Superman Can Be Stopped

As told by his own head coach, the Superman of Gator

Land finally met his match in Jacksonville in 1966.

One of the greatest victories by Georgia over Florida--fifth-best in my book--was when the Bulldogs upset the Gators in 1966 and their Heisman-winning "Superman of Gator Land."

A friend of mine recently sent me a true gem--The Ray Graves Show which followed Georgia's great 27-10 win.  The Florida head coach's show is much different than the coaches shows I grew up on--no Yella Fella and his Yella Wood, no Frito Lay commercials.

Along with the game's recap from my I Love Georgia/I Hate Florida book, highlights of one of the most memorable games in UGA football history:

Led by “Superman” in 1966, Florida looked like it was finally going to capture its elusive SEC championship.  The Gators were undefeated at 7-0, ranked seventh in the nation, and were led by quarterback Steve “Superman” Spurrier, who had defeated the Bulldogs in the final seconds the year before and was the frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy.

Florida, looking every bit of having the country’s seventh-best offense, took the opening kickoff and quickly drove 86 yards in eight plays to a 7-0 lead.  Georgia placekicker Bob Etter got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with a field goal, but Florida’s Wayne Barfield would answer with one of his own just before halftime.

In the second half, Spurrier was far from super, hurrying almost all of his pass attempts and often sacked.  After throwing just two interceptions in 191 passes for the first seven-and-a-half games of the season, Spurrier was intercepted three times in just 15 attempts in the second half.  The Gator ground game didn’t fair much better, netting just five yards after halftime.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs scored on a second Etter field goal, two rushing touchdowns, and a 39-yard interception return by safety Lynn Hughes, who had helped defeat Florida and Spurrier two years before as Georgia’s quarterback.

 

 

Following the Bulldogs’ 27-10 upset victory, Jim Minter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted a spirited Georgia fan, dressed in red and assuredly enjoying the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party,” repeatedly shouted from the Gator Bowl stands, “Superman can be stopped…”

 

Spurrier had been stopped on that particular day, although he couldn’t be stopped from taking home the Heisman Trophy about a month later.  Nevertheless, the loss to Georgia ended Florida’s chance for its first conference title, and it would be the Bulldogs instead taking home the SEC championship.