Division Eastern Division AP No. 5 | Coaches No. 4 1993 record 11–2 (7–1 SEC) | |
Conference Southeastern Conference Head coach Steve Spurrier (4th year) | ||
The 1993 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season. The season was the fourth for Steve Spurrier as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. The Gators compiled a 10–2 overall record.
Contents
The Gators used coach Spurrier's pass-heavy "fun 'n gun" offense". Although the Gators fell short of their hopes for a national championship, the 1993 season marked the first time that they were ranked in the top ten of the Associated Press Poll during every week of the season, and they were ranked fifth in the final AP Poll, following their 41–7 Sugar Bowl victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Before the season
The players' and fans' preseason expectations for the Gators' fourth season under Spurrier were high, and some commentators began to speak openly about the possibility of the Gators making a run for the national title.
Schedule
Primary source: 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide.
SEC Championship Game: Alabama
The Gators finished the regular season with a conference record of 7–1, and in first place among the six teams of the SEC Eastern Division, thus earning a berth in the second SEC Championship Game in Birmingham, Alabama. The Gators were paired against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the championship game—a rematch of the 1992 SEC Championship Game.
The Gators defeated the Crimson Tide 28–13, winning their first SEC Championship Game and their second SEC football championship in three seasons.
Sugar Bowl: West Virginia
The Gators then defeated third-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers 41–7 in the Sugar Bowl, finishing fifth in the AP Poll. After a quick touchdown from Jake Kelchner to Jay Kearney to put West Virginia up 7–0 early, the Gators came right back and answered with a touchdown by Errict Rhett to tie the score at 7.
It seemed the half would end that way, but just before halftime, Gator defensive back Lawrence Wright picked off an errant pass from West Virginia QB Darren Studstill right on the midfield logo. He first made his way to his right side, but when he ran out of blocking help just inside the WVU 40, he turned around and backtracked, circling back to the 45 before finding some running room, and he sprinted into the end zone from there to cap a 51-yard interception return touchdown. That put Florida up 14–7, and crushed the Mountaineers' competitive spirit, as Florida's defense proceeded to force a quick three and out, which gave Terry Dean time to connect with Jack Jackson for a 39-yard touchdown to make it 21–7 at halftime.
From there, the Gators cruised in the second half. Errict Rhett ran in two more touchdowns and Judd Davis added two insurance field goals in the fourth quarter to make the final score a convincing 41–7.
Postseason
The 1993 team set a then-record for wins in a season. Halfback Errict Rhett, offensive tackle Reggie Green, and defensive tackle William Gaines were first-team All-SEC. Placekicker Judd Davis won the Lou Groza Award.