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Washington swamps Gators in Freedom Bowl

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- So thorough was Washington's victory over Florida in the Freedom Bowl that the Gators are better served by forgetting the game altogether and looking toward a new season with a new coach.

'I'm not sure there was a game this season where we had all three (kicking, offense and defense) going,' Huskies Coach Don James said after Cary Conklin threw two touchdown passes and Washington held All-America running back Emmitt Smith to 17 yards in Saturday's 34-7 rout.

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The Huskies, who shared second place in the Pacific-10 Conference, finished 8-4. The Gators, tied for fourth in the Southeastern Conference, finished 7-5.

Florida, under an NCAA cloud for much of the season, Sunday named Steve Spurrier coach. Gary Darnell had been interim coach since Galen Hall left five games into the season.

'When Steve called late last night (Saturday) to inform me officially that he had decided to accept Florida's offer and return to his alma mater, I felt like celebrating the new year a day early,' Athletic Director Bill Arnsparger said.

'His hiring is another positive sign that our football program is indeed headed in the right direction and that the University of Florida will be a program to be reckoned with on the national level during the 1990s. We are excited that Steve has decided to come back to his alma mater and we pledge to assist him in every way possible as he puts together one of this nation's model programs.'

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Conklin completed 21 of 39 passes for 217 yards and threw both TD strikes in the first quarter. Smith, who gained 1,599 yards in the regular season, was limited to seven carries.

The Huskies outgained the Gators 290 yards to 100, amassed 18 first downs to Florida's three, and controlled the ball for all but 6:13 of the half.

'I'm surprised the game was not that close,' Conklin said. 'We executed everything very well. It was fun out there. I felt like a doctor, just picking away.'

Washington held Smith to 14 yards in five carries in the half.

'All we had to worry about was Emmitt,' safety Eugene Burkhalter said. 'It looked to me like he didn't want to be out here. But I don't know if that's for me to say. He wasn't effective, but that wasn't because of him. That was because of us.'

Said Smith: 'When the defense is basically designed to stop the run, you're not going to run over them. It's not easy to run against an eight-man front.'

Darnell finished with a 3-4 record. Arnsparger did not say if he will be part of Spurrier's staff.

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