University of Florida - Tower / Seminole Yearbook (Gainesville, FL)

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this 1964 Gator team possessed. Certainly this was a team which its ups and downs during the course of the regular season play. This was the first Gator team to win its first four games since 1930. Included among those victories was a dramatic last second conquest over Mississippi State and a big upset victory over an Ole Miss team ranked consistently in the top three before the commenced. Other highlights included the game played against undefeated Alabama during which the Gators were narrowly defeated by the team which won the national championship at the close of the season, sporting a perfect 10-0 record. The depths of the schedule were reached with consecutive defeats at the hands of big rivals Georgia and Florida State, which stopped four and seven-year winning streaks, respectively, against the big powers. as was stated before, this was a youthful Gator team, and Florida followers will have a lot to look forward to in future years. For instance, only one player from the starting offensive team, Captain Larry Dupree, will graduate, and in, ready to take his place at fullback are John Feiber and Graham McKeel. The defensive unit will lose four of its top interior linemen, but the great defensive backfield will return almost entirely intact. Another pleasing fact is that the entire end corps of seven lettermen will return to action again next season. Yes, once again next year, Florida fans should be able to look forward to another winning season in the annals of Florida football. 129

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Before the 1964 football season began, a poll was taken of Southeastern Conference sportswriters, publicity men, and radio announcers, to determine which of the league ' s eleven teams faced the toughest schedule in the upcoming campaign. It was almost the unanimous decision of these experts that the Florida Gators would face the roughest list of opponents of any of the conference squads. Found on the Gator list of opponents included national powers Alabama, L.S.U., Auburn, and Mississippi State, which had all played in bowl games the previous season. Along with rival Georgia, they were the six top ranking teams in pre-season S.E.C. polls. Add to the schedule arch-rivals Florida State and Miami, another bowl team, S.M.U., one possible breather in South Carolina and the reason for the poll ' s results can be easily seen. youthful Gator team preparing to face the upcoming battles. Certainly a great challenge faced the How well the Gators met that challenge cannot be merely recognized simply by the fact that the team produced a winning season, the fourth in five years under the tutelage of Ray Graves. Nor, can it alone be measured by the 151 points the team produced in one of its finest offensive showings in recent years. The fact that, for a good part of the season, the Gators ranked Number 1 nationally in pass defense may also contribute to the answer. But more than anything else, the challenge to the Saturday-after-Saturday grueling schedule was met by hard work, teamwork, desire and unity, all qualities 128

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gators -win opener GAINESVILLE, Sept. 19 — The Fighting Gators, facing the roughest schedule in Southeastern Conference play this season, began the year on a highly successful note by defeating well- regarded Southern Methodist University 24-8 in the season opener for both teams. Right from the opening kickoff the Gator power was shown to the partisan crowd as Florida drove 55 yards to the S.M.U. 15-yard line before relinquishing the ball. The Gators managed to put seven points on the scoreboard on their fourth offensive series which ran well into the first quarter. From his own 37-yard line quarterback Steve Spurrier fired a short pass to Harper who sailed down the sideline for a 56 yard pick-up before being knocked out of bounds on the Mustang seven. Sophomore halfback Marquis then swung wide around right end, behind a wall of blockers, to cross the goal line and give the Gators their first touchdown of the 1964 campaign. With 14 seconds left to go in the first period, Jimmy Hall added the first of three straight extra point placements and the Gators took a 7-0 lead. On the next play from scrimmage, reserve quarterback Donnie Oefinger went wide around left end to pick up nine yards and give the Mustangs a six pointer. Oefinger ran for the two point conversion and the Mustangs jumped out in front, 8-7. S.M.U. gave the Gators excellent field placement via a poor punt late in the second quarter. After three plays failed to net big yardage, junior Jimmy Hall came off the bench to send a 32-yard field goal placement right through the uprights and the Gators took a 10-8 lead into the dressing room at halftime. Harper ' s electrifying 80-yard dash through the middle of the Mustang ' s defense upped the Gator lead to 17-8 midway through the third period. Spurrier fired a 10-yard pass to back Alan Poe to move the ball inside of the Mustang 10-yard line, and after a penalty against the Gators, Spurrier sent a nine-yard scoring pass to waiting end Charles Casey, the lonesome end.