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

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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.

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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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Harper shines 131