45 – Carlos Alvarez
Carlos “the Cuban Comet” Alvarez played for the Florida Gators from 1969 to 1971. Carlos’ father moved the family from Cuba to Miami to escape the Castro revolution of 1960. Nine years later, Carlos joined his older brothers at the University of Florida and brought his ironman style of football (he played nearly the entire game on offense and defense in high school) to play wide receiver for coaches Ray Graves and Doug Dickey. Carlos was a pivotal member of the “Super Sophs” that led the Gators to its then-best 9-1-1 season while earning first team All-SEC and All-American honors. The Cuban Comet also made a pivotal, 9-yard touchdown reception that sealed the 14-13 upset win over Tennessee in the Gator Bowl. He was the top offensive weapon in the 1970 and 1971 seasons as well, as he garnered Academic All-American honors and shattered the receiving records. To this day, he is still the leading Gator receiver in terms of receptions in a game with 15, and receptions in a season with 88. The Cuban Comet still remains the Gators’ all-time career leader in receiving yards (2,563), the all-time leader in season yards per game (133) is 2nd in receiving yards in a single season (1,329 yards in 1969), and is 2nd in single game receptions (237 against Miami in 1969). Carlos has numerous receiving records that stood for nearly 30 years until broken by the likes of Jabar Gaffney and Andre Caldwell. Carlos graduated with honors in 1972 and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 15th round, but he left football due to chronic injuries. Carlos accepted a postgraduate scholarship to Duke to earn his juris doctor, which he earned cumma sum laude, and went into law, then politics. He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1986 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
