1964 Florida Gators football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1964 Florida Gators football Southeastern Conference SEC 7–3 4–2 Ray Graves 5th Pepper Rodgers 3rd Gene Ellenson 1st Florida Field The 1964 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1964 NCAA University Division football season. The 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 4–2 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, tying for second among the eleven SEC teams. The season was Steve Spurrier's first season as quarterback. Schedule 1964 AP September 19 w y SMU Florida Field Gainesville, FL ABC 24–8 33,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/abilene-reporter-news-florida-brands-mus/133684214/ The Abilene Reporter-News Florida brands Mustangs, 24–8 September 20, 1964 October 18, 2023 Newspapers.com September 26 w y Mississippi State Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS 16–13 42,100 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-journal-gators-boot-maroons/133632449/ The Atlanta Journal & Constitution Gators boot Maroons out of the Game, 16–13 September 27, 1964 October 18, 2023 Newspapers.com October 10 w Ole Miss Florida Field Gainesville, FL 30–14 47,003 https://www.newspapers.com/article/pensacola-news-journal-gators-shock-rebe/133674598/ The Pensacola News-Journal Gators shock Rebels October 11, 1964 October 18, 2023 Newspapers.com October 17 w y y South Carolina Florida Field Gainesville, FL 37–0 43,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-gators-crush-gamecoc/133684322/ The Palm Beach Post-Times Gators crush Gamecocks, 37–0 October 18, 1964 October 18, 2023 Newspapers.com October 24 l y 9 Alabama 3 Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL rivalry 14–17 45,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tallahassee-democrat-tide-comebacks-thwa/133684406/ Tallahassee Democrat Tide comebacks thwart Florida's hopes, 17–14 October 25, 1964 October 18, 2023 Newspapers.com October 31 w 10 Auburn Florida Field Gainesville, FL rivalry 14–0 47,100 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-alert-gators-win-140-on/133676885/ The Miami News Alert Gators win, 14–0 on Auburn's miscues November 1, 1964 October 18, 2023 Newspapers.com November 7 l y 9 Georgia Gator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, FL rivalry 7–14 48,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-georgia-upsets-florid/133682834/ Johnson City Press Georgia upsets Florida November 9, 1964 October 18, 2023 Newspapers.com November 21 l y y Florida State Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL rivalry 7–16 43,000 Seminoles 16-7 'First' Earns Jax Trip --- FSU Kicks 'Gator' Out of Bowl The Tampa Tribune Jim Selman November 22, 1964 D1, D6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37878285/seminoles_167_first_earns_jax_trip/ Newspapers.com November 28 w y Miami (FL) Florida Field Gainesville, FL rivalry 12–10 31,118 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-florida-topples-miami-by-1210/133684570/ The Shreveport Times Florida topples Miami by 12–10 November 29, 1964 October 18, 2023 Newspapers.com December 5 w y LSU Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA rivalry 20–6 65,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser-gators-whips-b/133683714/ The Montgomery Advertiser Gators whips Bengals, 20–6 December 6, 1964 October 18, 2023 Newspapers.com 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide https://web.archive.org/web/20151208143532/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2015/media_guide.pdf 2015-12-08 , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.Department of Sports Publicity University of Florida 1965 Football Brochure https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/gatorzone.com/documents/2016/8/19/1965_fb_media_guide.pdf floridagators.com University Athletic Association, Inc. 15 March 2018 Game summaries SMU The season opened with a 24–8 win over the SMU Mustangs. After quarterback Tom Shannon led the Gators to a 10–8 halftime lead, Spurrier entered the contest and threw a 56-yard pass to Jack Harper.http://floridagators.com/news/2009/9/6/16461.aspx Gator Talk - Raising the Curtain Mississippi State In the second week of play, the Gators beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs, 16–13. Ole Miss Florida beat Ole Miss, 30–14. South Carolina At homecoming, Florida beat South Carolina, 37–0. Alabama #9 Florida 0 7 7 0 #3 Alabama 0 7 0 10 October 24 Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, Alabama 43,200 Sources:Buddy Martin Crimson Tide nips Gators https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y5xPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_AQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6733%2C5480738 Ocala Star-Banner October 25, 1964 17 May 12, 2013Charles Land Alabama fights off Gators, 17–14 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Dw4fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ApsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6793%2C3939617 The Tuscaloosa News October 25, 1964 11 May 12, 2013 As they entered their 1964 homecoming game against Florida, Alabama was ranked No. 3 and Florida No. 9 in the AP Poll.Ed Watkins Victory puts the icing on homecoming cake https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Dw4fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ApsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4588%2C3879162 The Tuscaloosa News October 25, 1964 1 May 12, 2013 Against the Gators, Alabama rallied for a 17–14 comeback victory after they scored ten unanswered points in the fourth quarter. After a scoreless first quarter, Florida took a 7–0 second quarter lead when Steve Spurrier threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Randy Jackson. Alabama responded with a one-yard Steve Bowman touchdown run later in the quarter that tied the game 7–7 at halftime. In the third, the Gators retook the lead with a three-yard John Feiber touchdown run before the Crimson Tide started their fourth quarter rally. In the final period, a 30-yard Bowman touchdown run tied the game and a 21-yard David Ray field goal with just 3:06 left in the game. Spurrier then led the Gators on a drive that stalled at the Tide's seven-yard line where James Hall missed a field goal to tie the game and preserved the 17–14 Alabama win. Auburn The Gators beat the favored Auburn Tigers 14–0. The Gators picked off four passes, returning one for an 84-yard touchdown, and recovered three fumbles.Tales from the Swamp October 14, 2000 University of Florida vs. Auburn 10 The Florida Auburn-Series Norm Carlson Spurrier ran in the final score from 5 yards out. Georgia Despite Georgia's overall advantage in the series, Florida enjoyed a 10–2 streak from 1952 to 1963 under head coaches Bob Woodruff and Ray Graves. That changed with the arrival of Vince Dooley as the new head coach of the underdog 1964 Georgia Bulldogs. In a game where the Bulldogs' quarterback failed to complete a single pass and was intercepted twice, Dooleys' 'Dogs relied on their running game, a staunch second-half defense, and a little bit of luck to beat Graves' tenth-ranked Gators.United Press International, "https://archive.today/20130124184716/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YntJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fQsNAAAAIBAJ&pg=753,1596918&dq=steve-spurrier&hl=en Kicking Specialist Gets Winning Score", The Post and Courier, p. 4-D (November 8, 1964). Retrieved August 20, 2011. With the game tied at 7–7 in the fourth quarter, Bulldogs placekicker Bob Etter lined up for a potential game-winning field goal. Instead, in a wild broken play, the Bulldogs' center and placeholder mishandled the snap, but Etter picked up the bobbled ball and ran it for a touchdown to win the game 14–7. Florida State This season was also notable as the first in which the Florida State Seminoles defeated the Gators. Even though many of the early games in the series were close (and the 1961 contest ended in a 3–3 tie), Florida State had yet to beat their in-state rivals in six attempts. The 1964 game would be the first time that the Gators would journey to Doak Campbell Stadium, and the Seminoles under coach Bill Peterson were enjoying their best season since joining the ranks of major college football programs. However, the Gators still felt confident that another victory was in the offing, coming out onto the playing field with the boast "Never, FSU, Never!" attached to their helmets.Tallahassee Magazine - Historicity"Days of Slogans" - Ocala Star-Banner, Nov. 22, 1964 Florida State quarterback Steve Tensi hit Fred Biletnikoff with a first-half touchdown, helping the Seminoles to a 13–0 lead at the half as the Gator offense fumbled four times, including once at the FSU one-yard line."FSU Bombs Gators" - Ocala Star-Banner, Nov. 22, 1964 Florida, led by quarterback Steve Spurrier, finally scored in the 3rd quarter to cut the lead to 13–7, but were unable to find the endzone again. Les Murdock kicked a 42-yard field goal to secure the win for FSU, 16–7. Miami (FL) Florida defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 12–10. LSU UF achieved a 20–6 win over the No. 7 Tigers in a game originally scheduled for Oct. 3 but postponed two months due to Hurricane Hilda approaching the Louisiana coast (the Category 4 storm made landfall near Morgan City that evening and dropped heavy rain on Baton Rouge as it moved inland). Particularly noteworthy is the fact that it was Spurrier's first win over LSU – the first of a long win streak that he would have over the Tigers as a player and head coach. Roster 1964 Florida Gators y Charles Casey   Jack Harper   11 So Steve Spurrier QB So Jerry Anderson DL Ray Graves References Florida Category:Florida Gators football seasons Florida Gators football