# 1980 Florida Gators football team

The 1980 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. The season was the Florida Gators football team's second season under new head coach Charles B. "Charley" Pell, and marked a remarkable one-year turnaround for the Gators from their 0–10–1 record in 1979. The winless 1979 season was the worst season in Gators history, and it was Pell's first campaign as the new head coach of the Gators, after the Gators' previous head coach, Doug Dickey, was fired in the aftermath of a 4–7 season in 1978. Pell's 1980 Florida Gators posted an 8–4 overall record and a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record of 4–2, tying for fourth place in the ten-team SEC. The Gators capped their season with a 35–20 bowl victory over the Maryland Terrapins in the Tangerine Bowl, marking the first time in the history of major college football that a winless team received a bowl bid the following season. Linebacker David Little set the career record for tackles by a Gator and was consensus All-American. Receivers Cris Collinsworth was first-team All-American. Ted Alston was the second receiver. The season features the famous "Run Lindsay Run" in the close loss to national champion Georgia.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 13 | vs. California* | | Tampa StadiumTampa, FL | | W 41–13 | 41,388 |
| September 20 | at Georgia Tech* | | Grant FieldAtlanta, GA | | W 45–12 | 35,165 |
| September 27 | Mississippi State | | Florida FieldGainesville, FL | | W 21–15 | 56,225 |
| October 4 | LSU | No. 19 | Florida FieldGainesville, FL (rivalry) | | L 7–24 | 59,299 |
| October 18 | at Ole Miss | | Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS | | W 15–3 | 36,012 |
| October 25 | Louisville* | | Florida FieldGainesville, FL | | W 13–0 | 62,687 |
| November 1 | Auburn | | Florida FieldGainesville, FL (rivalry) | | W 21–10 | 63,274 |
| November 8 | vs. No. 2 Georgia | No. 20 | Gator Bowl StadiumJacksonville, FL (rivalry) | ABC | L 21–26 | 68,528 |
| November 15 | at Kentucky | No. 20 | Commonwealth StadiumLexington, KY (rivalry) | | W 17–15 | 51,766 |
| November 29 | Miami (FL)* | No. 18 | Florida FieldGainesville, FL (rivalry) | ABC | L 7–31 | 56,437 |
| December 6 | at No. 3 Florida State* | No. 19 | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL (rivalry) | ABC | L 13–17 | 53,772 |
| December 20 | vs. Maryland* | | Orlando StadiumOrlando, FL (Tangerine Bowl) | MTN | W 35–20 | 52,541 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||||

## Game summaries
### California

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| California | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| • Florida | 13 | 0 | 21 | 7 | 41 |

### Vs. Georgia

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Georgia | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 26 |
| Florida | 3 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 21 |
at Gator Bowl • Jacksonville, Florida
* Date: November 8
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 68,528
* TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels and Frank Broyles
Game information :
Georgia
Buck Belue 7/16, 145 Yds, TD, 2 INT
Herschel Walker 37 Rush, 238 Yds, TD
Lindsay Scott 2 Rec, 114 Yds, TD
Florida
Wayne Peace 20/37, 286 Yds, TD, 2 INT
James Jones 22 Rush, 89 Yds, TD
Tyrone Young 10 Rec, 183 Yds :
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | UGA | FLA |
| 1 | 13:09 | | | | Georgia | Walker 72-yard touchdown run, Robinson kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 1 | 7:07 | | | | Florida | 40-yard field goal by Clark | 7 | 3 |
| 2 | 13:29 | | 77 | | Georgia | Stewart 13-yard touchdown reception from Belue, Robinson kick good | 14 | 3 |
| 2 | 7:10 | | | | Florida | Collinsworth 9-yard touchdown reception from Peace, Clark kick good | 14 | 10 |
| 3 | 9:38 | | | | Georgia | 24-yard field goal by Robinson | 17 | 10 |
| 3 | 3:58 | | | | Georgia | 20-yard field goal by Robinson | 20 | 10 |
| 4 | 14:14 | | 81 | | Florida | Jones 11-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good | 20 | 18 |
| 4 | 6:52 | 11 | | | Florida | 40-yard field goal by Clark | 20 | 21 |
| 4 | 1:03 | | | | Georgia | Scott 93-yard touchdown reception from Belue, 2-point pass incomplete | 26 | 21 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 26 | 21 |

### At Florida State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Florida | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Florida St | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida
* Date: December 6
* Game attendance: 53,772
* TV: ABC
* Recap/Box
Game information :
First quarter
FSU – Bill Capece 44-yard field goal, 8:28. Florida St 3–0.
FLA – Tyrone Young 53-yard pass from Wayne Peace (Brian Clark kick), 2:31. Florida 7–3. Drive: 88 yards.
Second quarter
FLA – Brian Clark 38-yard field goal, 9:55. Florida 10–3.
FLA – Brian Clark 36-yard field goal, 1:48. Florida 13–3.
Third quarter
FSU – Hardis Johnson 19-yard pass from Rick Stockstill (Bill Capece kick), 10:12. Florida 13–10.
Fourth quarter
FSU – Hardis Johnson 20-yard pass from Rick Stockstill (Bill Capece kick), 14:24. Florida St 17–13.
Top passers
FLA – Wayne Peace – 9/24, 160 yards, TD, 4 INT
FSU – Rick Stockstill – 11/18, 137 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
FLA –
FSU – Ricky Williams – 21 rushes, 75 yards
Top receivers
FLA –
FSU – Hardis Johnson – 7 receptions, 107 yards :