1976 Florida Gators football team

Schedule

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Personnel

• Doug Dickey
• Jimmy Dunn
• Doug Knotts

Season summary

LSU

Florida State

First quarter

• FLA – David Posey 27-yard field goal, 11:05. ''Florida 3–0. '''Drive: 77 yards.'''''

• FLA – Larry Brinson 15-yard run (David Posey kick), 5:50. ''Florida 10–0. '''Drive:''''' Second quarter

• FSU – Dave Cappelen 21-yard field goal, 13:41. ''Florida 10–3. '''Drive: 82 yards.'''''

• FLA – David Posey 54-yard field goal, 11:20. ''Florida 13–3. '''Drive:'''''

• FSU – Rudy Thomas 10-yard run (Dave Cappelen kick), 8:10. ''Florida 13–10. '''Drive: 70 yards.'''''

• FSU – Kurt Unglaub 26-yard pass from Jimmy Black (Dave Cappelen kick), 0:47. ''Florida St 17–13. '''Drive: 80 yards.'''''

• FLA – Wes Chandler 23-yard pass from Jimmy Fisher (David Posey kick), 0:10. ''Florida 20–17. '''Drive: 93 yards.''''' Third quarter

• FSU – Jimmy Black 2-yard run (kick blocked), 6:25. ''Florida St 23–20. '''Drive: 80 yards.'''''

• FLA – Willie Wilder 5-yard run (David Posey kick), 3:14. ''Florida 27–23. '''Drive: 69 yards.''''' Fourth quarter

• FLA - 2-yard run (kick failed), 7:44. ''Florida 33–23. '''Drive:'''''

• FSU – Dave Cappelen 27-yard field goal, 5:19. ''Florida 33–26. '''Drive:''''' ;Top passers

• FLA – Jimmy Fisher – 9/12, 139 yards, TD

• FSU – Jimmy Black – 14/17, 211 yards, TD, INT ;Top rushers

• FLA – Willie Wilder – 98 yards, TD

• FSU – Jeff Leggett – 15 rushes, 76 yards ;Top receivers

• FLA – Wes Chandler/Jimmy Stephens – 4 receptions

• FSU – Ed Beckman – 6 receptions, 113 yards

• David Posey school-record 54-yard FG

Tennessee

Q1 - TEN Gaylor 33 yard FG Q1 - TEN Morgan 11 yard run (Gaylor kick) Q2 - FLA Fisher 2 yard run (Posey kick) Q2 - FLA Wilder 7 yard run (Posey kick) Posey 42 yard field goal Posey 33 yard field goal Q4 - TEN Hough 1 yard run (Morgan run)

• Tony Green 18 Rush, 126 Yds
• FLA defense: 7 sacks

Auburn

Coach Doug Dickey's Gators and coach Doug Barfield's Tigers played a strong defensive game, with the Gators' winning margin coming on two pass plays—with some help from Auburn's mascot. The decisive score came late in the game when Gators quarterback Jimmy Fisher tossed a short pass to wide receiver Wes Chandler, who caught it, reversed direction twice, and weaved his way through the entire Auburn defense for a 64-yard touchdown reception and run. After Chandler ran out of the end zone, Auburn's mascot, the War Eagle, jumped off its perch and started clawing at Chandler's shoulder pads. Referees marked off the 15-yard penalty against the mascot on the ensuing kickoff. Florida won 24−19.

Georgia

The Gators were 6–1 and ranked No. 10 coming into the game, and again seeking to secure their first SEC football championship. The Gators held a 27–13 halftime advantage and seemed to have the game in hand until the Bulldogs scored early in the third quarter to cut the lead to 27–20. Then, faced with a fourth-and-one situation at the Gators' own 29-yard-line, coach Doug Dickey decided to go for the first down rather than punt. Gators running back Earl Carr was stopped short by Bulldogs safety Johnny Henderson. Led by quarterback Ray Goff's game management and running back Kevin McLee's 198-yard rushing performance, the Bulldogs seized the momentum and scored three touchdowns on their way to a come-from-behind 41–27 win. After the game, Dickey said: "We were not outplayed. We were outcoached. I made some dumb calls." Sports writers seized on Dickey's mea culpa, and in subsequent months and years popularized the phrase "fourth and dumb" to refer to Dickey's failed fourth down attempt and the game itself.

References

References

1. (September 12, 1976). "Florida staggered by North Carolina". The Miami Herald.
2. (September 19, 1976). "Florida eases past Houston by 49–14". The Odessa American.
3. (September 26, 1976). "Gators squeeze out first SEC win". The Palm Beach Post-Times.
4. (October 3, 1976). "Gators' clutch defense kills Tiger rally". The Knoxville News-Sentinel.
5. (October 17, 1976). "FSU's respect is at expense of Gator win". The Pensacola News-Journal.
6. (October 24, 1976). "UF rally nips Vols by 20–18". Tallahassee Democrat.
7. (October 31, 1976). "Gators get by Auburn; Chandler steals show". Fort Myers News-Press.
8. (November 7, 1976). "Georgia ruins Florida hopes". Sunday Journal & Star.
9. (November 14, 1976). "Wildcats choke Gators' hopes for SEC title". The Miami Herald.
10. (November 21, 1976). "Gators regain scoring punch". Panama City News-Herald.
11. (November 28, 1976). "Kanter's defensive play lifts Florida past Miami". The Bradenton Herald.
12. (January 3, 1977). "Ags finally finish slate as winners". Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
13. ''[http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2015/media_guide.pdf 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide] {{webarchive. link. (2015-12-08 '', University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 110–111 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015.)
14. "1977 University of Florida Press Guide". University Athletic Association, Inc..
15. Ocala Star-Banner. 1976 Oct 24. Retrieved 2018-Oct-28.
16. Jack Hairston, "Gators' big-play offense kills Tigers," ''The Gainesville Sun'' (October 31, 1976).
17. Golenbock, ''Go Gators!'', p. 391.
18. Joe Biddle, "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rIAeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a8oEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1486,262159&dq=auburn+florida+mascot&hl=en College Football]," ''Daytona Beach Morning Journal'', pp. 5B & 6B (November 2, 1976). Retrieved August 17, 2011.
19. Jim Smith, "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_49PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AAYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5348,1508296&dq=fourth+and+dumb&hl=en Goff, Bulldogs Bushwhack Gators]", ''Ocala Star-Banner'', pp. 1-C & 3-C (November 7, 2011). Retrieved August 23, 2011.
20. ''See, e.g.'', Pat Dooley, "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=20FWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=euoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4463,7913676&dq=dickey+fourth-and-dumb&hl=en GA's 10 Biggest Wins]", ''The Gainesville Sun'', Florida vs. Georgia (special insert), pp. 10 & 12 (October 28, 1994). Retrieved August 23, 2011.