On this date in Gators history: Sept. 1, 1984
Saturday, September 1, 2012 | Men's Tennis, Chris Harry
Bernie Kosar and defending national champion Miami avenged the lone loss of their 1983 title-winning season by scoring two touchdowns in the final seven secords to hand Florida a 32-20 defeat at soldout Tampa Stadium in a thrilling 1984 opener for both teams.
It was the first college game ever aired live by ESPN and also marked the UM debut for Coach Jimmy Johnson.
UF quarterback Kerwin Bell, too.
Bell, the redshirt freshman walk-on from tiny Mayo, Fla., tossed a 5-yard go-ahead touchdown to Frankie Neal with just 41 seconds remaining to give the Gators a 20-19 lead. But Kosar answered by marching the Hurricanes 76 yards on five plays in just 29 seconds, hitting Eddie Brown for the 20-yard game-winner and 26-20 lead with just :07 on the clock.
Bell's desperation pass on the game's final play was intercepted by Tolbert Bain and returned 59 yards for a touchdown.
"Words can't describe the feeling," said Kosar (pictured), the sophomore who was part of a Canes team that was thrashed 28-3 the year before in Gainesville then ran off 11 straight victories to capture the program's first national crown. "We never lost our confidence."
