The highlight of the season was a nationally televised September victory over
Southern Cal in the Trojans' only visit to Florida Field. Gator linebacker
Wilber Marshall had 14 tackles and 4 sacks in the 17–9 victory and was named national defensive player of the week on his way to All-American honors at the end of the season.[2] On offense, the team was led by quarterback
Wayne Peace, who set an NCAA record for completion percentage in a season (70.7%) running offensive coordinator
Mike Shanahan's short passing attack.[3]
Florida played six of their first seven games at home and rode their early season success into a No. 4 ranking in early October, which matched the highest AP poll placement in program history up to that time. However, close losses to
LSU and
Vanderbilt and a blow-out loss to arch rival
Georgia knocked them out of the polls, and the Gators finished the season 8–4 after a loss in the
1982 Bluebonnet Bowl
The highlight of the season was a nationally televised September victory over
Southern Cal in the Trojans' only visit to Florida Field. Gator linebacker
Wilber Marshall had 14 tackles and 4 sacks in the 17–9 victory and was named national defensive player of the week on his way to All-American honors at the end of the season.[2] On offense, the team was led by quarterback
Wayne Peace, who set an NCAA record for completion percentage in a season (70.7%) running offensive coordinator
Mike Shanahan's short passing attack.[3]
Florida played six of their first seven games at home and rode their early season success into a No. 4 ranking in early October, which matched the highest AP poll placement in program history up to that time. However, close losses to
LSU and
Vanderbilt and a blow-out loss to arch rival
Georgia knocked them out of the polls, and the Gators finished the season 8–4 after a loss in the
1982 Bluebonnet Bowl