The 1980 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. The season was the Florida Gators football team's second season under new head coach Charles B. "Charley" Pell, and marked a remarkable one-year turnaround for the Gators from their 0–10–1 record in 1979.[1] The winless 1979 season was the worst season in Gators history, and it was Pell's first campaign as the new head coach of the Gators, after the Gators' previous head coach, Doug Dickey, was fired in the aftermath of a 4–7 season in 1978.[1] Pell's 1980 Florida Gators posted an 8–4 overall record and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 4–2, tying for fourth place in the ten-team SEC.[2] The Gators capped their season with a 35–20 bowl victory over the Maryland Terrapins in the Tangerine Bowl, marking the first time in the history of major college football that a winless team received a bowl bid the following season.[1] Linebacker David Little set the career record for tackles by a Gator and was consensus All-American.[3] Receivers Cris Collinsworth was first-team All-American. Ted Alston was the second receiver. The season features the famous "Run Lindsay Run" in the close loss to national champion Georgia.[4]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
---|
September 13 | vs. California* | | | | W 41–13 | 41,388 | [5] |
September 20 | at Georgia Tech* | | | | W 45–12 | 35,165 | [6] |
September 27 | Mississippi State | | | | W 21–15 | 56,225 | [7] |
October 4 | LSU | No. 19 | - Florida Field
- Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
| | L 7–24 | 59,299 | [8] |
October 18 | at Ole Miss | | | | W 15–3 | 36,012 | [9] |
October 25 | Louisville* | | - Florida Field
- Gainesville, FL
| | W 13–0 | 62,687 | [10] |
November 1 | Auburn | | - Florida Field
- Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
| | W 21–10 | 63,274 | [11] |
November 8 | vs. No. 2 Georgia | No. 20 | | ABC | L 21–26 | 68,528 | [12] |
November 15 | at Kentucky | No. 20 | | | W 17–15 | 51,766 | [13] |
November 29 | Miami (FL)* | No. 18 | - Florida Field
- Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
| ABC | L 7–31 | 56,437 | [14] |
December 6 | at No. 3 Florida State* | No. 19 | | ABC | L 13–17 | 53,772 | [15] |
December 20 | vs. Maryland* | | | MTN | W 35–20 | 52,541 | [16] |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
|
[2]
Game summaries
California
Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
California |
0 |
13 | 0 | 0 |
13 |
• Florida |
13 |
0 | 21 | 7 |
41 |
Scoring summary |
Q1 | 8:58 | FLA | Kellom 1 yard run (Clark kick) | FLA 7–0 |
|
Q1 | 3:29 | FLA | Clark 33 yard field goal | FLA 10–0 |
|
Q1 | :24 | FLA | Clark 49 yard field goal | FLA 13–0 |
|
Q2 | 10:46 | CAL | Lewis 24 yard pass from Campbell (Luckhurst kick) | FLA 13–7 |
|
Q2 | 3:29 | CAL | Luckhurst 42 yard field goal | FLA 13–10 |
|
Q2 | :04 | CAL | Luckhurst 30 yard field goal | Tie 13–13 |
|
Q3 | 5:49 | FLA | Faulkner 9 yard pass from Hawko (Clark kick) | FLA 20–13 |
|
Q3 | 3:11 | FLA | Jones 3 yard run (Clark kick) | FLA 27–13 |
|
Q3 | 1:15 | FLA | Garrett 20 yard pass from Hawko (Clark kick) | FLA 34–13 |
|
Q4 | 13:23 | FLA | T. Williams 2 yard run (Clark kick) | FLA 41–13 |
[17]
Vs. Georgia
Scoring summary
|
Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
UGA
|
FLA
|
1
|
13:09
|
|
|
|
Georgia
|
Walker 72-yard touchdown run, Robinson kick good
|
7
|
0
|
1
|
7:07
|
|
|
|
Florida
|
40-yard field goal by Clark
|
7
|
3
|
2
|
13:29
|
|
77
|
|
Georgia
|
Stewart 13-yard touchdown reception from Belue, Robinson kick good
|
14
|
3
|
2
|
7:10
|
|
|
|
Florida
|
Collinsworth 9-yard touchdown reception from Peace, Clark kick good
|
14
|
10
|
3
|
9:38
|
|
|
|
Georgia
|
24-yard field goal by Robinson
|
17
|
10
|
3
|
3:58
|
|
|
|
Georgia
|
20-yard field goal by Robinson
|
20
|
10
|
4
|
14:14
|
|
81
|
|
Florida
|
Jones 11-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good
|
20
|
18
|
4
|
6:52
|
11
|
|
|
Florida
|
40-yard field goal by Clark
|
20
|
21
|
4
|
1:03
|
|
|
|
Georgia
|
Scott 93-yard touchdown reception from Belue, 2-point pass incomplete
|
26
|
21
|
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.
|
26
|
21
|
|
[19]
At Florida State
Game information
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- FLA – Brian Clark 38-yard field goal, 9:55. Florida 10–3.
- FLA – Brian Clark 36-yard field goal, 1:48. Florida 13–3.
Third quarter
- FSU – Hardis Johnson 19-yard pass from Rick Stockstill (Bill Capece kick), 10:12. Florida 13–10.
Fourth quarter
- FSU – Hardis Johnson 20-yard pass from Rick Stockstill (Bill Capece kick), 14:24. Florida St 17–13.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- FLA –
- FSU – Ricky Williams – 21 rushes, 75 yards
- Top receivers
- FLA –
- FSU – Hardis Johnson – 7 receptions, 107 yards
|
|
Personnel
1980 Florida Gators football team roster
|
Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
|
Defense
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
DL
|
53
|
Rod Brooks (C)
|
Sr
|
DL
|
90
|
Val Brown
|
So
|
DE
|
87
|
Mike Clark
|
Sr
|
DL
|
61
|
Ron Coleman
|
Sr
|
DB
|
|
Ivory Curry
|
DL
|
66
|
Robin Fisher
|
Jr
|
DL
|
85
|
David Galloway
|
Jr
|
DB
|
43
|
Sonny Gilliam
|
So
|
DE
|
57
|
Tim Golden
|
Sr
|
S
|
20
|
Tim Groves
|
Sr
|
LB
|
|
Fernando Jackson
|
CB
|
24
|
Kyle Knight
|
So
|
DB
|
|
Tony Lilly
|
LB
|
51
|
David Little
|
Sr
|
DL
|
|
Dock Luckie
|
DB
|
|
Vito McKeever
|
DL
|
50
|
Yancey Sutton
|
Sr
|
CB
|
47
|
Bruce Vaughan
|
So
|
LB
|
95
|
Tom Weigmann
|
So
|
|
Special teams
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
K
|
3
|
Brian Clark
|
Jr
|
P
|
4
|
Mark Dickert
|
Jr
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
|
References
- ^ a b c Norm Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, pp. 95–96 (2007).
- ^ a b 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 111–112 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015.
- ^ "Consensus All-America Teams (1980-1989)". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
- ^ Associated Press, "Belue-to-Scott Desperation Pass Saves 'Dogs from Jaws of Gators", The Albany Sunday Herald, p. 1D (November 9, 1980). Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- ^ "Florida thrashes Bears in second half". The San Francisco Examiner. September 14, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lightning, Gators strike Tech". The Macon Telegraph & News. September 21, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Florida snaps SEC jinx". The Tennessean. September 28, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "LSU feasts on Gator gumbo". Daily World. October 5, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Gators kick up a 15–3 storm". The Pensacola News-Journal. October 19, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Florida dumps U of L, suffers by comparison". The Courier-Journal. October 26, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Auburn fumbles to 21–10 loss". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. November 2, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Great Scott! Gators stunned". The Miami Herald. November 9, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "What couldn't be, was: Victory eludes UK again". Sunday Herald-Leader. November 16, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hurricanes blow away Gators". The Tampa Tribune. November 30, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Seminoles escape threat by Gators". The Commercial Appeal. December 7, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Peace's passes lead Florida over Terrapins". The Pensacola News-Journal. December 21, 1980. Retrieved October 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Palm Beach Post. 1980 Sept 14. Retrieved 2015-Oct-14.
- ^ Ocala Star-Banner. 1980 Nov 09. Retrieved 2019-Jan-02.
- ^ 24/7 Sports. Retrieved 2019-Jan-02.
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National championship seasons in bold |