1969 Florida Gators football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1969 Florida Gators football Southeastern Conference SEC 17 14 9–1–1 3–1–1 Ray Graves 10th Fred Pancoast 1st Gene Ellenson 5th Mac Steen Florida Field Gator Bowl W Won 14–13 vs. Tennessee The 1969 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. The season was the tenth, last, and arguably most successful season for Ray Graves as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. 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. Florida concluded the year with a Gator Bowl victory over SEC-champion Tennessee. Afterwards, Graves resigned from the head coaching position to become the university's athletic director, and was replaced by Tennessee head coach Doug Dickey. 2016 Florida Gators Football Media Guide https://web.archive.org/web/20160919114432/http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/gatorzone.com/documents/2016/8/4/2016_Florida_Gators_Media_Guide_web.pdf?id=15687 September 19, 2016 , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 110–111 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015. 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. The team was captained by Mac Steen.https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19691218&id=A4ZPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QgUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3818,8065073&hl=en Ocala Star-Banner Buddy Martin Mac Steen: HeIs Gators Answer To jerry Kramer December 18, 1969 Schedule 1969 AP Eastern September 20 w y Houston 7 Florida Field Gainesville, FL 59–34 53,807 https://www.newspapers.com/article/pensacola-news-journal-florida-bombards/133849833/ Pensacola News Journal Florida bombards Houston, 59 to 34 September 21, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com September 27 w y 12 Mississippi State Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS 47–35 37,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-commercial-appeal-gators-outscore-mi/133850005/ The Commercial Appeal Gators outscore Mississippi State in 47–35 slugfest September 28, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com October 4 w y 12 Florida State Florida Field Gainesville, FL rivalry 21–6 63,957 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-gator-defenders-muscle-i/133850148/ St. Petersburg Times Gator defenders muscle into act October 5, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com October 11 w y y 12 Tulane Tampa Stadium Tampa, FL 18–17 43,102 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86340655/gators-bite-off-brash-tulane-challenge-1/ The Tampa Tribune Gators bite off brash Tulane challenge 18–17 October 12, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com October 18 w y y 10 North Carolina Florida Field Gainesville, FL 52–2 62,945 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-unc-killed-by-ang/133850313/ The Charlotte Observer UNC killed by angry Gators, 52–2 October 19, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com October 25 w 10 Vanderbilt Florida Field Gainesville, FL 41–20 48,631 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-knoxville-news-sentinel-gators-smash/133850384/ The Knoxville News-Sentinel Gators smash Vandy, 41–20 October 26, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com November 1 l y 7 Auburn 17 Cliff Hare Stadium Auburn, AL rivalry 12–38 50,086 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-opelika-auburn-news-auburn-hands-flo/133849288/ The Opelika-Auburn News Auburn hands Florida first defeat of year November 2, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com November 8 t y 13 Georgia 16 Gator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, FL rivalry ABC 13–13 70,862 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bradenton-herald-florida-georgia-ti/133850502/ The Bradenton Herald Florida, Georgia tie, 13–13 November 9, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com November 15 w Kentucky rivalry Florida Field Gainesville, FL 31–6 55,279 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tallahassee-democrat-bowl-hungry-gators/133850679/ Tallahassee Democrat Bowl-hungry Gators nab 31–6 win over Kentucky November 16, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com November 29 8:01 p.m. w y y Miami (FL) Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL rivalry 35–16 70,934 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-danville-register-florida-beats-miam/133850781/ The Danville Register Florida beats Miami 35–16; Reaves No. 1 November 30, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com December 27 w y y 15 Tennessee 11 Gator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, FL rivalry NBC 14–13 72,248 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101306176/florida-upsets-vols-in-gator/ The El Paso Times Florida upsets Vols in Gator December 28, 1969 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com Sports Publicity Department 1970 University of Florida Football Brochure https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/gatorzone.com/documents/2016/8/19/1970_fb_media_guide.pdf floridagators.com University Athletic Association, Inc. 15 March 2018 Game summaries Houston In the opening game against the seventh-ranked Houston Cougars, the unranked Gators debuted a new passing offense which set the tone of success for the rest of the season and upset the Cougars, 59–34. Carlos Alvarez had 6 catches and 182 yards receiving. Mississippi State In the second week of play, the Gators beat Mississippi State, 47–25. Alvarez had 12 catches and 180 yards receiving. Florida State FSU 0 6 0 0 Florida 0 7 7 7 October 4 Florida Field, Gainesville, Florida 63,957 yes 2 ? FLA Alvarez 10 yard pass from Reaves FLA 7-0 2 ? FSU Pederson 22 yard pass from Cappleman FLA 7-6 3 ? FLA Alvarez 30 yard pass from Reaves FLA 14-6 4 ? FLA Durrance 1 yard run FLA 21-6 yes The Gators won the matchup over Florida State 21–6 on the back of a defensive surge that was unparalleled in Gator history. The Gators defense, led by junior defensive lineman Jack Youngblood, and sophomore defensive lineman Robert Harrell, sacked FSU quarterback Bill Cappleman eleven times for 91 yards leaving FSU with a total of negative 18 yards rushing in the game. Youngblood had been shifted to defensive end, with Harrell at tackle.http://www.nolefan.org/summary/f1969.html Florida State Football - 1969 Year In Review Harrell earned National Defensive Lineman of The Week honors.http://floridagators.com/news/2006/8/31/10816.aspx Great Teams and Eras: The Super Sophs In addition to the pass rush, the FSU offense fumbled the ball eight times, losing five. Two other Gator sophomores starred in the game as well, All-American wide out Carlos Alvarez and quarterback John Reaves. Alvarez had seven catches for 134 yards. Tulane On "Super Saturday" in Tampa,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g2s0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=AI0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7258%2C1985035 Sarasota Journal Florida, Tulane Clash in Tampa October 10, 1969 30 the Gators came from behind and went for two to beat winless Tulane by an 18–17 score. Alvarez had 11 catches for 146 yards. "It was a damn poor victory, but it tasted a lost better than a defeat would have" wrote Jack Hairston.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V3xPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZQUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5135%2C6244798 What Writers Said About Gators Ocala Star-Banner October 12, 1969 2D North Carolina The Gators defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 52–2 and Alvarez caught 4 passes for 122 yards. Vanderbilt Florida won over the Vanderbilt Commodores 41–20. Reaves threw 5 touchdowns and Alvarez had 11 catches for 112 yards. Auburn, Georgia 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. Kentucky In a 31–6 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats, Alvarez had 10 catches for 105 receiving yards. Miami (FL) Florida beat the Miami Hurricanes, 35–16, as Carlos Alvarez had a then-record 237 receiving yards on 15 receptions. Tennessee—Gator Bowl Gator Bowl Florida 7 0 7 0 Tennessee 0 10 0 3 December 27 Gator Bowl In a strange twist, the Gators were invited to play coach Doug Dickey's SEC champion Tennessee Volunteers in the December 1969 Gator Bowl.Nash, The Gainesville Sun Presents, pp. 73–76. 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. 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. right 1969 Gator Bowl, YouTube video. During the 1960s, Graves 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. Roster 1969 Florida Gators y So Carlos Alvarez WR y Carlos Alvarez (American football) So John Reaves QB y Ray Graves References Florida Category:Florida Gators football seasons Category:Gator Bowl champion seasons Florida Gators football