1973 Florida Gators football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 19
Record7–5 (3–4 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJimmy Dunn (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorDoug Knotts (4th season)
CaptainDavid Hitchcock
Vince Kendrick
Home stadiumFlorida Field
Seasons
← 1972
1974 →
1973 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Alabama $ 8 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0
No. 13 LSU 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Ole Miss 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
No. 19 Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Georgia 3 – 4 – 0 7 – 4 – 1
Florida 3 – 4 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
Kentucky 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Auburn 2 – 5 – 0 6 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 2
Vanderbilt 1 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1973 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. The season was Doug Dickey's fourth as the Florida Gators football team's head coach. Dickey's 1973 Florida Gators finished with a 7–5 overall record and a 3–4 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, tying for fifth among ten SEC teams.[1]

The Tangerine Bowl was temporarily moved from Orlando to Gainesville as the completion of the Citrus Bowl expansion was delayed. The fans were greeted by a record cold snap, with gametime temperatures at 25 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-4 degrees Celsius); the cold weather benefited the visiting Miami Redskins, who won 16–7.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 157:30 pmKansas State*No. 14
W 21–1050,673[2]
September 22vs. Southern Miss*No. 15
W 14–1338,377[3]
September 29at Mississippi StateNo. 16
L 12–3335,000[4]
October 68:30 pmat No. 10 LSU
L 3–2466,974[5]
October 134:00 pmNo. 3 Alabama
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
L 14–3564,864[6]
October 204:00 pmOle Missdagger
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL
L 10–1347,079[7]
November 31:30 pmat No. 19 Auburn
W 12–863,429[8]
November 102:00 pmvs. Georgia
ABCW 11–1070,266[9]
November 172:00 pmKentucky
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
W 20–1855,328[10]
November 247:30 pmat Miami (FL)*
W 14–739,071[11]
December 12:00 pmFlorida State*
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
W 49–062,233[12]
December 22vs. No. 15 Miami (OH)*
MTNL 7–1637,234[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[1][14]

Roster

1973 Florida Gators football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
G 74 Kris Anderson Sr
FB Vernon Barber Fr
C Mike Berry Fr
WR 89 Hollis Boardman Sr
QB 5 David Bowden Jr
RB Larry Brinson Fr
OL Ken Brock Fr
WR Charlie Brown Fr
OT Herbert Cain Fr
OL Gary Chotiner Fr
RB 17 Thom Clifford So
RB Alvin Cowans Fr
TE 88 Alvis Darby So
RB Henry Davis Fr
QB 12 Robbie Davis Jr
FB 35 Jim DuBose So
QB Jimmy Fisher Fr
TE 81 Hank Foldberg Sr
C Brian Fromang Fr
WR Derrick Gaffney Fr
QB 8 Don Gaffney So
QB 10 Chan Gailey Sr
FB 37 Carey Geiger Sr
TE Dan Grebe Fr
RB Bill Hallal Fr
WR Theo Hawkins Fr
QB Cleaver Hayling Fr
OT Ed Jacobsen Fr
RB 20 Vince Kendrick (C) Sr
OL Steve Kieter Fr
C 56 Jimmy Kynes Jr
G 64 Burton Lawless Jr
G 61 Gerald Loper So
FB Vernon Masters Fr
WR 25 Lee McGriff Jr
RB 33 Nat Moore Sr
C 51 Robbie Moore So
RB Robert Morgan Fr
OL Pete Morley Fr
OT 73 Bruce Mulliniks So
TE 83 Scott Nugent Jr
OT 70 Gary Padgett Sr
WR Bill Parker Fr
WR 44 Joel Parker Sr
OT 76 Paul Parker Jr
TE Joe Pupello Fr
RB 31 James Richards So
WR 22 Glenn Sever So
WR 40 Eddie Sirmons So
C Jeff Sprague Fr
OT 77 Mike Stanfield Jr
C 65 Jimmy Ray Stephens So
OT Mark Totten Fr
RB Keith Tribble Fr
RB 41 Andy Wade So
RB Alan Williams Fr
G 63 Mike Williams So
OT Bill Wright Fr
QB David Wright Fr
OT 79 Joe Wunderly Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DE 92 Joe Abbott So
DE Robert Adkins Fr
CB 29 Robby Ball So
LB Bradd Barker Fr
LB 59 Rick Boedy Jr
DE 50 Ricky Browne Sr
CB 38 Alvin Butler Jr
LB 43 Glenn Cameron Jr
DL Darrell Carpenter Fr
DE Bill Conan Fr
LB Jim D'Onofrio Fr
DB Don Dickey Fr
LB 54 Ward Eastman So
DB 24 Wayne Fields So
LB 57 Johnny Foreman Jr
LB 99 Sammy Green So
DT 78 Clint Griffith Jr
DT 66 David Hitchcock (C) Sr
DE Calvin Jones Fr
DE 90 Preston Kendrick Jr
DT 60 John Lacer Sr
CB 47 Roy Mallory Jr
LB Mark Maynor Fr
DE 84 Chris McCoun Sr
DE 85 Mike Moore Sr
DT 72 George Nicholas So
LB 55 Ralph Ortega Jr
S 30 Jim Revels Sr
CB 21 Tyson Sever Jr
DE 95 Mike Smith So
DT 75 David Starkey So
DL George Sullivan Fr
DB 32 Andy Summers Jr
S 28 Randy Talbot Jr
LB Jack Zukley Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 6 Elwood Aust Sr
P 13 Tom Dolfi So
P 9 Buster Morrison Jr
K David Posey Fr
K 18 John Williams So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Don Breaux
    Wide receivers
  • Don Brown
    Offensive line/tight ends
  • Bill Carr
    Scout
  • Jimmy Dunn
    Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/running backs
  • Dave Fuller
    Scout team
  • Jack Hall
    Freshman
  • Ken Hatfield
    Defensive backs
  • Kim Helton
    Offensive line
  • Doug Knotts
    Defensive coordinator/linebackers
  • Jack Thompson
    Defensive line
  • Allen Trammell
    Recruiting
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: 2018-Dec-23

Game summaries

Kansas State

Main article: 1973 Kansas State Wildcats football team
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2021)

Southern Miss

Main article: Southern Miss Golden Eagles football
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2021)

Mississippi State

Main article: 1973 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2021)

LSU

Main articles: 1973 LSU Tigers football team and Florida–LSU football rivalry
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2021)

Alabama

Main articles: 1973 Alabama Crimson Tide football team and Alabama–Florida football rivalry
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2021)

Ole Miss

Main article: 1973 Ole Miss Rebels football team
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2021)

Auburn

Main articles: 1973 Auburn Tigers football team and Auburn–Florida football rivalry
Florida Gators (2-4) at #19 Auburn Tigers (4-2)
Period 1 2 34Total
Florida 0 6 6012
Auburn 0 0 088

at Jordan–Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL

  • Date: November 3
  • Game attendance: 63,429
  • [15]
Game information
Florida

Don Gaffney made the start, becoming the first black quarterback in school history, and Florida won at Jordan–Hare Stadium for the first time.[16]

Vs. Georgia

See also: Florida–Georgia football rivalry
Florida Gators (3-4) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (4-3-1)
Period 1 2 34Total
Georgia 0 7 0310
Florida 3 0 0811

at Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Florida

  • Date: November 10
  • Game time: 2:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 70,266
  • TV: ABC
  • [17]
Game information

[18]

Kentucky

Main article: 1973 Kentucky Wildcats football team
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (December 2018)

At Miami (FL)

See also: Florida–Miami football rivalry
Florida Gators at Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Period 1 2 34Total
Florida 7 7 0014
Miami (FL) 0 0 077

at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida

  • Date: November 24
  • Game attendance: 39,071
  • [19]
    First quarter
    • FLA – Vince Kendrick 14-yard run (David Posey kick). Florida 7–0. Drive: 7 plays.
    Second quarter
    • FLA – Joel Parker 7-yard pass from Don Gaffney (kick good). Florida 14–0. Drive: 4 plays, 17 yards.
    Third quarter
    • No scoring
    Fourth quarter
    • MIA – Phil August 40-yard pass from Ed Carney (Brian Selmer kick). Florida 14–7.

Florida's defense held the Hurricanes out of the end zone from the five-yard line with 33 seconds left in the game.

Florida State

Main articles: 1973 Florida State Seminoles football team and Florida–Florida State football rivalry
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (December 2018)

Tangerine Bowl

Main articles: 1973 Miami Redskins football team and 1973 Tangerine Bowl
This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (December 2018)

Awards and honors

Ricky Browne

David Hitchock

Burton Lawless

Lee McGriff

Ralph Ortega

Jim Revels

Jimmy Ray Stephens

[20]

References

  1. ^ a b 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 110–111 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  2. ^ "'Cats toppled by Florida". The Kansas City Star. September 16, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Bowden to Gators' rescue 14–13". Tampa Bay Times. September 23, 1973. Retrieved March 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Mississippi State rips Gators, 33–12". Daily Press. September 30, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Bayou Bengals bayonet Gators". St. Petersburg Times. October 7, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Todd sparks 'Bama to 35–14 SEC win". Johnson City Press-Chronicle. October 14, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Ole Miss stuns Florida's Gators". Macon Telegraph & News. October 21, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Gaffney leads underdog Gators past Auburn". Pensacola News Journal. November 4, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Florida nips Georgia". The Greenville News. November 11, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Gators outlast Wildcats, 20–18". The Bradenton Herald. November 18, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Gators survive late Miami scare, 14–7". Fort Myers News-Press. November 25, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "WHAMO! Gators 49, Tribe 0 ... it was no day for Tribe miracles". The Pensacola News Journal. December 2, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Clark, Bill (December 23, 1973). "Yes, Gators, Miami Is For Real, 16–7". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 17, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Sports Publicity Department. "1974 University of Florida Press Guide" (PDF). floridagators.com. University Athletic Association, Inc. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  15. ^ "Kendrick Leads UF to Upset." Ocala Star-Banner. 1973 Nov 04. Retrieved 2018-Dec-24.
  16. ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Nov 04. Retrieved 2018-Dec-24.
  17. ^ "Florida Rally Sinks Georgia." Ocala Star-Banner. 1973 Nov 11. Retrieved 2018-Dec-24.
  18. ^ "Florida rallies." Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Nov 11. Retrieved 2018-Dec-24.
  19. ^ Ocala Star-Banner. 1973 Nov 25. Retrieved 2018-Dec-25.
  20. ^ 2018 Florida Gators football media guide. Retrieved 2018-Dec-23.
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