1954 Florida Gators football team

The 1954 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1954 college football season. The season was the fifth for Bob Woodruff as the Florida Gators football team's head coach. The Gators' standout players included running back Mal Hammack. The season was one of mixed results for the Gators: their best-ever Southeastern Conference (SEC) win–loss record, balanced by five overall losses. The highlights of the season were five SEC wins over the fifth-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (13–12), Auburn Tigers (19–13), Kentucky Wildcats (21–7), Mississippi State Maroons (7–0) and Tennessee Volunteers (14–0). Woodruff's 1954 Florida Gators finished 5–5 overall and 5–2 in the SEC, placing third in the twelve-team conference[1]—their best SEC showing to date.

1954 Florida Gators football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record5–5 (5–2 SEC)
Head coach
Home stadiumFlorida Field
Seasons
← 1953
1955 →
1954 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Ole Miss $ 5 0 0 9 2 0
Georgia Tech 6 2 0 8 3 0
Florida 5 2 0 5 5 0
Kentucky 5 2 0 7 3 0
Georgia 3 2 1 6 3 1
No. 13 Auburn 3 3 0 8 3 0
Mississippi State 3 3 0 6 4 0
Alabama 3 3 2 4 5 2
LSU 2 5 0 5 6 0
Tulane 1 6 1 1 6 3
Vanderbilt 1 5 0 2 7 0
Tennessee 1 5 0 4 6 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 18at No. 16 Rice*L 14–3444,000[2]
September 25at No. 5 Georgia TechW 13–1230,000[3]
October 2AuburnNo. 20W 19–13[4]
October 9vs. Clemson*No. 14L 7–1428,000[5]
October 16Kentucky
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
W 21–732,000[6]
October 23at LSUNo. 18L 7–2025,000[7]
October 30Mississippi State 
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL
W 7–0[8]
November 6vs. Georgia
  • Gator Bowl Stadium
  • Jacksonville, FL (rivalry)
L 13–1439,000[9]
November 13at TennesseeW 14–020,000[10]
November 27No. 11 Miami (FL)*
  • Florida Field
  • Gainesville, FL (rivalry)
L 0–1438,000[11]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[1]

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "Rice buckles Gators in last half, 34–14". The Miami Herald. September 19, 1954. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Savage Gators stun might Tech 13–12". St. Petersburg Times. September 26, 1954. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Florida upsets Auburn in SEC game, 19–13". Tallahassee Democrat. October 3, 1954. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Clemson scores stunning upset 14–7 victory". The State. October 10, 1954. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Florida clips Kentucky in important game". Evansville Courier and Press. October 17, 1954. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "LSU's long passes sink Florida, 20–7". Fort Lauderdale News. October 24, 1954. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Florida edges past Maroons". The Charlotte Observer. October 31, 1954. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Bulldogs trip Florida, 14–13". The Birmingham News. November 7, 1954. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Florida wins on passes, 14–0". Tallahassee Democrat. November 14, 1954. Retrieved March 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "'Cane magic' fools Gators in finale 14–0". The Palm Beach Post-Times. November 28, 1954. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.