American college football season
The 1972 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1972 NCAA University Division football season . The season was the third for Doug Dickey as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Dickey's 1972 Florida Gators finished with a 5–5–1 overall record and a 3–3–1 Southeastern Conference (SEC) record, tying for sixth among ten SEC teams.[ 1]
Date Opponent Site TV Result Attendance Source September 23 vs. SMU * L 14–2142,489 [ 2] September 30 Mississippi State W 28–1342,712 [ 3] October 7 at No. 13 Florida State * W 42–1342,758 [ 4] October 14 at No. 3 Alabama L 7–2457,631 [ 5] October 21 at Ole Miss W 16–035,200 [ 6] November 4 No. 11 Auburn Florida Field Gainesville, FL (rivalry ) L 20–2657,551 [ 7] November 11 vs. Georgia ABC L 7–1066,252 [ 8] November 18 Kentucky Florida Field Gainesville, FL (rivalry ) W 40–047,639 [ 9] November 25 No. 8 LSU Florida Field Gainesville, FL (rivalry ) T 3–346,391 [ 10] December 2 Miami (FL) * Florida Field Gainesville, FL (rivalry ) W 17–646,432 [ 11] December 9 vs. No. 16 North Carolina * Gator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, FL L 24–2833,103 [ 12] *Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
[ 1] [ 13]
1 2 3 4 Total SMU 7 0 7 7 21 Florida 0 0 0 14 14
1 2 3 4 Total Mississippi St 7 0 6 0 13 Florida 7 0 14 7 28
1 2 3 4 Total Florida 0 14 21 7 42 Florida St 0 7 0 6 13
1 2 3 4 Total Florida 7 0 0 0 7 Alabama 7 3 7 7 24
1 2 3 4 Total Florida 9 0 0 7 16 Ole Miss 0 0 0 0 0
1 2 3 4 Total Auburn 16 10 0 0 26 Florida 0 7 6 7 20
1 2 3 4 Total Georgia 0 0 0 10 10 Florida 0 7 0 0 7
Passing: Bowden 7/14, 144 Yds, Rushing: Moore 17/64, Receiving: Jackson 3/71 [ 14]
1 2 3 4 Total Kentucky 0 0 0 0 0 Florida 7 12 7 14 40
1 2 3 4 Total LSU 0 0 3 0 3 Florida 0 0 0 3 3
A massive rainstorm inundated Florida Field during the game, allowing a 4–4 Florida team to hang close enough with No. 8 LSU to tie the game at 3 with 2:08 left. LSU missed seven field goals during the deluge. The front page of the Youngstown Vindicator reported the next day that during the pre-game invocation, Catholic priest Michael Gannon prayed, "And if it be Thy will, we'd like You to stop the rain." It immediately started raining harder and continued heavily throughout the game
1 2 3 4 Total Miami (FL) 0 0 0 6 6 Florida 0 3 0 14 17
1 2 3 4 Total North Carolina 7 7 0 14 28 Florida 0 9 8 7 24
^ a b 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 110–111 (2015). Retrieved August 14, 2015. ^ "Mustangs stop Florida, 21–14" . The Marshall News Messenger . September 24, 1972. Retrieved October 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ " 'Moore" speed gives Florida 28–13 win over Miss. State" . The Courier-Journal . October 1, 1972. Retrieved October 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Seminoles are upset by Gators" . The Sacramento Bee . October 8, 1972. Retrieved October 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Aroused Bama rolls, 24–7" . Pensacola News Journal . October 15, 1972. Retrieved October 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Stingy Gators blank Rebels" . The Tampa Tribune . October 23, 1972. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Auburn escapes upset threat by Moore-led Gators, 26–20" . The Miami Herald . November 5, 1972. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Georgia rallies, nips Gators 10–7" . Panama City News-Herald . November 12, 1972. Retrieved October 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Explosive Florida 'Moore' than Wildcats can handle" . The Knoxville News-Sentinel . November 19, 1972. Retrieved October 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Gators save tie in stormy finish" . The Knoxville News-Sentinel . November 26, 1972. Retrieved October 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Gators 'stand tall' in 17–6 victory" . The Palm Beach Post-Times . December 3, 1972. Retrieved October 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "3 TDs by Johnson power N. Carolina" . The Courier-Journal . December 10, 1972. Retrieved October 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com . ^ Sports Publicity Department. "1973 University of Florida Football Brochure" (PDF) . floridagators.com . University Athletic Association, Inc. Retrieved March 15, 2018 . ^ 1973 Florida football media guide . Retrieved 2019-Jan-17.
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