September 28, 1996, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, Gainesville, Fla.
Attendance: 85,422
A ferocious Florida defense turns in a dominating performance and the special teams dazzles a crowd of 85,422 and a CBS regional television audience as the top-ranked Gators man-handle Kentucky 65-0 for the biggest SEC shutout win in school history.
The Gator defense holds Kentucky to just 67 yards in total offense, the lowest total ever by a UF SEC opponent and just a yard short of tying the school record of 66 set vs. Tulane in 1961. The Wildcats are held to three downs and a punt on their first seven possessions and move the yardsticks for their initial first down with 3:19 remaining in the first half. Overall, the Gator defense allows just five first downs on the day - again the lowest total by an SEC team vs. UF and just short of the school record of four set vs. Miami in 1974.
Kentucky is also shutout on third-down conversions (0-for-16) and is forced to punt 13 times. Sophomore Jacquez Green returns two punts for a touchdown to establish a UF record and tie SEC and NCAA records. Green's first return - a 66-yarder - is the first punt return for a touchdown by a UF player since Ricky Nattiel's 67-yarder vs. Mississippi State in 1984. Less than three minutes later on the game clock, Green tacks on a 79-yarder for a touchdown. Green becomes the fifth player in SEC history to have two punt returns for a TD in a game and the first
since 1974.
Green's efforts highlight 272 yards in punt returns for UF on the day, as the Gators establish a SEC and UF single-game record for most punt return yards in a game.
For the fourth straight time this year, Danny Wuerffel directs the Gator offense for a TD on its first drive of the game and the Gators score seven of the nine times they touch the ball in the first half. Wuerffel sets a school record with 121 consecutive passes without an interception before an errant second-quarter toss is picked off by UK's Kiyo Wilson. The senior QB finishes the day 21-of-31 for 279 yards and three TDs. His three TDs give him 85 for his career and moves him ahead of BYU's Jim McMahon into fourth place on the NCAA all-time list.
One of 12 UF receivers to catch a ball, Reidel Anthony is the featured receiver of the day with seven catches for 126 yards and two TDs.
Other Game Notes
- UF wins its 17th consecutive regular season games and is now 21-0-1 in regular-season games since mid-season of 1994.
- UF won for the 10th straight time vs. Kentucky and for the 16th time in the last 17 meetings between the two schools.
- UF won its 15th straight SEC game and it's 20th straight vs. SEC Eastern Division foes since the league began divisional play in 1992.
- UF is now 20-1 vs. SEC Eastern Divisional foes since divisional play began in 1992, including a current streak of 19 straight versus the East.
- Ike Hilliard catches a TD pass - the 23rd of his career to move into fourth place on the SEC and UF all-time chart.
- The Florida defense forces one turnover that leads to a field goal, giving the Gators 15 forced turnovers resulting in 66 points on the year.
- Matt Teague kicks off 11 times, with nine going into the endzone and eight for touchbacks.
UF: 9:56 - Richardson 19-yard pass from Johnson (Cooper PAT) - 7 plays, 61 yards, 3:09
Team Statistics
Florida Kentucky
First Downs 27 5
Rushes - Net Yards 29-146 35-24
Passing Comp.-Att.-Yds. 28-43-343 9-23-43
Total Offense 489 67
Penalties-Yards 7-82 7-65
Turnovers (Fumbles Lost/Interceptions) 0-2 0-1
Possession Time 27:37 32:23
Individual Statistics
Rushing (Attempts-Yards-Touchdowns)
Florida: T. Jackson 7-46-0; Taylor 6-45-1; Williams 4-29-1; McCaslin 8-15-0; Hilliard 1-13-0; Schottenheimer 1-2-0; Richardson 1-0-0; Wuerffel 1-(-4)-0.
