Wikipedia

1977 Florida Gators football team

The 1977 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. The season was Doug Dickey's eighth as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Dickey's 1977 Florida Gators finished with a 6–4–1 overall record and a 3–3 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, placing fifth among ten SEC teams.[1]

1977 Florida Gators football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record6–4–1 (3–3 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator8th
Offensive schemeWishbone
Defensive coordinatorDoug Knotts (8th season)
CaptainWes Chandler
Scott Hutchinson
Charlie Williams
Home stadiumFlorida Field
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Alabama $ 7 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0
No. 6 Kentucky 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
Auburn 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
LSU 4 – 2 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
Georgia 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Ole Miss 3 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Tennessee 1 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Vanderbilt 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Kentucky ineligible for SEC championship due to NCAA probation. Mississippi State later forfeited all 1977 wins due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

Before the season

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Florida had several quarterbacks, with Terry LeCount starting.[2]

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 17at Rice*No. 19
W 48–324,000[3]
September 24at No. 12 Mississippi StateNo. 13
ABCW 24–2236,000[4]
October 1at LSUNo. 9
L 14–3668,029[5]
October 8No. 15 Pittsburgh*No. 20
T 17–1762,724[6]
October 22TennesseeNo. 19
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
W 27–1762,711[7]
October 29at AuburnNo. 18
L 14–2957,000[8]
November 5vs. Georgia
ABCW 22–1768,538[9]
November 12No. 7 Kentucky
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
L 7–1458,125[10]
November 19Utah* 
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 38–2956,055[11]
November 26at Miami (FL)*
W 31–1430,662[12]
December 3No. 19 Florida State*
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
ABCL 9–3763,563[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[1][14]

Roster

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1977 Florida Gators football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB John Brantley
RB 30 Earl Carr Sr
WR 89 Wes Chandler Sr
TE Juan Collins
QB 21 Cris Collinsworth Fr
TE 40 Lewis Gilbert Sr
RB 33 Tony Green Sr
WR 23 Derrick Gaffney Sr
OT 67 Ed Jacobsen Sr
QB 7 Terry LeCount Sr
RB Willie Wilder
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB Scot Brantley
DE Richard Brewton
DE Mike DuPree
DB 25 Chuck Hatch Jr
DT 66 Scott Hutchinson Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
PK Berj Yepremian Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt
  • Other: Tim Aydp

Game summaries

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Rice

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1 2Total
Rice 3 0 3
• Florida 21 27 48

Florida opened the season in Houston with a non-conference game against Rice. Former all-conference safety Terry LeCount started at quarterback in the Gators' wishbone offense, but the most notable play at the position came in the 4th quarter, when third-string freshman Cris Collinsworth tossed an NCAA record 99-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Gaffney on his first collegiate attempt.[1][15]

Mississippi State

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In the second week of play, Florida edged Mississippi State 24–22.yepremian junior kicker comes through again keeping Florids hopes alive

LSU

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Louisiana State beat Florida 36–14. Wes Chandler had 146 yards receiving, including an 85-yard reception from Terry LeCount.[1]

Pittsburgh

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1 234Total
Pittsburgh 0 773 17
Florida 0 7010 17
  • Date: October 8
  • Location: Florida Field
Scoring summary
Q2FLABrewton recovered fumble in end zone (Yepremian kick)FLA 7–0
Q24:11PITTCavanaugh 3 yard run (Schubert kick)Tie 7–7
Q33:55PITTTaylor 34 yard pass from Heath (Schubert kick)PITT 14–7
Q4FLAHatch recovered blocked punt in end zone (Yepremian kick)Tie 14–14
Q45:56PITTSchubert 27 yard field goalPITT 17–14
Q41:28FLAYepremian 28 yard field goalTie 17–17

[16]

Florida and Pitt tied 17–17.

Tennessee

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1 234Total
Tennessee 0 3140 17
• Florida 7 10010 27
  • Date: October 22
  • Location: Florida Field
  • Game attendance: 62,711
Scoring summary
Q1FLAChandler 1 yard run (Yepremian kick)FLA 7–0
Q2TENNGaylor 45 yard field goalFLA 7–3
Q2FLAJohnson 10 yard run (Yepremian kick)FLA 14–3
Q2FLAYepremian 48 yard field goalFLA 17–3
Q3TENNHarper 18 yard pass from Streater (Gaylor kick)FLA 17–10
Q3TENNFinch 99 yard run (Gaylor kick)Tie 17–17
Q41:32FLAYepremian 28 yard field goalFLA 20–17
Q40:02FLAGreen 6 yard run (Yepremian kick)FLA 27–17

[17]

The Gators called a timeout in the final seconds of a 27–17 win over the Tennessee Volunteers. Tennessee coach Johnny Majors was furious, and the post-game handshake ritual became a shoving match between coaching staffs.[18]

Auburn

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The Auburn Tigers upset Florida 29–14.[19]

Georgia

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1 234Total
Georgia 7 1000 17
• Florida 0 1066 22
Scoring summary
1UGAWillie McClendon 2-yard run (Rex Robinson kick)UGA 7-0
2FLAWes Chandler 12-yard pass from Terry LeCount (Berj Yepremian kick)Tied 7-7
210:41UGAWillie McClendon 74-yard run (Rex Robinson kick)UGA 14-7
2FLABerj Yepremian 33-yard field goalUGA 14-10
20:11UGARex Robinson 29-yard field goalUGA 17-10
36:15FLAWes Chandler 18-yard run (run failed)UGA 17-16
46:32FLAWes Chandler 1-yard run (run failed)FLA 22-17

The Gators beat rival Georgia 22–17.[20]

Kentucky

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The seventh-ranked Kentucky Wildcats defeated Florida 14–7.

Utah

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1 234Total
Utah 3 1439 29
• Florida 7 3028 38
Scoring summary
Q113:46FLALeCount 74-yard run (Yepremian kick)FLA 7–0
Q1:33UTAHMcNamara 37-yard field goalFLA 7–3
Q29:30UTAHWilson 9-yard pass from Gomez (McNamara kick)UTAH 10–7
Q22:03UTAHGomez 9-yard run (McNamara kick)UTAH 17–7
Q2:00FLAYepremian 54-yard field goalUTAH 17–10
Q32:07UTAHMcNamara 26-yard field goalUTAH 20–10
Q413:47FLAWilder 11-yard run (Yepremian kick)UTAH 20–17
Q412:35UTMcNamara 27-yard field goalUTAH 23–17
Q49:48FLAChandler 31-yard run (Yepremian kick)FLA 24–23
Q44:07FLAGaffney 11-yard pass from Brantley (Yepremian kick)FLA 31–23
Q42:24UTAHParker 9-yard pass from Gomez (pass failed)FLA 31–29
Q41:43FLAChandler 34-yard run (Yepremian kick)FLA 38–29

The Gators ran over the Utah Utes for 531 yards and won 38–29.[21]

Miami (FL)

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1 234Total
• Florida 3 7714 31
Miami (FL) 0 707 14
Scoring summary
1FLAYepremian 50-yard field goalFLA 3-0
2MIAHobbs 11-yard run (Dennis kick)MIA 7-3
2FLAStephens 16-yard pass from LeCount (Yepremian kick)FLA 10-7
3FLAGreen 8-yard run (Yepremian kick)FLA 17-7
4FLADupree 64-yard blocked field goal return (Yepremian kick)FLA 24-7
4FLACarr 2-yard run (Yepremian kick)FLA 31-7
4MIAAlves 17-yard pass from Myers (Dennis kick)FLA 31-14

Florida defeated the Miami Hurricanes 31–14.[22]

Florida State

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1 234Total
• FSU 10 7713 37
Florida 3 600 9
  • Date: December 3
  • Location: Florida Field, Gainesville, Florida
  • Game attendance: 63,563
Scoring summary
1FSUUnglaub 38-yard pass from Woodham (? kick)FSU 7-0
1FSU? 5-yard field goalFSU 10-0
1FLAYepremian 15-yard field goalFSU 10-3
2FSUOverby 4-yard pass from JordanFSU 17-3
2FLAYepremian ? yard field goalFSU 17-6
2FLAYepremian ? yard field goalFSU 17-9
3FSUOverby 30-yard pass from JordanFSU 24-9
4FSU?FSU 31-9
4FSU?FSU 37-9

Bobby Bowden got his first win over the Gators, as Florida State beat Florida 37–9.[23]

Postseason

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Four Gators made All-SEC.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d 2016 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 110–111 (2015). Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  2. ^ Jim Smith (September 16, 1977). "John: Ready to go". Ocala Star-Banner – via Google News Archive Search.
  3. ^ "Wilder, LeCount direct Florida's rout of Rice". The El Paso Times. September 18, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Awakened LeCount rescues Gators". The Palm Beach Post-Times. September 25, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Gators bagged by LSU, 36–14". Tallahassee Democrat. October 2, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Florida ties fumbling Pitt, 17–17". The Pittsburgh Press. October 9, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Florida's "I" disposes of Tennessee". St. Petersburg Times. October 23, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Auburn tops Florida 29–14 in upset win". The Tennessean. October 30, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Chandler Ace, Gators win". The Tennessean. November 6, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "UK Wildcats 'purrr...fect' against UF". The Pensacola News-Journal. November 13, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Gutsy Utes scare Gators in 38–29 defeat". The Salt Lake Tribune. November 20, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Gators blow past Hurricanes 31–14". Fort Myers News-Press. November 27, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Seminole air attack swamps Gators". The Commercial Appeal. December 4, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Sports Publicity Department. "1978 University of Florida Press Guide" (PDF). floridagators.com. University Athletic Association, Inc. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  15. ^ "Gators Blitzkrieg Swamps Rice". Ocala Star-Banner. AP. September 18, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  16. ^ Ocala Star-Banner. 1977 Oct 9. Retrieved 2018-Nov-03.
  17. ^ Ocala Star-Banner. 1977 Oct 23. Retrieved 2018-Nov-03.
  18. ^ "The Weekly List: Florida-Tennessee Boils Blood Before and After Game".
  19. ^ "Auburn's Miamian gives boot to Florida (October 30, 1977)".
  20. ^ "What Furor? Gators Get It Together." Ocala Star-Banner. 1977 Nov 6.
  21. ^ Palm Beach Post. 1977 Nov 20.
  22. ^ Palm Beach Post. 1977 Nov 27.
  23. ^ Sentinel, Orlando. "1977 FSU team ended losing streak to Florida".
  24. ^ "Four Gators selected for all-SEC squad". Boca Raton News. November 29, 1977 – via Google News Archive Search.
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