In 1969, Ray Graves coached his best season in his last season before moving up to be the University of Florida athletic director. The Gators finished #14 in the nation, #3 in the SEC at 9-1-1 (3-1-1). The Super Sophs' offensive players QB John Reaves, WR Carlos Alvarez, and TB Tommy Durrance surprised opponents with a surprisingly explosive offense, which led to an upset over #7 Houston and top-10 ranking for the first time since October of the previous year. The Gators would claim victories over #7 Houston, rival FSU, and #11 Tennessee along with a tie against #16 Georgia. The loss to #17 Auburn prevented this 1969 season from being a top-10 finish and a share of the SEC championship.
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
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September 20 | No. 7 Houston* | | Florida Field, Gainesville, FL | W 59–34 | 53,807 |
September 27 | at Mississippi State | No. 12 | Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, MS | W 47–35 | 37,000 |
October 4 | Florida State* | No. 12 |
Florida Field, Gainesville, FL |
| W 21–6 | 63,957 |
October 11 | vs. Tulane* | No. 12 | Tampa Stadium, Tampa, FL | W 18–17 | 43,102 |
October 18 | North Carolina*
| No. 10 |
Florida Field, Gainesville, FL |
| W 52–2 | 62,945 |
October 25 | Vanderbilt | No. 10 |
Florida Field, Gainesville, FL |
| W 41–20 | 48,631 |
November 1 | at No. 17 Auburn | No. 7 | Cliff Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL (rivalry) | L 12–38 | 50,086 |
November 8 | vs. No. 16 Georgia | No. 13 | Gator Bowl Stadium, Jacksonville, FL (rivalry) | T 13–13 | 70,862 |
November 15 | Kentucky | |
Florida Field, Gainesville, FL |
| W 31–6 | 55,279 |
November 29 | at Miami (FL)* | | Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, FL (rivalry) | W 35–16 | 70,934 |
December 27 | vs. No. 11 Tennessee* | No. 15 | Gator Bowl Stadium, Jacksonville, FL (rivalry) | W 14–13 | 72,248 |