Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 20

4C FLORIDA TODAY, Sunday. November 17, 1985 FLORIDA 15, KENTUCKY 13 xylites i A IZZ ft I Hi! NT Albert back after Bulldog mugging By Nick MoscheUa FLORIDA TODAY GAINESVILLE Albert the Alligator was a hurtin Gator after last week's loss to Georgia. Seems Albert was pushed around by some Bulldog fans and he did not escape the post-game attack unscathed, suffering whiplash, a sprained ankle and three cuts. But this is one tough Gator. "I was ready to go today," Albert said proudly as the clock ticked down at Florida Field.

Francis FG-try blocked by 'Cats Gator freshman kicker John Francis, who I 1 xr- handles kickoffs, attempted his first collegiate field goal, a 60-yarder, on the last play of the first half. It wasn a memorable experience. Russell Hairston blocked the kick and Francis grabbed the rebound and was swarmed by Wildcats. Good thing Francis has a sense of humor. "I hit it good, but (Hairston) hit it even 4R It FLORIDA TODAY UPI Wildcats missed chances Interception could have beaten Gators By Nick Moschella FLORIDA TODAY GAINESVILLE Follow the bouncing ball It's off the hands of Maurice Douglass, now David Johnson has it.

Or does he? Examine the entangled Wildcats Douglass is sure Johnson has the ball. Johnson hopes Douglass has it. Unfortunately for Kentucky, neither Wildcat defender caught Neal Anderson's errant, third-down pass from the their own 3-yard line. And how fortunate that was for Anderson's Florida Gators, who survived a scrappy bunch of 'Cats and their own strange, dangerous play in the final seconds Saturday to beat Kentucky, 15-13, at Florida Field. Indeed, Jeff Dawson followed the Gators' nerve-rattling, frazzled-dazzler with a 19-yard, game-winning field goal with only 20 seconds left.

How boring. For the preceding play was straight from the sandlot leagues, a call that tested the cardiovascular systems of thousands of Florida fans and nearly handed the Gators their second straight defeat. Trailing 13-12, Florida put together a gutsy, 82-yard drive that left it sitting pretty- with a first-and-goal at Kentucky's three. Two runs totaled a fat zero. Then, on third down, quarterback Kerwin Bell pitched to Anderson, who appeared headed around left end.

Suddenly, the tailback stopped and threw back to Bell, who had swung out of the backfield toward the right corner of the end zone. "It shocked the hell out of me," said Johnson, a defensive back. But it didn't fool him. Or Douglass, another defensive back who, like Johnson, noticed Bell sneaking into the end zone. "I saw Bell coming out of the backfield and I knew what they were doing," Johnson said.

"I knew he was going out for a pass because usually after he hands off, he'll just stand there." Bell was open for a nice rainbow into the comer. But Anderson was way off-target, lofting an underthrown ball behind Bell and toward Johnson and Douglass, who collided and better," he said. Bell ties Peace for career TDs UP IN ARMS OVER VICTORY: Gator kicker Jeff Dawson seconds remaining to lift the Gators over Kentucky on raises his arms in jubilation after kicking a field goal with 20 Saturday at Florida Field. Kerwin Bell's third-quarter, 45-yard scor ing pass to Frankie Neal was the Gator 'Lucky' Gators skin Wildcats sophomore quarterback's 34th career touch down pass. Bell now is tied for third on Florida's all-time list for career touchdown passes with Wayne Peace and he has tied with By Mike BianchJ FLORIDA TODAY Peace at seventh on the SEC's career touch down passing list.

GAINESVILLE Galen Neal, a junior wide receiver, had a superb i game, pulling in six passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. It was Neal who caught the game-winning touchdown from Bell last year at Kentucky, clinching the Gators' first SEC Hall, a red-faced Galen Hall, began his post-game press conference a little differently following the Gators' 15-13 Southeastern Conference victory against Kentucky on Saturday at football title. Neal has a knack for finding the end zone. Of his 36 career receptions, nine riorida field. Traditionally upbeat after a have gone for touchdowns.

Anderson gains 134 yards victory, Hall said the Gators 4 1 were just plain lucky" to earn a victory on Saturday. Neal Anderson has Kentucky's number. Jeff Dawson kicked a 19- Dating back to his freshman season, when he yard field goal with 20 seconds ran over the Wildcats for 197 yards in his first left to provide the Gators mar start, the senior tailback has gained 443 yards re- I on 99 carries against Kentucky, with four gin of victory and secure them at least a share of the unofficial SEC title with a 5-1 league mark. touchdowns. Those totals include Saturday's 134 yards on 31 carries.

Anderson ranks eighth on the "I've always said I'd rather SEC career rushing list with 3,139 yards. be lucky than good," Hall said. Florida is now 26-1-2 at Florida Field since ioday, we were just plain the beginning of the 1981 season. The Gators lucky." That's because Kentucky (5- 5) almost pulled of an upset. are unbeaten at home in 19 straight games.

Hunter stars in homecoming As a large portion of the 73,672 Florida Field fans chanted what this team has accomplished in the last two years," Hall said after the Gators extended their unbeaten mark at Florida Field to 19 games. "Through all the adversity and difficulties, this group has held their heads up and played their hearts out. To run up the kind of record they have in the conference over the last two years (10-1-1) is just unbelievable." Like last year, when Florida held on for a 25-17 victory against the Wildcats to secure the SEC title, Kentucky again made the Gators sweat. Florida outgained Kentucky in yardage (420-240) and first downs (22-13), but the Wildcats were in perfect position until Florida's final drive. Playing most of the second half without starting quarterback Bill Ransdell, who injured his knee, the Wildcats relied on sophomore Kevin Doo-ley to come up with two second half touchdowns.

Both scores came on runs from freshman tailback Ivy Joe Hunter, who played many of his prep games five miles away at Buchholz High. Hunter's second score, a 4-yard dash with 11:39 left in the game, put Kentucky up 13-12 and was set up when linebacker Jeff Kremer tipped a Kerwin Bell pass into Douglass' hands. Douglass returned the interception 44 yards to Florida's 18. Hunter's first touchdown, on a 7-yard run with 9:02 left in the third period, gave Kentucky a 7-6 lead. He also helped set up the score by taking a screen pass from Ransdell and running 25 yards.

However, a little more than a minute later, Neal, who had six catches for 110 yards, sprinted down the right side line and hauled in a 45-yard touchdown pass from Bell to give Florida a 12-6 lead. "I almost lost the ball in the sun but I picked it up at the last minute," said Neal, a sophomore. "That was the biggest catch of my career and it came on the biggest day of my 'S S-E-C," the Gators, Kentucky redshirt freshman running back Ivy Joe Hunter, a product of Gainesville's FLORIDA TODAY AP BREAKING AWAY: Florida's Neal Anderson escapes a tackle attempt by Kentucky's Don Yarano in the first quarter of Florida's 15-1 3 victory. Buchholz High, had a fine homecoming, rush fighting off the demoralizing effects of last week's 24-3 loss to Georgia, found themselves in ing for 20 yards on seven carries and touch down runs of 7 and 4 yards and catching four perfect field goal position with a third-and-goal from Kentucky's 2-yard line. passes for 51 yards.

Williams plays despite injury But Hall gambled and called "54-throwback" a play in which tailback Neal Anderson, whose two previous passes this year have both gone for long Gator senior fullback John L. Williams played in plenty of pain he suffered a hip pointer in the first half but returned to the game and finished with 41 yards on 11 carries. "I was in quite a bit of pain in the second touchdowns, takes a pitch and throws back to quarterback Kerwin Bell. half," he said. "But I always was taught that you play with pain." Ideally, Bell is wide open as 11 big Wildcats try to stuff An DODDiea tne pass between them before falling to the turf alongside the object of their desire.

"Maurice was in front of me going full speed for the quarterback," Johnson said. "The ball was thrown behind us and he got his hand on it. Then I reached back and got a hand on It. At least I think I did." The last thing Douglass saw before hitting the ground was the ball going into his teammate's hands. "I know we both had a shot at it," he said.

"But when I landed on my back I saw it in David's arms." Along Kentucky's sideline, the Wildcats were praying someone in white would pop up with the pass. "All we had to do was catch the ball and the game is over," said a dejected Kentucky coach Jerry Claiborne. "We almost made the big play," Douglass said. "We had our chance." derson, who finished with 139 yards on 31 carries. However, on at the interception, bobbled the ball.

Bell, doing his best Jack Tatum impersonation, dove into the pile and made sure the pass was ruled incomplete not intercepted. "I tried to change the play at the last minute," Hall said, "but I couldn't get Kerwin's attention. I just feel very fortunate right now. We should have just run the ball into the line and let Dawson come in and win it." Luckily for Hall, the chance still came. Bell hit clutch passes to Ray McDonald and Frankie Neal in Florida's final 85-yard, 15-play progression.

Then Dawson, who kicked first half field goals of 34 and 22 yards to give Florida a 6-0 halftime lead, made it 3-for-3 with his game-winner. "You wouldn't believe how much better I feel this week over last week," said Dawson, who missed two field goals against Georgia. "This is like a dream come true for me. This is the first time, I've had a chance to win a game at the end, and I'm glad I was able to come through. It's something every field goal kicker lives for." "On the last drive we couldn't stop them," said Kentucky coach Jerry Claiborne.

"We lost to a very good football team. They have the best talent in the conference." Since Tennessee (3-1 in the SEC with two conference games remaining) is the only team with a chance of tying Florida in the standings, the victory assured the Gators of having the best league mark for the second straight year. Last year, Florida won its first SEC title, but later had the title stripped because of NCAA violations. "I am extremely proud of this occasion, Bell was covered well by two Wildcats and Anderson was forced to hurry his throw into the end zone. HOW THEY SCORED FIRST QUARTER As Anderson's mallard FLORIDA Dawson 34-yard FG.

40-yard drive, 1 1 plays, 5 05. Key plays Bell completions to Neal floated over Bell's head and into the arms of Maurice Douglass, ot 1 7 and 9 yards. Florida 3, Kentucky 0. SECOND QUARTER Dawson said his "heart nearly fell out. I thought we had lost the game." FLORIDA Dawson 22-yard FG.

80-yard drive. 15 plays, 5:39. Key play Wiechmann 26 pass from Bell on third-and-15 to Kentucky 15. Florida 6, But Douglass and David Johnson, both who had a chance Kentucky THIRD QUARTER KENTUCKY Hunter 7-yard run (Worlev kick). 44-yard drive, 5 plays, 1:24.

Key plays Hunter 25- yard pass from Ransdell to Florida 19: Florida Hall secure in head coaching job with UF penalized for holding on third-and-four at 13, giving nentucKy ist-ana-goai at I. Kentucky 7, Florida e. FLORIDA Neal 45-yard pass from Bell, (two- pomt pass laneo). t-yara ortve, tnree plays, 1:19. Key play Nartiet 21 pass from Bell to Kentucky 48.

rionoa 12, Kemucxy 7. FOURTH QUARTER KENTUCKY Hunter 4-vard run rasa failedV 18-yard drive, four plays, 140. Key play Douglass nnwcspn eeii pass, returns 43 yards to Florida 18. ivvrnucKj 1 rionoa 14. Vi'i'.

iVvO FLORIDA Dawson 19-yard FG with 20 seconds left, 85-yard drive, 15 plays, 6:40. Key plays Bell completes 22-yard pass to McDonald and an 18-yarder to Neal; Gators convert two third-and-short rl? I situations witn runs. Florida 15, Kentucky 13. TEAM STATISTICS I S-A i Kentucky 7 4 1J tit J-1S investigation. The Gators were slapped with two years probation, and stripped of scholarships, live television and bowl appearances as well as their first-ever Southeastern Conference title.

The team's performance on the field has been unaffected, though, and the word "interim" has long since been dropped. Some say the soft-spoken Hall's relaxed approach to the game is as responsible for his success as the talent Pell left. One of the main of criticisms of the ex-coach during his tenure was that his intense nature caused players to become uptight before important games. The Gators, 9-H a year ago, were 8-0 after Hall took over. The team is now 8-1-1 after Saturday's 15-13 victory against Kentucky.

"Coach Hall has Instilled in us a quiet confidence that has so far paid off," says sophomore quarterback Kerwin Bell, another unlikely hero who as a freshman walk-on led the Gators to a No. 3 finish in the final Associated Press poll. "He also has a wav of relieving Florida A 73,672 FLORIDA TODAY Wires GAINESVILLE Fourteen months after taking over as "interim" head football coach of the Florida Gators, Galen Hall is about as permanent as you can be without a lifetime contract. One opposing coach calls his arrival in Gainesville a "miracle," while his quarterback whose success story at Florida is about as unlikely as Hall's says he's simply "right for the job." Whatever, the Gators are 16-1-1 since Hall replaced Charley Pell three games into the 1984 season. They were gunning for a national championship in 1985 and ranked No.

1 in the country for the first time before last Saturday's 24-3 loss to Georgia. "Galen Hall has got the magic," says Coach Bobby Bowden of archrival Florida State. "He's just what they needed." A recruiting scandal claimed Pell's job. Hall, who left Oklahoma to Join the Florida staff as offensive coordinator in February 1984, landed in the hot seat on an interim basis because he was the highest-ranking assistant mscathed by an NCAA Ken Flo job." Hall, an assistant at Oklahoma for 18 years, doesn't quite know what to make of all the talk about his suitability for the job. "I don't know why people say things," Hall says.

"It's nice, but hopefully they realize there are a lot of people involved. The players, the staff, a lot of people are responsible for our success." Before the loss to Georgia, Hall had amassed an immaculate record (8-0) against what historically have been the school's most feared rivals Auburn, Georgia, Florida State, Miami, Tennessee and LSU. The lone blemish on Hall's record heading before the loss to Georgia was a 28-28 tie against Rutgers. The team dropped from No. 3 to Uth in the Associated Poll, but used the tie as a rallying point and gradually worked its way up to No.

1 with six straight victories. "Our goal when the season began was not to be No. 1 in the eighth week of the season," Hall says. "Our goal is to be No. 1 at the end." Probation, however, will prohibit the Gators from playing in a bowl game for the second straight year.

13 22 32-86 49-184 154 236 61 12 i -A First downs Rushes-yards Passing yards Return yards Passes Punts Fumbles-tost Penalties-yards Time of Possession 14-27-0 17-29-1 9-40 5-45 4 0-0 2-1 5-29 7-58 25:25 34:35 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING Kentucky, Logan 10-36. Hlggs 6-24, Hunter 7-20. Florida, Anderson 31- 134, J.L. Williams ii-i, w.wiiiiams z-ie. PASSING Kentucky, Ransdell 12-20-0- 130, Dooley 2-7-0-24.

Florida, Ben 17-29-1-236, tension. He seems always to have a Anderson 0-1-0-0. uuie oKe tor us we are a bit FLORIDA TODAY GALEN HALL UF coach has compiled record, making his future at the Gator helm appear solid. RECEIVING Kentucky, Hunter 4-51. tight Bell says.

"He is right for the ejl says. Hlggs 4M- Florida, Neal 6-110, Anderson 4- 2Z Nattlel 2-44..