1953 Gator Bowl

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1953 Gator Bowl
1234 Total
Tulsa 0076 13
Florida 7700 14
DateJanuary 1, 1953
Season1952
StadiumGator Bowl
LocationJacksonville, Florida
MVPRB John Hall (Florida)
T Marv Matuszak (Tulsa)
RefereeRonald Gibbs (MVC;
split crew: MVC, SEC)
Attendance30,015
Gator Bowl
 < 1952 1954

The 1953 Gator Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Tulsa Golden Hurricane of the Missouri Valley Conference and the Florida Gators representing the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Florida defeated Tulsa, 14–13.[1] This was the Gators' first appearance in an NCAA-sanctioned bowl game.

Game summary[edit]

An extra point by Rick Casares proved the difference. Florida outrushed the Golden Hurricane 233 to 182, while Tulsa outpassed the Gators 132 to 101. The Golden Hurricane turned the ball over twice, while Florida turned it over five times. This was the first Gator Bowl where more than one player was awarded MVP honors, which was done until 2011.[2]

The attendance for the game was 30,015.[3]

Scoring summary[edit]

  • Florida - Rick Casares, 2-yard touchdown run (Casares kick)
  • Florida - J. Hall, 37-yard touchdown pass from Fred Robinson (Casares kick)
  • Tulsa - J. C. Roberts. 3-yard touchdown run (Tom Miner kick)
  • Tulsa - Howard Waugh, 2-yard touchdown run (kick failed)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "MGGC Online | 1953 Gator Bowl". angelfire.com. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 5, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Missed conversion nips Tulsa, 14–13". The Ponca City News. January 2, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.