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After 40 years, the 1984 Florida Gators football team will finally be recognized for their SEC Championship season. The team was forced to vacate the league title due to NCAA violations.
The University of Florida announced the team’s reunion and subsequent pregame celebration in late August. The team members will participate in Gator Walk and be recognized on the field during the game.
John L. Williams, the team’s running back and a member of the UF Athletic Hall of Fame, will also be the honoree Mr. Two Bits, rallying the crowd before the Gators run out of the tunnel.
Another facet of the Gators ’84 team was Bobby Raymond, who kicked for Florida from 1982-84. Raymond scored 194 points in his Gators career, earning him the No. 11 spot on UF’s all-time points scorers list.
Reunion at Long Last 1984
The 1984 team hasn’t had a reunion since the sanctions were leveled and their title was stripped. While meetings between members of various ’80’s teams have occurred, this weekend’s Kentucky game will serve as the 1984 Gators’ first “official” reunion.
The Kentucky Connection
The decision to recognize the 1984 team against Kentucky is no mere coincidence. Besides this weekend being homecoming for the Gators, the 1984 Kentucky game took place in a pivotal four-game stretch. Weeks 8-11 saw the Gators beat No. 11 Auburn and No. 8 UGA before winning against Kentucky and No. 12 Florida State on the road.
The Kentucky game also marked a high point in Raymond’s career statistically. Raymond was essential in the Gator’s victory, racking up 18 of the Gator’s 25 points.
“I was glad I was able to make six field goals that day,” Raymond said. “I was fortunate to have a really good day and it turned out we needed it that day. Offense kept getting bogged down in the redzone and I was able to salvage some points.”
The Gators will take on Kentucky at 7:45 in the Swamp on Sunday. The game will be streamed on SEC Network. Live audio will also be available on ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM 850 AM WRUF.
