The loss to Davidson featured captain Frank Oosterhoudt, who was later declared ineligible, and replaced at captain by Bill Middlekauff.[3][4] With Middlekauff at captain, the Gators suffered just two further losses: to conference co-champions NC State; and to Georgia's "Dream and Wonder team". NC State was led by Hall of Famer and Gainesville native Jack McDowall.
Before the season
The 1926 season was the worst since the war. "The wolves began to clamor for Sebring's scalp as the 1926 season ended" wrote Pete Norton.[5] With several newcomers, Sebring organized an Orange and Blue game.[6]
The first game of the season occurred on September 24 at Fleming Field in Gainesville. The Gators defeated Florida Southern 26–7.
Week 2: Davidson
The second week brought the low point of the season–an upset by the Davidson Wildcats. Favored to win by two touchdowns and of superior weight, the Gators lost 12–0.[17] They came within scoring just once, held at the 1-yard line.[17] Despite a limp, Clyde Crabtree was twice sent into the game at crucial moments in hopes of a score.[17] In his first year on the varsity and with a broken wrist, Rainey Cawthon played against Davidson.[18]
On October 4, captain Frank Oosterhoudt was declared ineligible; his replacement by unanimous vote was Bill Middlekauff.[19][20][21]
Week 3: at Auburn
Spurred on by a new captain, the Gators traveled to Auburn and beat the rivalAuburn Tigers for the first time 33–6. Bill Middlekauff and Clyde Crabtree were both cited as players of the game.[22]Everett Strupper was referee.[23] Crabtree scored two touchdowns and Middlekauff one Goof Bowyer made the first touchdown, a 44-yard run. Tommy Owens also had a touchdown. Auburn coach Dave Morey resigned.[24]
The Gators' freshmen team also beat Auburn's freshmen team that week.[25]
The Gators avenged last year's loss to the Kentucky Wildcats with a 27–6 victory in Jacksonville, outplaying the Wildcats in all but the second quarter.[26]Carl Brumbaugh was sidelined with an injury.[27]
Florida's first touchdown came after some six minutes of play when Bill Middlekauff went over. Florida's final touchdown was on a triple-pass play of Middlekauff to Clyde Crabtree to Dale Van Sickel.[26] In the last half, the Gators made 17 first downs to Kentucky's 11.[28] Goof Bowyer scored a touchdown and drop kicked two extra points to seal the first victory over the Wildcats.[29]
A drive brought the Wolfpack to the 3-yard line, the feature play of which was a 30-yard pass from their Hall of Fame captain, Gainesville native Jack McDowall to Childress. A pass from McDowall to Frank Goodwin got the score.[32] The Gators then began passing desperately in an attempt to win. A pass bounced off the hands of a Florida back and into McDowall's, who returned the ball 75 yards for the deciding score.[33] On the ensuing kickoff, Gator back Tommy Owens ran it back for an 88-yard touchdown.[32][34][35]
Since McDowall had been turned down by his native University of Florida, legend has it just afterwards he mailed Sebring the game ball.[36]
The starting lineup was: Van Sickel (left end), Bryan (left tackle), Allen (left guard), Kirschner (center), Reeves (right guard), Clemons (right tackle), Stanley (right end), Bowyer (quarterback), Beck (left halfback), Yancey (right halfback), Middlekauff (fullback).[32][37]
Week 6: Mercer
For homecoming, some 9,000[38] watched Florida beat the Mercer Bears 32–6. Rainey Cawthon once completed a 53-yard pass during the game. Florida's five touchdowns were scored by: Bill Middlekauff, Willie DeHoff, Cecil Beck, Spic Stanley, and Goof Bowyer. Mercer's Phoney Smith had a 65-yard touchdown run. Middlekauff made the first score of the contest.[39]
The "Dream and wonder team" beat the Gators 28–0 after leading just 7 to 0 at the half. "It was made by Georgia's famous touchdown pass that later wrecked Alabama and had wrecked Yale. This pass started out like a cross buck but finished with Johnson having tossed the ball to McCrary over the goal line."[40]
Quarterback Goof Bowyer broke his leg in the game.[41] Middlekauff entered the game with an injury, and aggravated it further.[42]
The Gators upset coach Wallace Wade's Alabama Crimson Tide 13–6 in Montgomery.[43][44] Florida's yearbook remarked: "The South rocked under the great Orange and Blue victory." Clyde Crabtree returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter.[45] Alabama's Molton Smith intercepted Crabtree's pass in the fourth quarter and ran for a 45-yard touchdown. After an Alabama penalty, Carl Brumbaugh ran across for the second and decisive touchdown.[45] Crabtree also had two 55-yard kickoff returns, and gained more from scrimmage that afternoon than did the Tide. Crabtree accounted for 271 yards.[45]
The starting lineup was: Stanley (left end), Bryan (left tackle), Allen (left guard), Kirschner (center), Reeves (right guard), Clemons (right tackle), Dehoff (right end), Van Sickle (quarterback), Crabtree (left halfback), Brumbaugh (right halfback), Middlekauff (fullback).[46]
"Playing on a sodden field, unfamiliar to both teams,"[51] Florida scored after Clyde Crabtree returned a punt to Maryland's 38-yard line. He and Carl Brumbaugh worked the ball further towards the goal, and Bill Middlekauff carried it over the goal line in the captain's final game. Roberts of Maryland had a 38-yard touchdown run through tackle. The pass for extra point failed, however.[51]
The starting lineup was: Stanley (left end), Clemons (left tackle), Allen (left guard), Kirschner (center), Reeves (right guard), Bryan (right tackle), Van Sickel (right end), Crabtree (quarterback), Brumbaugh (left halfback), Bishop (right halfback), Middlekauff (fullback).[51]
Postseason
Goof Bowyer was elected captain for next year.[41] In no two seasons had Florida won as many conference contests as in 1927. Sebring resigned to get married and practice law.[52] He graduated from the university's College of Law in 1928, and later became a circuit court judge and chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Many sports commentators believe that the team that Sebring recruited for 1928 would become the greatest Gators football squad until at least the 1960s.
Players
Depth chart
The following chart provides a visual depiction of Florida's lineup during the 1927 season with games started at the position reflected in parentheses. The chart mimics a Notre Dame Box on offense.
^2009 Southern Conference Football Media Guide, Year-by-Year Standings, Southern Conference, Spartanburg, South Carolina, p. 74 (2009). Retrieved August 30, 2010.
Carlson, Norm (2007). University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators. Atlanta, Georgia: Whitman Publishing, LLC. ISBN978-0-7948-2298-9.
Woodruff, Fuzzy (1928). A History of Southern Football 1890–1928. Vol. 3.
