1984 Florida Gators football team

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Vs. Miami (FL) The Florida Gators opened the 1984 season with a neutral site clash at Tampa Stadium against their in-state rival and defending national champion Miami Hurricanes. The game was nationally televised by ESPN as the second game of a double-header on the network's first day broadcasting live college football. Redshirt freshman Kerwin Bell unexpectedly became Florida's starting quarterback four days before the game when senior Dale Dorminey suffered a serious knee injury in practice. Supported by an effective rushing attack, Bell played well in his first collegiate appearance, and the game was close throughout. With his team down by six points late in the fourth quarter, Bell led the Gators on a long drive that culminated with a touchdown pass that gave them a 20-19 lead with under a minute remaining. However, Miami senior quarterback Bernie Kosar quickly led the Hurricanes down the field and threw a responding touchdown pass with six seconds left, putting Miami back ahead 26-20. The Gators lined up for one last play deep in their own territory with one second left. Bell threw a Hail Mary pass that was intercepted by Miami defensive back Tolbert Bain and returned for touchdown as time expired, giving Miami a 32–20 victory and covering the point spread, as the Hurricanes had been a 6.5 point favorite. At Tennessee • John L. Williams led the team in receiving and added 100 yards on the ground. • The game featured 1,060 total yards and 47 first downs. Vs. Georgia After suffering several defeats to the Bulldogs with a conference championship at stake, the Gators entered the rivalry game in Jacksonville undefeated in the SEC. The Gators dominated early, building a 17–0 lead by early in the second half. Georgia seemed to come alive in the third quarter, mounting a long time-consuming drive into Florida territory. However, they were stopped near Florida's goal line on a fourth down play, giving the Gators the ball inside their own one yard line. On the third play following the change of possession, Gator quarterback Kerwin Bell dropped back into his own end zone and lofted a long pass down the sideline to wide receiver Ricky Nattiel, who went 96 yards for a touchdown. Florida regained the momentum and went on to win 27–0, their largest margin of victory in the series at the time. Kentucky ==Postseason==

Despite winning the SEC title, the Gators were barred from going to the 1985 Sugar Bowl due to the violations committed under Pell; runner-up LSU went in their place. On May 30, 1985, the presidents of the ten SEC-member universities voted 6–4 to vacate the Gators' 1984 SEC title and declared the team ineligible for the SEC championship during the upcoming 1985 and 1986 seasons because of the rule violations committed under Pell. The retroactive vacating of the 1984 championship, six months after the 1984 football season ended, drew an angry response from University of Florida president Marshall Criser, as well as Gators coaches, players and fans due to the retroactive nature of the decision and its perceived unfairness. ==References==