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Game 11: Florida

November 22
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Gainesville, FL

General Information

Location: Gainesville, FL
Stadium: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium/Florida Field (83,000)
Surface: Natural Grass
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1853
Colors: Orange & Blue
Nickname: Gators
Conference: Southeastern
Offensive System: Pro-Set, Multiple
Defensive System: 4-3
1996 Record: 12-1
1996 Conference Record/Finish: 9-0/1st
1996 National Ranking: 1st AP; 1st USA Today/CNN
1996 Bowl Appearance: Sugar Bowl
President: Dr. John Lombardi
Athletic Director: Jeremy Foley
Sports Publicist: John Humenik
Assistant Publicist: Jeff Kamis
SID Mailing Address: P.O. Box 14485, Gainesville, FL 32604-2485

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Steve Spurrier (Florida '67)
Record at UF: 73-14-1 (8 years)
Overall Record: 93-27-2 (11 years)
Assistant Coaches: Dwayne Dixon (Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers); Carl Franks (Assistant Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs); Lawson Holland (Tight Ends); Jimmy Ray Stephens (Offensive Line); Rod Broadway (Defensive Tackles); Jim Collins (Middle & Weakside Linebackers); Bob Sanders (Assistant Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs); Bob Stoops (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator & Secondary); Barry Wilson (Special Teams Coordinator & Strongside Linebackers)

Player Information

Lettermen Returning: (O) 22, (D) 27
Lettermen Lost: (O) 12, (D) 7
Starters Returning: (O) 4, (D) 7
Starters Lost: (O) 7, (D) 4
Specialists Returning/Lost: 1/1
Offensive Starters Returning: Fred Taylor (TB); Ryan Kalic (OG); Zach Piller (OT); Mo Collins (OT)
Defensive Starters Returning: Tim Beauchamp (DE); Willie Cohens (DE); Ed Chester (DT); Reggie McGrew (DT); Johnny Rutledge (LB); Jevon Kearse (LB) Mike Peterson (LB); Fred Weary (CB)
Returning Specialists: Robby Stevenson (P)
All-Star Candidates: Ed Chester (DT); Reggie McGrew (DT); Johnny Rutledge (LB); Fred Weary (CB); Fred Taylor (TB); Jacquez Green (WR)

Game Notes

Florida leads the all-time series 25-14-2, but the Seminoles have posted a 8-3-1 mark in the last 10 years...the two teams have met five times in the last three seasons, including two games in the Sugar Bowl...Bobby Bowden owns a 12-10-1 record versus the Gators, while Steve Spurrier holds a 3-5-1 mark against the Seminoles...Florida State is the only Florida school to play both its instate rivals...FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews spent two seasons on the Florida staff...the game will be broadcast on ABC for the eighth consecutive meeting...the Seminoles' historic "Comeback" versus the Gators in 1994 set the NCAA 4th quarter comeback record as FSU tied UF 31-31 after trailing 31-3 with 13 minutes left...FSU and Florida have both been ranked in the Top 10 in each of the last nine meetings...the Seminoles defeated Florida, 24-21, in Tallahassee for a perfect 11-0 regular season last year.

Gator Schedule & Results

1997 Schedule

August      30  SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
September    6  CENTRAL MICHIGAN
September   20  TENNESSEE
September   27  at Kentucky
October      4  ARKANSAS
October     11  at LSU
October     18  at Auburn 
November     1  vs. Georgia
November     8  VANDERBILT
November    15  at South Carolina
November    22  FLORIDA STATE

1996 Results (12-1)

                               UF-OPP
SW LOUISIANA                    55-21
GEORGIA SOUTHERN                62-14
at Tennessee                    35-29
Kentucky                         65-0
at Arkansas                      42-7
LSU                             56-13
AUBURN                          51-10
vs. GEORGIA (Jacksonville)       47-7
at Vanderbilt                   28-21
SOUTH CAROLINA                  52-25
at Florida State                21-24
vs. Alabama (SEC Championship)  45-30
Florida State (Sugar Bowl)      52-20

All-Time Series

(W-14, L-25, T-2)

Year    Site           Score
1958    Gainesville     7-21
1959    Gainesville     8-18
1960    Gainesville      0-3
1961    Gainesville      3-3
1962    Gainesville     7-20
1963    Gainesville      0-7
1964    Tallahassee     16-7
1965    Gainesville    17-30
1966    Tallahassee    19-22
1967    Gainesville    21-16
1968    Tallahassee      3-9
1969    Gainesville     6-21
1970    Tallahassee    27-38
1971    Gainesville    15-17
1972    Tallahassee    13-42
1973    Gainesville     0-49
1974    Tallahassee    14-24
1975    Gainesville     8-34
1976    Tallahassee    26-33
1977    Gainesville     37-9
1978    Tallahassee    38-21
1979    Gainesville    27-16
1980    Tallahassee    17-13
1981    Gainesville     3-35
1982    Tallahassee    10-13
1983    Gainesville    14-53
1984    Tallahassee    17-27
1985    Gainesville    14-38
1986    Tallahassee    13-17
1987    Gainesville    28-14
1988    Tallahassee    52-17
1989    Gainesville    24-17
1990    Tallahassee    45-30
1991    Gainesville     9-14
1992    Tallahassee    45-24
1993    Gainesville    33-21
1994    Tallahassee    31-31
1995    New Orleans    23-17
1995    Gainesville    24-35
1996    Tallahassee    24-21
1997    New Orleans    20-52