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Gators grab a six-pack

Gators grab a si Florida beats Florida State for 6th-straight year, 17-13 Nattiel's last game. ...5C By JUNIOR INGRAM Gannett News Service TALLAHASSEE - Kerwin Bell's 18-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Nattiel with four minutes left in the game lifted Florida to a come-from-behind 17-13 victory over Florida State Saturday night. A rain-drenched Doak Campbell Stadium-record crowd of 62,370 crowd watched Florida end its season at 6-5. It was the Gators' sixth-consecutive win over their fiercest rival. The loss sends Florida State into the Dec. 31 All American Bowl against Indiana with a 6-4-1 record. "I know that it is six in a row, but they all hurt the same," said Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden. "I can't measure them. They all hurt." Derek Schmidt's 21-yard field goal in the third quarter had broken a tie and the Seminoles clung to the 13-10 lead as the fourth quarter began. FSU appeared on its way to increasing its lead, driving to the Florida 29- yard line. At this point, the Seminoles were controlling the line of scrimmage and dominating play. But when the drive stalled at the 29, Schmidt tried a 46-yard field goal. The ball kicked on a low line and was hit by a Florida defender. Florida recovered at the Gator 40 and began what would be the game-winning drive. "We got that field goal block and that changed the momentum," Bowden said. "Then that da Bell to Nattiel. They snuck in there that one time. "I guarantee when I go to sleep tonight... it will kill me when I wake up. I can stand it until I go to sleep," said Bowden. "I've very proud of the way we hung in there," said Florida Coach Galen Hall, "and the way we came back and beat a very fine football team. "This is a great tribute to our seniors. It's been a tough year, they could have quit, but they didn't." After the block, Florida tailback Wayne Williams found gaping holes to run through. He got 11 yards on the first play, 9 on the second. Two plays later, he picked up 13 to the FSU 22. After two short runs by Williams put the ball at the FSU 18, Bell found Nattiel streaking across the end zone ahead of two FSU defenders, Deion Sanders and Dedrick Dodge. The pass was low, but Nattiel caught it as he fell to the soggy turf. Jeff Dawson's first extra-point attempt missed to the left, but Florida State, plagued by penalties all night, was charged with roughing the kicker. Dawson made good his second try and Florida had a 17-13 lead with 3:50 left in the game. Florida State had two possessions after that, but quarterback Danny McManus could not connect with his receivers as pass after pass missed the mark. It was the second year in a row the Bell-toNattiel combination was instrumental in Florida beating FSU. Last year, the two connected on a pair of touchdown passes in Florida's 38-14 triumph. Florida State's offense operated in the red most of the first quarter. On their first three possessions, the Seminoles managed a net of 2 yards on 10 plays. On the 10th play, McManus overthrew Darrin Holloman on an out pattern and Florida cornerback Ricky Mulberry intercepted at the FSU 40. Bell moved the Gators quickly to the Florida State 18 where, on third-and-four, he hit Anthony Williams with a 10-yard pass to the 8. Octavius Gould then sprinted around the right side for the touchdown on the next play. I Dawson's kick made it 7-0. SHAWN SPENCE/Gannett Octavius Gould (31) celebrates his 7-yard scoring run, the Gators' first touchdown, with teammate David Williams.

Article from 30 Nov 1986News-Press(Fort Myers, FL)

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