Steve Spurrier’s 1996 national championship team at Florida had a little bit of everything on offense — a Heisman-winning senior quarterback, two consensus All-American wide receivers and one of the program’s best-ever tailbacks.

The arsenal at quarterback Danny Wuerffel’s disposal in the Head Ball Coach’s Fun-N-Gun was simply unfair and the Gators proved it by averaging 47 points per game. Add in the fact the two-time defending SEC champs were hungry for a national championship after being embarrassed by Nebraska the previous season and the results were terrifying.

The decision’s debatable, but Florida’s core of pass-catchers in 1996 have earned the title of the SEC’s best all-time. Look at the numbers and find another position group as talented with as much depth as the Gators:

  • Reidel Anthony, Jr. (All-American): 72 catches, 1,293 yards, 18 TD (first-round pick)
  • Ike Hilliard, Jr. (All-American): 47 catches, 900 yards, 10 TD (first-round pick)
  • Jacquez Green, Soph: 33 catches, 626 yards, 9 TD; 2 punt return TD (future All-SEC in 1997)
  • Travis McGriff, Soph.: 14 catches, 167 yards (future All-SEC in 1998)

Spurrier also utilized junior running back Elijah Williams, who shared carries with Fred Taylor, as a primary option out of the backfield. Williams caught 14 passes for 253 yards and a score that helped keep defenses off balance who were focused on limiting (good try) Anthony and Hilliard.

Anthony’s 18 touchdown receptions set an SEC record that still stands today, only recently approached by Alabama’s Amari Cooper (16 in 2014). Hilliard, a member of our SDS All-Time WRs list, followed up a 1,000-yard, 15-touchdown performance his previous season with a near match as the Gators’ leading third-down option.

Future early-round picks Green and McGriff were just getting started. Green blossomed as the go-to wideout the following season after Anthony and Hilliard’s early departures to the NFL. The speedster caught 61 passes for 1,024 yards before he jumped early as well.

As a senior in 1998, McGriff caught 70 passes for 1,357 yards and 10 scores, the sixth-best single season ever in the SEC.