The 2009 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2009 college football season. The Gators competed in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. They were led by fifth-year head coach Urban Meyer, who coached the Gators to a first-place finish in the SEC East, a 51–24 Sugar Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats, and an overall win-loss record of 13–1 (.929).
With senior quarterback Tim Tebow and eleven defensive starters returning, the Gators had hoped to repeat as back-to-back national champions following their BCS National Championship at the end of the 2008 season. They finished with an undefeated 12–0 regular season, their first since 1995, but the Gators' 32–13 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game derailed their national title hopes, and forced them to settle for a berth in the Sugar Bowl. At the conclusion of the 2009 season, the Gators were ranked No. 3 in both major polls.
On December 26, 2009, Gators athletic director Jeremy Foley announced that Urban Meyer would step down as the team's head coach for health and family reasons. The following day, Meyer stated that he would instead take an indefinite leave of absence, allowing him to resume his position as the head coach. Meyer returned to coach the Gators in spring practice in March 2010.
In the 2008 season, the Gators went 11–1 in the regular season, suffering their only loss to Ole Miss in Gainesville. Their post-season success included a win over No. 1–ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2008 SEC Championship Game, followed by a win over the No. 1–ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the 2009 BCS Championship Game. The Gators finished the 2008 season with a 13–1 record and ranked No. 1 in the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls. It was the third national championship for the Gators.
On January 11, 2009 during the national championship celebration at the University of Florida, quarterback Tim Tebow announced his intention to return for his senior season, followed on January 15 by linebacker Brandon Spikes intention to return as well. With Spikes' return, the entire two-deep of the Gators defense was set to return for the 2009 season. One major loss was All-America wide receiver Percy Harvin, who opted to leave the University of Florida to enter the 2009 NFL Draft.
The Gators also lost offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Dan Mullen, who became the head coach at Mississippi State following Sylvester Croom's resignation. Former offensive line coach Steve Addazio was named as Mullen's replacement, with Scot Loeffler hired to take on the role of quarterback coach.
The Gators played their spring scrimmage on April 18, 2009, with the Orange winning.
Florida was voted #1 in both the preseason USA Today Coaches' Poll and the AP Poll. The Gators received the highest ever percentage of preseason #1 votes in the history of the AP Poll, which began in 1950.
Sources: 2012 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, and GatorZone.com.
FLA – Jeffery Demps, 8-yard run (Jonathan Phillips kick), 11:05. Gators 7–0.
FLA – Chris Rainey, 76-yard run (Jonathan Phillips kick), 4:34. Gators 14–0.
FLA – Tim Tebow, 1-yard run (Jonathan Phillips kick), 14:22. Gators 21–0.
FLA – Jeffery Demps, 23-yard run (Jonathan Phillips kick), 11:39. Gators 28–0.
FLA – Aaron Hernandez, 28-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Jonathan Phillips kick), 7:55. Gators 35–0.
CSU – John Paglia 38-yard field goal, 5:37. Gators 35–3.
FLA – Brandon James 85-yard kickoff yard return (Jonathan Phillips kick), 5:24. Gators 42–3.
FLA – Justin Williams 7-yard pass from John Brantley (PAT failed), 12:39. Gators 48–3.
FLA – Cade Holliday 9-yard pass from John Brantley (Jonathan Phillips kick), 0:24. Gators 55–3.
FLA – Mike Gillislee 7-yard run (Jonathan Philips kick), 9:33. Gators 62–3.
In the season opener, the Gators met the Charleston Southern Buccaneers in Gainesville. In a game that was never close, the Gators won 62–3. John Brantley threw for 67 yards and 2 touchdowns.
FLA – Deonte Thompson, 6-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Jonathan Phillips kick), 6:39. Gators 7–0.
TROY – Sam Glusman, 45-yard field goal, 0:51. Gators 7–3.
FLA – Riley Cooper, 36-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Jonathan Phillips kick), 11:33. Gators 14–3.
FLA – Tim Tebow, 4-yard run (Jonathan Phillips kick), 8:04. Gators 21–3.
FLA – Deonte Thompson, 33-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Jonathan Phillips kick), 7:44. Gators 28–3.
FLA – Jeffery Demps, 24-yard run (Jonathan Phillips kick), 4:03. Gators 35–3.
FLA – Brandon James, 32-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Jonathan Phillips kick), 12:27. Gators 42–3.
FLA – Chris Rainey 1-yard run (Caleb Sturgis kick), 8:38. Gators 49–3.
TROY – Sam Glusman 42-yard field goal, 0:39. Gators 49–6.
FLA – Mike Gillislee 6-yard pass from John Brantley (Caleb Sturgis kick), 6:19. Gators 56–6.
The Florida Gators met the Troy Trojans in Gainesville, Florida. After a slow start, the Gators scored four times in the second quarter before cruising to a 56–6 victory.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis, 37-yard field goal, 11:33. Gators 3–0.
TENN – Daniel Lincoln, 24-yard field goal, 3:00. Tied 3–3.
FLA – Tim Tebow, 1-yard run (Caleb Sturgis kick), 12:48. Gators 10–3.
TENN – Daniel Lincoln, 20-yard field goal, 5:56. Gators 10–6.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis, 29-yard field goal, 0:51. Gators 13–6.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis, 35-yard field goal, 9:33. Gators 16–6.
FLA – Jeffery Demps 7-yard run (Caleb Sturgis kick), 0:07. Gators 23–6.
TENN – Montario Hardesty 17-yard run (Daniel Lincoln kick), 8:11. Gators 23–13.
In what may have been the most talked about game all pre-season, the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers met in Gainesville, Florida. Most of the pre-game talk surrounded comments made by Volunteer's head coach Lane Kiffin. The game remained close until the end with the Gators holding on for a 23–13 victory.
In their first road game of the season, the Florida Gators traveled to Lexington, Kentucky to face the Wildcats. The Gators quickly took at 31–0 lead in the first quarter before going on to win 41–7. The biggest news story to come out of the game was a concussion suffered by Tim Tebow during the third quarter. Tebow spent the night in a Lexington hospital; returning two weeks later for Florida's 13–3 win at LSU.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis, 28-yard field goal, 3:50. Gators 3–0.
LSU – Josh Jasper, 18-yard field goal, 5:16. Tied 3–3.
FLA – Riley Cooper, 24-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Caleb Sturgis kick), 0:50. Gators 10–3.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis, 32-yard field goal, 7:27. Gators 13–3.
ARK – Broderick Green, 1-yard run (Alex Tejada kick), 3:00. Razorbacks 7–0.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis, 30-yard field goal, 1:40. Razorbacks 7–3.
ARK – Alex Tejada, 22-yard field goal, 0:00. Razorbacks 10–3.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis, 51-yard field goal, 10:53. Razorbacks 10–6.
FLA – Deonte Thompson, 77-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Caleb Sturgis kick), 2:59. Gators 13–10.
ARK – Alex Tejada, 31-yard field goal, 0:07. Tied 13–13.
ARK – Greg Childs, 75-yard pass from Ryan Mallet (Alex Tejada kick), 9:40. Razorbacks 20–13.
FLA – Jeffery Demps, 10-yard run (Caleb Sturgis kick), 7:27. Tied 20–20.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis 27-yard field goal, 0:09. Gators 23–20.
FLA – Aaron Hernandez, 18-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Caleb Sturgis kick), 6:48. Gators 7–0.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis, 37-yard field goal, 14:55. Gators 10–0.
FLA – Tim Tebow, 18-yard run (Caleb Sturgis kick), 3:59. Gators 17–0.
FLA – Aaron Hernandez, 37-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Caleb Sturgis kick), 1:07. Gators 24–0.
FLA – Riley Cooper, 39-yard pass from Tim Tebow (PAT blocked), 0:51. Gators 30–0.
FSU – Dustin Hopkins, 20-yard field goal, 0:00. Gators 30–3.
FLA – Tim Tebow, 1-yard run (Caleb Sturgis kick), 10:18. Gators 37–3.
FSU – Jarmon Fortson, 9-yard pass from E. J. Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick), 8:11. Gators 37–10.
In the regular season finale, the Gators blew by the Seminoles 37–10. A new attendance record at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was set with 90,907 present.
ALA – Leigh Tiffin, 48-yard field goal, 10:37. Crimson Tide 3–0.
ALA – Mark Ingram, 7-yard run (PAT failed), 5:33. Crimson Tide 9–0.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis, 48-yard field goal, 0:28. Crimson Tide 9–3.
ALA – Leigh Tiffin, 34-yard field goal, 6:03. Crimson Tide 12–3.
FLA – David Nelson, 23-yard pass from Tim Tebow (Caleb Sturgis kick), 4:31. Crimson Tide 12–10.
ALA – Mark Ingram, 3-yard run (Leigh Tiffin kick), 3:32. Crimson Tide 19–10.
FLA – Caleb Sturgis 32-yard field goal, 1:18. Crimson Tide 19–13.
ALA – Colin Peek 17-yard pass from Greg McElroy (Leigh Tiffin kick), 9:53. Crimson Tide 26–13.
ALA – Mark Ingram 1-yard run (2PT attempt failed), 13:49. Crimson Tide 32–13.
In a rematch of last year's SEC Championship Game, the Crimson Tide handed the Gators their only loss of the season. Alabama running back Mark Ingram scored three touchdowns in the 32–13 win.
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking. ██ Not ranked the previous week. ██ Selected for BCS National Championship Game.
^ University of Florida Sports Information Department. "Florida 2009 Media Guide" (PDF). floridagators.com. University Athletic Association, Inc. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
^ "UF's Urban Meyer Steps Down as Head Football Coach". Archived from the original on 2010-01-02. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
^ "Tebow wants to do it all over again". ESPN.com. 2009-01-11. Archived from the original on 2009-08-03. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
^ "Gators shrug off top ranking in preseason coaches' poll". Archived from the original on 2009-09-07. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
^ 2012 Florida Football Media Guide Archived 2013-05-27 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 114 & 116 (2012). Retrieved September 16, 2012.
^ GatorZone.com, Football, History, Florida Football 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
^ "Florida Gators QB Tim Tebow taken to hospital after hard sack". ESPN.
^ "2009 University of Florida Football Roster and Coaches". Archived from the original on 2009-07-05. Retrieved 2009-07-05.
2012 Florida Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 107–116 (2012).