Florida Gators football coach Billy Napier may have a handful of chances left in Gainesville after losing to the USF Bulls 18-16 in Week 2. UF is no longer ranked, and if USA Today’s Blake Toppmeyer is a soothsayer, they’ll have an interim in Napier’s stead by October 13.
That date comes after four straight ranked matchups with the LSU Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, Texas Longhorns, and Texas A&M Aggies over the next month.
“It’s tempting to describe Florida’s 18-16 loss to the Bulls at The Swamp as stunning, but was it, really? South Florida had just smashed Boise State. The Bulls have positioned themselves as a prime contender for the Group of Five’s College Football Playoff spot,” Toppmeyer wrote.
“Meanwhile, Napier is a .500 coach, and September has been an awful month for Florida throughout his tenure. The Gators lost either the first or second game of the season in all four years under Napier. Three of those losses occurred at The Swamp.
“So, this counts as an upset, but it’s not stunning. With Florida’s next four games coming against ranked opponents, it sure wouldn't be stunning if Napier absorbs a knockout punch before Columbus Day.”
Napier rode DJ Lagway to a strong finish to the 2024 season. It was expected that the arrangement would continue in 2025. But Lagway was good, but not great, against the Bulls’ Group of Five defense, producing only one touchdown. That’s on Russ Callaway, whom Napier handed the keys to the offense in February.
The door is not closed on Napier’s future, but it’s barely ajar at this point.
Imagining a Columbus Day dismissal isn’t hard considering the schedule ahead.