1996

The 1996 season started with two blowout wins over Southwestern Louisiana and Georgia Southern. What nobody saw coming was how UF would lay waste to the rest of their schedule. The first "challenge" came in Knoxville in week 3 against Tennessee. With only 5 minutes gone in the second quater, UF already led 35-0. The Gators stayed on cruise control the rest of the was as UT scored with 6 seconds left in the game to salvage what at least looked like on paper as a close game resulting in a 35-29 final. Anybody who was at or watched the game knew however that despite the score, the game was really never in doubt. The next 7 weeks saw the following scores: 65-0, 42-7, 56-13, 51-10, 47-7, 28-21, 52-25. The victims: Kentucky, Arkansas, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Vanderbilt, and South Carolina. In the last game of the regular season, #1 ranked UF faced #2 ranked FSU in Tallahassee. The Gators went down 24-21 with one touchdown called back and with a slew of late hits on UF quarterback Danny Wuerffel. The late hits didn't cost UF the game but it did light a fire in the Gators' belly that would not go away. FSU's worst nightmare came true when Texas defeated Nebraska in the Big XII Championship game. That along with UF's demolition of Alabama in the SEC Championship game set the stage for a re-match with FSU in the Sugar Bowl. On January 1, 1997 Ohio State defeated Arizona State in the Rose Bowl which was the final pre Sugar Bowl piece of the puzzle. The Rose Bowl result made the Sugar Bowl a winner take all game.  On January 2, 1997 The Gators plowed over, around, and through FSU beating the 'Noles senseless 52-20. The 32 point win was the largest margin of victory over a #1 ranked team in championship game history. The Gators finished 12-1, and were SEC Champions and National Champions winning the final poll voting in a landslide.