. 5
1998 record10–2 (7–1 2nd East SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Offensive coordinatorSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorBob Stoops
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1997
1999 →
1998 SEC football standings
v · d · e 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 representative as 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
9–5–1998* The Citadel #3 Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida W 49–10  
9–12–1998* Northeast Louisiana #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida W 42–10  
9–19–1998 #6 Tennessee #2 Neyland StadiumKnoxville, Tennessee CBS L 17–20 OT 
9–26–1998 #25 Kentucky #8 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS W 51–35  
10–3–1998 Alabama #8 Bryant-Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, Alabama JP W 16–10  
10–10–1998 #11 Louisiana State #6 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPN W 22–10  
10–17–1998 Auburn #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS W 24–3  
10–31–1998 #11 Georgia #5 Alltel StadiumJacksonville, Florida CBS W 38–7  
11–7–1998 Vanderbilt #5 Vanderbilt StadiumNashville, Tennessee W 45–13  
11–14–1998 South Carolina #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. (Homecoming) JP W 33–14  
11–21–1998* #5 Florida State #4 Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, Florida ABC L 12–23  
1–2–1999* #18 Syracuse #7 Orange Bowl StadiumMiami, Florida (Orange Bowl) ABC W 31–10  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

1999[]

1999 Florida Gators football
SEC Eastern Division Champions
Citrus Bowl, L 37–34 v. Michigan State
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 14
APNo. 12
1999 record9–4 (7–1 1st East SEC)
Head coachSteve Spurrier
Offensive coordinatorSteve Spurrier
Defensive coordinatorJon Hoke
Home stadiumBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Seasons
← 1998
2000 →
1999 SEC football standings
v · d · e 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  
#17 Arkansas   4 4         8 4  
#22 Ole Miss   4 4         8 4  
Auburn   2 6         5 6  
LSU   1 7         3 8  
Championship: Alabama 34, Florida 7
† – BCS representative as 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
9–4–1999* Western Michigan #4 Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, Florida W 55–26  
9–11–1999* Central Florida #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida W 58–27  
9–18–1999 #2 Tennessee #4 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS W 23–21  
9–25–1999 Kentucky #3 Commonwealth StadiumLexington, Kentucky ESPN W 38–10  
10–2–1999 #21 Alabama #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS L 39–40 OT 
10–9–1999 Louisiana State #8 Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, Louisiana CBS W 31–10  
10–16–1999 Auburn #7 Jordan-Hare StadiumAuburn, Alabama ESPN2 W 32–14  
10–30–1999 #10 Georgia #5 Alltel StadiumJacksonville, Florida CBS W 30–14  
11–6–1999 Vanderbilt #5 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Fla. (Homecoming) CBS W 13–6  
11–13–1999 South Carolina #4 Williams-Brice StadiumColumbia, South Carolina JP W 20–3  
11–18–1999* #1 Florida State #3 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida CBS L 23–30  
12–4–1999 #7 Alabama #5 Georgia DomeAtlanta, Georgia (SEC Championship) ABC L 7–34  
1–1–2000* #9 Michigan State #10 Citrus BowlOrlando, Florida (Florida Citrus Bowl) ABC L 34–37  
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.


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. 104–126 (2007).
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault, pp. 105–109.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 2012 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 107–116 (2012). Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  4. Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault, pp. 107–108.

Bibliography[]

  • 2009 Southeastern Conference Football Media Guide, Florida Year-by-Year Records, Southeastern Conference, Birmingham, Alabama, p. 60 (2009).
  • 2012 Florida Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 107–116 (2012).
  • 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.

External links[]

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