Gator Bowl

1958

Ole Miss 7

Florida 3

Mississippi Fight Song

JACKSONVILLE, FLA (UPI) Mississippi beat Florida 7-3 Saturday in the Gator Bowl football classic with all the scoring coming in the opening minutes of the gray, drizzly game.

Jim Anderson, who came in as a substitute when the Ole Miss fullback, Charley Flowers, was injured, scored the game's single touchdown after Mississippi had swept 70 yards downfield on the kickoff.

Florida, with its slender quarterback ace, Jimmy Dunn, contributing a 56-yard kickoff return and a 14-yard end sweep, promptly surged back to Mississippi's 11. There Ole Miss held and with the ball placed down on the 17, Billy Booker kicked the field goal for 3 points.

Old Miss was favored to win by one touchdown and the game ran just about true to form.  Mississippi was particularly effective in its ground game. Its big line repeatedly held Florida in the closing minutes of the game when a quick kick by Bobby Green, touched accidentally by several Mississippi players, was recovered by Dave Hudson on the Mississippi 10.

The kick, longest ever in the Gator Bowl, was good for 76 yards, but Florida couldn't cash in.

There were 41,312 tickets to the game sold and despite the threatening weather, almost that many fans showed up.

In defeat, the 142-pound Dunn stood out as the best player on the field. His passes were accurate, his running was sharp and, when he had to kick, he performed superbly. But, he was no match for the big Mississippi line when the goal line got in range.

Ole Miss’ first period touchdown resulted from a steady march. Vel Heckman, Florida’s great tackle, gave Mississippi five yards at the outset by being drawn offsides. Kent Lovelace and Flowers alternated on sharp, short jabs into the line to advance the ball to Florida’s 32.

At this point, quarterback Bobby Franklin cut loose with passes. Jerry Daniels caught the first of these on the 20. Cowbuy Woodruff then smashed for four. Franklin then passed to end Larry Grantham who was run out one the 1.

Anderson carried over the goal on the first try and Robert Khayat converted with a place kick- his18th successful one in a row. Anderson came into the game when Flowers, the All-Southeastern Conference fullback, was injured during the downfield march.

Jimmy Dunn then electrified the crowd by taking Mississippi's kickoff on the Florida 14, dropping it and picking it up again and then running diagonally across the field to Mississippi 30, a 56 yard return.

On the first play from scrimmage he ran his right end to the I6. At this point, Ole Miss stiffened and held Florida to 6 yards on 3 plays. On fourth down, Billy Booker kicked a field goal ton make it 7-3.

It almost looked as if Florida could win in the final period when Green's great kick gave the Gators the ball on the Ole Miss 10- thanks to the scramble in which it was touched by the Rebels. Four plays gained eight yards and that wasn't enough.

Florida quickly got another chance when a wobbly punt by Billy Brewer rolled dead on the 26. Florida smashed to the 15 but on a pitchout by Dunn the ball was lost and Hanson Churchwell recovered for Mississippi.

The press box voted quarterback Bobby Franklin as Mississippi’s most valuable player, and end David Hudson as Florida’s best- although it was Dunn who provided the spark for the losers.

Ole Miss' Jim Anderson (42) scores the game's only touchdown 11 plays into the first quarter.

Robert Khayat kicks the extra point for the Rebels.

Ole Miss defense stops Florida fullback.

Attendance- 41,312

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

UM- Anderson 1 run (Khayat kick)

UF- FG Booker 17

Individual Statistics

Rushing

UF- Newbern 5-59, Milby 10-35, Gilles 3-20, Deal 6-18

UM- Anderson 9-62, Lovelace 7-28, Flowers 4-20, Woodruff 3-10, Franklin 5-14

Passing

UF- Dunn 5-11-58

UM- Franklin 2-7-27

Receiving

UF- Hudson 3-22, Dilts 1-13, Partin 1-13

UM- Grantham 1-15, Daniels 1-12.

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