Gator Country

Coach Ray Graves and the Florida “Super Sophs” traveled to Jackson, Miss., to play Mississippi State in a 1969 Southeastern Conference encounter.

The Gators were fresh off the big win over Houston and were out to prove that game was not a fluke and they did it in a big way. Florida ended the game, a 47-35 victory, with nearly 600 yards of total offense including 329 through the air.

Here’s the United Press International report:

JACKSON, Miss. — Sophomore quarterback John Reaves threw three touchdown passes and drove Florida to a 47-35 Southeastern Conference football victory over Mississippi State Saturday night.

Reaves threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to wingback Carlos Alvarez and a 47-yard scoring pass to tailback Tommy Durrance in the first quarter and added a 9-yard touchdown throw to end Paul Maliska in the third. He also threw a pair of two-point conversion passes.

Alavarez was name a consensus All-American following the season while Reaves broke 14 SEC passing and total offense records. Defensive back Steve Tannen was also name to the All-American team.

The Gator roster was filled with players who achieved honors in 1969 as well as seasons to come, such as Jack Youngblood, Kim Helton, Tommy Durrance, Fred Abbott, Bob Harrell, David Peak and Jim Yancey.

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