According to a report, Billy Napier is all but finished at Florida

It took a four-game winning streak with upsets of LSU and Ole Miss to save Billy Napier’s job last season. This year, it may take even more. 

After starting 1-3 in Year 4, including a loss to South Florida, Napier’s seat is hotter than ever, but step one to saving it was a 29-21 win over Texas in Week 6. There are plenty more opportunities for big wins, and according to a report from On3’s Brett McMurphy, sources have said that Napier needs a “magical run, a miracle finish” to return in 2026. 

For the second-straight season, Billy Napier may need to win out to save his job

In Week 7, Florida will play No. 5 Texas A&M at College Station. That is one of five remaining games against ranked opponents, with No. 10 Georgia, No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 12 Tennessee, and No. 25 Florida State still on deck. 

If Napier runs the table through the rest of the season, he won’t just save his job; he’ll likely land the Gators in the College Football Playoff. However, much more likely is that Florida loses on the road against the Aggies this Saturday, which would open the door for the administration and athletic director Scott Stricklin to pull the trigger with his firing. 

There have been an unusual number of early firings this season, including one in the SEC, with Arkansas moving on from Sam Pittman. Still, there is a train of thought that programs would prefer to hang onto their head coach through at least five games, to ensure that most of their roster is locked in with the team for this season and cannot opt to redshirt and head for the transfer portal. 

It’s possible that was Florida’s reason for hanging onto Napier after the 1-3 start, and it became impossible to fire him after knocking off a Top 10 team in the Swamp. 

McMurphy’s report seems to indicate that Napier’s fate is sealed and that the administration is just waiting for the right opportunity to make the move. The Gators, with the best game of former five-star quarterback DJ Lagway’s season, didn’t give them that chance this week, but it could be right around the corner with so many high-profile matchups upcoming. 

Lagway’s early-season struggles, including a five-interception performance against LSU, could be what sunk Napier’s ship. The talented young quarterback was expected to be the head coach’s ticket to contention, but with Napier refusing to hire a play-calling offensive coordinator after the strong close to last season, Lagway and the offense have been lackluster. That slow start makes it much easier to move on and risk losing Lagway to the Transfer Portal.