#4 Florida vs #11 Alabama - 1996 SEC Championship Game

Steve Spurrier and the Florida Gators won their 4th SEC Championship in 5 years at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta - defeating Gene Stallings and the Alabama Crimson Tide in a wild 45-30 shootout.

At the outset, Alabama stifled Florida's offense - led by Heisman Trophy winning QB Danny Wuerffel - holding the Gators scoreless on their first 3 possessions and grabbing an early 7-0 lead off a 36-yard TD pass from Freddie Kitchens to RB Dennis Riddle (1:16-mark).
Wuerffel eventually got the 'Fun-and-Gun' humming, tossing 3 consecutive TD passes (to Ike Hillard 2:02, Reidal Anthony 3:10 and Elijah Williams 4:08 respectively) to give Florida a 24-7 2nd-qtr lead. Alabama was able to answer just before the half, with an 8-yard TD pass from Kitchens to Michael Vaughn (6:57-mark) trimming the Gators lead to 24-14 at intermission.

A muffed snap on a Florida punt (7:40-mark) set up Alabama at the Gators 5-yard line early in the 3rd-qtr. Riddle capitalized to make the score 24-21 and the shootout at the Georgie Dome was on. After Wuerffel tossed his 4th TD of the night (9:19-mark), Alabama responded with an electric 94-yard bomb from Kitchens to Vaughn to again trim the deficit to three at 31-28 (9:59-mark). It took Florida all of 57 seconds to respond - this time with an 85-yard Wuerffel-to-Jacquez Green deep ball (11:33-mark). Early in the 4th-qtr, Wuerffel tossed his 6th TD pass of the game (13:54-mark) and 39th of the season - this one again to Reidal Anthony (his 3rd of the night) to seal the win and the SEC Championship.

Danny Wuerffel completed 20 of 35 passes for 401 yards with 6 TDs and 2 Ints. Reidal Anthony led Florida in receiving with 11 receptions for 171 yards and 3 TD's and Jacquez Green added 3 rec for 106 yds and 1 TD.
Talor Kitchens completed 19 of 45 passes for 264 yards with 2 TDs and 1 Int. His favorite target, Michael Vaughn, caught 5 passes for 142 yards and 2 TDs, and running back Dennis Riddle turned in a terrific all-around performance - 42 yards rushing, 82 yards receiving and 2 total TD's.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Danny Wuerffel
• Fred Taylor
• Ike Hillard
• Reidal Anthony
• Jacquez Green
• Elijah Williams
• Johnny Rutledge
• Steve Spurrier
• Bob Stoops
• Gene Stallings
• Freddie Kitchens
• Dennis Riddle
• Michael Vaughn
• Ozell Powell
• Ralph Staten
• Fernando Bryant
• Florida
• Gators
• Alabama
• Crimson Tide
• Georgia Dome
• SEC
• Championship
• College football
• ncaa
• Keith Jackson