Gator Talk - Raising the Curtain
Sunday, September 6, 2009 | Football
By Norm Carlson, Assistant Athletics Director/Gator Historian
Season-opening football games in Gainesville over the past 102 years have been kind to the Gators.
In that period of time, the Gators are 60-6 (.909) against a wide range of opponents, ranging from the Gainesville Guards in 1910 to preseason nationally-ranked powers like Houston (1969) and Miami's eventual National Championship team in 1983.
One fact is obvious. The love for football in Gainesville has existed from that first contest in 1906 against Rollins at the “city ballpark” to tonight's clash with Charleston Southern.
Florida (they weren't called the Gators back then) wore blue and gold uniforms and beat Rollins, 6-0, in front of a capacity crowd of “over 150” fans. The tickets cost 50 cents apiece and since there were less the 100 students enrolled that initial year of the University of Florida/Gainesville you might assume that all of the students showed up and some of them brought dates.
The Gators favorite whipping boy in the early days was Florida Southern. In six openers between 1913 and 1930, Florida outscored Florida Southern, 311-14, an average of roughly 52-2.
The best opening-day contests at Florida Field:
Sept. 17, 1955 vs. Mississippi State: The Gators came from behind in the second half to win, 20-14, on a pair of Jackie Simpson touchdowns. The first came on a 46-yard run, followed a few minutes later by a record-setting 100-yard return of an intercepted pass.
Sept. 23, 1961 vs. Clemson: Florida overcame a Tiger lead behind halfback Lindy Infante, who scored all three Gator touchdowns for a 21-17 victory. Infante ran for two TDs and caught 17-yard pass from Larry Libertore for the other one.
Sept. 19, 1964 vs. SMU: The long awaited debut of Steve Spurrier at quarterback came after starting quarterback Tom Shannon led the Gators to a 10-8 halftime lead. Spurrier entered the contest and tossed a 56-yard pass to Jack Harper on his first attempt, setting up a short plunge for the TD. Spurrier later threw his first scoring pass as a Gator, a 10-yarder to Charlie Casey. Florida went on to win, 24-8.
Sept. 20, 1969 vs. Houston: It was probably the finest opening day in Florida Field history. From the 70-yard John Reaves to Carlos Alvarez TD pass on the third Gator play from scrimmage to a 38-6 halftime margin and an eventual 59-34 blowout it was compelling theatre for all Gators. Reaves tossed five TD passes that afternoon.
Sept. 4, 1982 vs. Miami: One of the finest displays of football by both teams in the rivalry. Who can forget how it ended with James Jones' one-handed touchdown reception of a pass from Wayne Peace in the closing minutes of a 17-14 thriller over the 15th-ranked 'Canes. Jones' remarkable grab is still called “The Catch.”
Sept. 3, 1983 vs. Miami: Wayne Peace easily won the battle of the quarterbacks over Bernie Kosar and Florida rolled to a dominant 28-3 win over a Miami team that went on to capture the National Championship that season.
Sept. 8, 1990 vs. Oklahoma State: The start of the Steve Spurrier Era. Operating from a no-huddle offense to start the game, the Gators moved 70 yards in six plays for the opening score, ran up 567 yards of total offense on the day and routed the Cowboys, 50-7, in front of a then-record crowd of 75,428 fans.
That victory started a winning streak that has reached 19 opening games at the stadium, now named Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field. “The Swamp” is a tough place for an opponent to visit anytime, but especially in the heat of early September.
-UF-
