1973 Florida Gators football team explained

Year:	1973
Team:	Florida Gators
Sport:	football
Conference:	Southeastern Conference
Short Conf:	SEC
Coachrank:	19
Record:	7–5
Conf Record:	3–4
Head Coach:	Doug Dickey
Hc Year:	4th
Off Coach:	Jimmy Dunn
Oc Year:	4th
Def Coach:	Doug Knotts
Dc Year:	4th
Captain:	David Hitchcock Vince Kendrick
Stadium:	Florida Field
Bowl:	Tangerine Bowl
Bowl Result:	L 7–16 vs. Miami (OH)

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

^{[1] [2]}

Game summaries

Kansas State

See main article: 1973 Kansas State Wildcats football team.

Southern Miss

See main article: Southern Miss Golden Eagles football.

Mississippi State

See main article: 1973 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team.

LSU

See main article: 1973 LSU Tigers football team and Florida–LSU football rivalry.

Alabama

See main article: 1973 Alabama Crimson Tide football team and Alabama–Florida football rivalry.

Ole Miss

See main article: 1973 Ole Miss Rebels football team.

Auburn

See main article: 1973 Auburn Tigers football team and Auburn–Florida football rivalry.

Don Gaffney made the start, becoming the first black quarterback in school history, and Florida won at Jordan–Hare Stadium for the first time.^[3]

Vs. Georgia

See also: Florida–Georgia football rivalry.

^[4]

Kentucky

See main article: 1973 Kentucky Wildcats football team.

At Miami (FL)

See also: Florida–Miami football rivalry.

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

See main article: 1973 Florida State Seminoles football team and Florida–Florida State football rivalry.

Tangerine Bowl

See main article: 1973 Miami Redskins football team and 1973 Tangerine Bowl.

Awards and honors

Ricky Browne

• 1st Team All-SEC (AP)

David Hitchock

• 2nd Team All-SEC (AP)

Burton Lawless

• 2nd Team All-SEC (AP)

Lee McGriff

• 2nd Team All-SEC (AP)

Ralph Ortega

• 1st Team All-SEC (AP, UPI)

Jim Revels

• 1st Team All-SEC (AP)

Jimmy Ray Stephens

• 2nd Team All-SEC (AP)

^[5]

Notes and References

1. 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 110–111 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015.
2. Web site: Sports Publicity Department. 1974 University of Florida Press Guide. floridagators.com. University Athletic Association, Inc.. March 15, 2018.
3. Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Nov 04. Retrieved 2018-Dec-24.
4. "Florida rallies." Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Nov 11. Retrieved 2018-Dec-24.
5. 2018 Florida Gators football media guide. Retrieved 2018-Dec-23.