The family name Bethea traces its origin to French Protestant Huguenots who fled from France to England following the Edict of Fontainebleau and went on to settle in the colony of Virginia around the year 1700.

In the victory over Clemson, Bethea "looked for all the world like the famous Red Grange" according to Associated Press (AP) staff writer Benton E.

"[5] He helped lead the 1929 Gators to an 8–2 record and gained 79 yards on 17 attempts in the Dixie All-Star game held in Atlanta on New Year's Day in 1930.

[7] The high point of Bethea's career was Florida's 19–0 victory on October 18, 1930, over a University of Chicago team coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg.

[9] The Associated Press called Bethea Florida's "siege gun,"[10] and noted that his rushing total was "better than the whole Chicago backfield.

"[11] At the end of the 1930 season, the Central Press Association selected Bethea as a second-team All-American based on votes cast by 200 captains of college football teams polled in a nationwide survey.