The 1952 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1952 college football season. The season was Bob Woodruff's third and most successful as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team. Woodruff's 1952 Florida Gators finished with an overall record of 8–3 and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 3–3, placing sixth among twelve SEC teams.[1]
| 1952 Florida Gators football | |
|---|---|
Gator Bowl, W 14–13 vs. Tulsa | |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Ranking | |
| AP | No. 15 |
| Record | 8–3 (3–3 SEC) |
| Head coach |
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| Home stadium | Florida Field |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Georgia Tech $ | 7 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Tennessee | 5 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Ole Miss | 4 | – | 0 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Alabama | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Florida | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi State | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 20 Kentucky | 1 | – | 3 | – | 2 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSU | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 1 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 0 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Before the season edit
After Sullivan's early departure for the Boston Red Sox left the Gators without a starting quarterback, Doug Dickey advanced from seventh on the Gators' depth chart to starter.[2] The Gators were led by fullback Rick Casares, halfback J. "Pappa" Hall, alternating quarterbacks Doug Dickey and Fred Robinson, and lineman Charlie LaPradd, the Gators' lightest tackle and one of their two captains.[3][note 1] Also in the backfield was Buford Long.
Schedule edit
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 20 | Stetson* | W 33–6 | 20,000 | [5] | ||
| September 27 | at Georgia Tech | L 14–17 | 30,939 | [6] | ||
| October 4 | vs. The Citadel* | W 33–0 | 21,000 | [7] | ||
| October 11 | Clemson* |
| W 54–13 | 25,000 | [8] | |
| October 18 | at Vanderbilt | L 13–20 | 20,000 | [9] | ||
| October 25 | vs. Georgia | No. 20 |
| W 30–0 | 37,000 | [10] |
| November 1 | Auburn | No. 17 |
| W 31–21 | 35,500 | [11] |
| November 15 | at No. 7 Tennessee | No. 18 | L 12–26 | 35,000 | [12] | |
| November 22 | Miami (FL)* |
| W 43–6 | 35,000 | [13] | |
| December 6 | No. 19 Kentucky | No. 17 |
| W 27–0 | 29,000 | [14] |
| January 1, 1953 | vs. No. 12 Tulsa* | No. 15 |
| W 14–13 | 30,015 | [15] |
| ||||||
Game summaries edit
Stetson edit
The season opened with a 33–6 defeat of the Stetson Hatters.
Georgia Tech edit
The national champion Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets beat Florida on a last-second field goal, 14–17.
Citadel edit
The Citadel lost to Florida 33–0.
Clemson edit
Florida blew out the Clemson Tigers 54–13.
Vanderbilt edit
On a cold Dudley Field, Florida lost to Vanderbilt 20–13.
Georgia edit
The Gators dominated rival Georgia 33–0 in Jacksonville, remaining the Gators' largest victory over the Bulldogs for almost forty years.[16] Casares ran for 108 yards, kicked a field goal, and made all the extra points.[17] Even National champion Georgia Tech needed a last-second field goal to defeat the Gators.
Auburn edit
The defeat of Georgia was followed by another conference victory, 31–21 over Auburn Tigers.
Tennessee edit
The Tennessee Volunteers defeated the Gators 12–26.
Miami edit
The Gators had another blowout of the in-state rival Miami Hurricanes 43–6.
Kentucky edit
Florida defeated the Kentucky Wildcats 27–0.
Postseason edit
The season ended with the Gators' first appearance in an NCAA-sanctioned bowl game, a closely matched 14–13 Gator Bowl victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on January 1, 1953, in which star fullback Rick Casares kicked the winning extra points for the margin of victory.[18]
LaPradd was All-American.[3]
Notes edit
References edit
- ^ a b 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ^ Norm Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, p. 61 (2007).
- ^ a b Associated Press, "LaPradd Is Thrilled By His Selection to All America", Daytona Beach Morning Journal, p. 7 (December 6, 1952). Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ^ McCarthy 2000, p. 44
- ^ "Gators open grid campaign with 33–6 win over Hatters as aerial attack clicks". Tampa Sunday Tribune. September 21, 1952. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Field goal in 4th gives Georgia Tech 17–14 win". Asheville Citizen-Times. September 28, 1952. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Gators rip Citadel, 33–0". The Bradenton Herald. October 5, 1952. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mistakes costly, Clemson is routed 54–13". The State. October 12, 1952. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Florida rallies but loses to Vanderbilt, 20 to 13". Panama City News-Herald. October 19, 1952. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Gators pulverize Georgia, 30–0". Orlando Sunday Sentinel-Star. October 26, 1952. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Gators smash Auburn 31 to 21 before 35,500". The Palm Beach Post-Times. November 2, 1952. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Vols defeat Gators 26–12". The Palm Beach Post. November 16, 1952. Retrieved March 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Florida trounces Miami in 43–6 runaway". Fort Myers News-Press. November 23, 1952. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Florida shames punchless Kentucky, 27–0". The Miami Herald. December 7, 1952. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Missed conversion nips Tulsa, 14–13". The Ponca City News. January 2, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ College Football Data Warehouse, Florida vs. Georgia Archived 2015-07-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
- ^ Golenbock, Go Gators!, p. 64
- ^ Noel Nash, ed., The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football, Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois, pp. 16–18 (1998).
Bibliography edit
- Golenbock, Peter (2002). Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory. St. Petersburg, Florida: Legends Publishing, LLC. ISBN 0-9650782-1-3.
- McCarthy, Kevin M (2000). Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-0559-6.