Florida's 'Archenemy' Provides a Painful Memory
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The Florida Gators didn't win their first SEC championship until Steve Spurrier was the head coach in 1991, but the program had a chance to contend for the conference crown about a decade earlier.
The 1980 Gators were 6-1 and ranked No. 20 before taking on its rival, No. 2 Georgia on Nov. 8. Florida, whose only previous loss came 24-7 to LSU on Oct. 4, had a chance to make a run for the SEC championship under head coach Charley Pell and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan.
The Gators played the Bulldogs extremely close, leading their SEC rival 21-20 with over a minute to play. But Georgia quarterback Buck Belue would find Lindsay Scott at the Georgia 25-yard-line, prompting Bulldogs radio announcer Larry Munson's famous call:
"Florida in a stand-up five, they may or may not blitz, they won't… Buck back, third down on the eight," Munson preached. "In trouble! Got a block behind him… Gonna throw on the run—complete on the 25. To the 30, Lindsay Scott 35, 40, Lindsay Scott 45, 50, 45, 40—Run, Lindsay!–25, 20, 15, 10, 5, Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott!"
26-21 was the final score, and Florida’s hopes for the SEC crown were dashed. Georgia would go on to win the national championship.
ESPN named Scott as the Gators’ archenemy. Georgia head coach Vince Dooley argued the play by Scott was the greatest in program history.
"In 2020, former Georgia coach Vince Dooley told The Athens Banner-Herald, 'I still believe that it is the greatest play in Georgia football history.' Winning a title at Florida's expense surely had something to do with that,’ wrote Andrea Adelson.
A win for Florida could have changed the program's trajectory. Instead, the Gators would go on to be blown out by Miami and lose 17-13 to Florida State to end the regular season.
Pell would nearly get the Gators back into the SEC championship in 1982, but a 10-9 loss to Georgia would kill their chance.
The Gators would go on to win their first SEC championship in 1984, but had to vacate the championship because of NCAA infractions made by the coaching staff.
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